Colt Keeps Kicking
7/30/2010
Colt is a classic example of how incredibly difficult it can be to kill a good brand. A story about Colt’s managerial incompetence, which bordered on buffoonery, first broke in GUNS Magazine in a story titled, “What Went Wrong In Harford?” The date of the issue was 1956.
Despite literally decades of revolving door management and rapacious ownership, the rampant stallion remains an incredible brand. I recall reading that one of the big Madison Avenue ad agencies conducted a study of brand names world-wide of every consumer product under the sun, from cars to cassette players, and Colt came in No. 2 behind Coca-Cola.
Indeed, Colt is synonymous with the Wild West. Colt probably rode that association to beating out brands like Mercedes and IBM in many parts of the world because “cowboys and Indians” are still such a big part of the perception of America.
Regardless of why—by commission or omission—Colt is one of the strongest brands in our industry.
No. 4 of my Top 5 Strongest Outdoor Brands has created a lifestyle around its brand, and is often simply known as a color.
