Brand Management: Apple?

SeattleDuck is up again today with this post on brand management [here]

This goes directly to the heart of the somewhat loosely constructed (ok, when I read it this morning, it had the logical consistency of a drunken llama) rant on Apple and brand management.

I agree with Kevin:

The emotional power of your brand CANNOT be decided in a meeting or a planning doc. Those are wasted words. They may provide a goal and guidance how to get there, but true brand power has always resided with two parties: your customers and your employees that interact with them.

Apple, turn your employees and the fanatics loose! They kept you alive in the times of darkness; let them lead herald your brand from the ramparts.
Let them develop BRAND LUST for you.