Anti Branding?

I teach graphic design at a University in London and one of my specialist the subjects is branding. The arguments made in COMPRA if read superficially seem to be anti branding and could be interpreted as being against the profession I promote to my students. This is not my position. There is  a problem within areas of the branding industry that stems out of a lack of respect for context and a need to create efficient homogenizing identity systems. I would encourage designers to respect what is there already, to respect tradition, heritage and content. The identity that Moving Brands created for Saville Row tailoring label E. Tautz is a good example of how designers can work with the heritage of a brand to create something rich and contemporary. We also should not to dismiss vernacular in favour of a universally acknowledged aesthetic. One size of Helvetica 55 does not fit all and if we want to produce work that lasts beyond the latest trend then we need to engage with subject matter and not the latest cool design blog. COMPRA is meant to be a celebration of visual languages that naturally evolve and are not imposed by an exterior force. I believe this is richer, more complex, more interesting and actually more relevant to the user. These users might not be familiar with the niche trend of the moment but they are not ignorant. If we actually consult with them and respect their opinion we will have something that is more relevant to their needs and actually more successful as a piece of design.