Branding versus searing

This is coming out of several conversations I've had lately, which finally reached critical mass. Have some thoughts about website design.

Marketing departments the world over, plus a lot of individuals with sites and blogs, are wedded to the importance of branding, on a web site. I can understand why. If you're offering any kind of product at all, well, you want people to know at a glance who provided it.

( Alas, this passion for recognition tends to run away with people's brains. And hide them. )