--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Until the company believes in itself, AOL…" description: "\"Until the company believes in itself, AOL didn't have its own space and identity in the marketplace. The opportunity is to get out from under the negat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/tim-armstrong-29408_advertiser_until-the-company-believes-in-itself-aol_698492.jpg" --- # Until the company believes in itself, AOL didn't have its… ![“Until the company believes in itself, AOL didn't have its own space and identity in the marketplace. The opportunity is to get out from under the negative history and figure out the value AOL offers for consumers and for publishers and advertisers.” quote by Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/tim-armstrong-29408_advertiser_until-the-company-believes-in-itself-aol_698492.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/tim-armstrong-29408_advertiser_until-the-company-believes-in-itself-aol_698492.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/tim-armstrong-29408_advertiser_until-the-company-believes-in-itself-aol_698492.jpg) > “Until the company believes in itself, AOL didn't have its own space and identity in the marketplace. The opportunity is to get out from under the negative history and figure out the value AOL offers for consumers and for publishers and advertisers.” [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. AOL must redefine its brand by shedding past negative associations and clarifying its unique value to users and partners. **In simple terms:** AOL needs a fresh, clear brand identity. Key Takeaway Craft a compelling narrative that separates past from future. Themes branding identity strategy Mood strategic optimistic Type business marketing When to use this quote - marketing workshops - executive briefings - brand audits Key Concepts reputation management value proposition market positioning Questions to Reflect On - How can AOL demonstrate new value quickly? - What steps rebuild trust with advertisers? A Different Perspective Changing perception may be slow despite clear messaging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertiser/) [Aol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aol/) [Aol Offers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aol-offers-5535210/) [Believes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believes/) [Believes Aol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believes-aol-5535209/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Company Believes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company-believes-3791406/) [Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Figure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figure/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Identity Marketplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity-marketplace-4113525/) [Itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/itself/) [Marketplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketplace/) [Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative/) [Offers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offers/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Publishers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishers/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Until](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/until/) [Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value/) [Value Aol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-aol-5535208/) ## Related quotes > [“A Trade Mark is a company’s persona and identity in the marketplace”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalyan-c-kankanala/a-trade-mark-is-a-company-s-persona-and-identity-in-the-marketplace/) [Kalyan C. Kankanala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalyan-c-kankanala/) > [What is a company that believes in good, clean family entertainment doing making R-rated pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/what-is-a-company-that-believes-in-good-clean-family-entertainment/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [My company believes in hiring people based on merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/my-company-believes-in-hiring-people-based-on-merit/) [Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/) > [It's just been this incredible steady climb, but I've seen a company that believes in me and has let me make mistakes, has let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-taylor/it-s-just-been-this-incredible-steady-climb-but-i-ve-seen-a-company/) [Maria Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-taylor/) > [A big part of fixing AOL is getting AOL to believe in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/a-big-part-of-fixing-aol-is-getting-aol-to-believe-in-itself/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [One of AOL's biggest assets is its brand. For people over 30 and, due to AOL Instant Messenger, even a lot of people under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/one-of-aol-s-biggest-assets-is-its-brand-for-people-over-30-and-due/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [Think of any news site on the web that sells subscriptions; AOL has four times as many people as the largest subscription service. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/think-of-any-news-site-on-the-web-that-sells-subscriptions-aol-has/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [I think, from a standpoint of editorial, you know, AOL historically has played in a very deep way across many different verticals in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-think-from-a-standpoint-of-editorial-you-know-aol-historically-has/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [I think international is a place that, actually, The Huffington Post and AOL have started to make moves in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-think-international-is-a-place-that-actually-the-huffington-post/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [What's happening internally is eventually what will take AOL back to being a growth company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/what-s-happening-internally-is-eventually-what-will-take-aol-back-to/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [AOL, I think, represented an opportunity for a few things. One is I'm a big believer in the AOL brand, and I think AOL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/aol-i-think-represented-an-opportunity-for-a-few-things-one-is-i-m-a/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [We have people who pay to use our products and services, and they are heavily engaged in our content. If you erase the brand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/we-have-people-who-pay-to-use-our-products-and-services-and-they-are/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [I think if the average person that uses AOL can't physically see the changes in the company, we've failed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-think-if-the-average-person-that-uses-aol-can-t-physically-see-the/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [I'm a person who likes to tackle challenges. Google was a challenge when I got there. I think AOL's a challenge. The way we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-m-a-person-who-likes-to-tackle-challenges-google-was-a-challenge/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [At Time Warner, I had ten percent of the stock after the merger. But when we merged with AOL, I was diluted down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/at-time-warner-i-had-ten-percent-of-the-stock-after-the-merger-but/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) ## More by Tim Armstrong > [I'm used to being in creative environments where people throw out a lot of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-m-used-to-being-in-creative-environments-where-people-throw-out-a/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [Anytime you make big plans, you have people questioning what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/anytime-you-make-big-plans-you-have-people-questioning-what-you-re/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [Bebo has an opportunity to prove its products and services. Bebo plays in a very competitive space; it has big market share in specific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/bebo-has-an-opportunity-to-prove-its-products-and-services-bebo-plays/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [The reality is, I've started multiple companies, so actually I'm probably more of a product/creative person than I am sales. Although I can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/the-reality-is-i-ve-started-multiple-companies-so-actually-i-m/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [The No. 1 criticism most managers get is that they don't ever change or wait too long to make changes... It's very simple: Either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/the-no-1-criticism-most-managers-get-is-that-they-don-t-ever-change/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [I'm a person who likes to tackle challenges. Google was a challenge when I got there. I think AOL's a challenge. The way we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-m-a-person-who-likes-to-tackle-challenges-google-was-a-challenge/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [I think if the average person that uses AOL can't physically see the changes in the company, we've failed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-think-if-the-average-person-that-uses-aol-can-t-physically-see-the/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [We have people who pay to use our products and services, and they are heavily engaged in our content. If you erase the brand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/we-have-people-who-pay-to-use-our-products-and-services-and-they-are/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [What's happening internally is eventually what will take AOL back to being a growth company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/what-s-happening-internally-is-eventually-what-will-take-aol-back-to/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [I think international is a place that, actually, The Huffington Post and AOL have started to make moves in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-think-international-is-a-place-that-actually-the-huffington-post/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [I'm a massive believer in brands. Silicon Valley has tried to reprogram everybody to think brands aren't valuable. Or theirs are, but yours aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-m-a-massive-believer-in-brands-silicon-valley-has-tried-to/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [I think, from a standpoint of editorial, you know, AOL historically has played in a very deep way across many different verticals in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-think-from-a-standpoint-of-editorial-you-know-aol-historically-has/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [Think of any news site on the web that sells subscriptions; AOL has four times as many people as the largest subscription service. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/think-of-any-news-site-on-the-web-that-sells-subscriptions-aol-has/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [A picture of me as this super affable sales guy gets painted, but in actuality, I'm pretty driven by hard work and love working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/a-picture-of-me-as-this-super-affable-sales-guy-gets-painted-but-in/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [One of AOL's biggest assets is its brand. For people over 30 and, due to AOL Instant Messenger, even a lot of people under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/one-of-aol-s-biggest-assets-is-its-brand-for-people-over-30-and-due/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) [Explore all 18 Tim Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) ## More Advertiser quotes > [If you look at the heritage of the best advertising, you can make stuff that is great for both readers and advertisers. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-peretti/if-you-look-at-the-heritage-of-the-best-advertising-you-can-make/) [Jonah Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-peretti/) > [Advertisers now have a highly targeted opportunity for aligning their brands alongside the entertainment experience people are enjoying on YouTube.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hurley/advertisers-now-have-a-highly-targeted-opportunity-for-aligning-their/) [Chad Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hurley/) > [Persuasion has become a kind of force. The more the advertiser knows about what consumers want, and the more desires the product and packaging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/persuasion-has-become-a-kind-of-force-the-more-the-advertiser-knows/) [Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/) > [Most advertisers spend millions upon millions of dollars to buy commercial time during the Super Bowl, and millions in creating eye-popping ads, hoping to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/most-advertisers-spend-millions-upon-millions-of-dollars-to-buy/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [There are all kinds of people who continue to be largely ignored by advertisers, whose lives largely go unseen. They deserve their moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/there-are-all-kinds-of-people-who-continue-to-be-largely-ignored-by/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [It is the advertiser who provides the paper for the subscriber. It is not to be disputed, that the publisher of a newspaper in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-the-advertiser-who-provides-the-paper-for-the-subscriber-it-is/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [I believe that a contract, or at least an understanding, exists between the American public and the American advertiser concerning what advertising is, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-toole/i-believe-that-a-contract-or-at-least-an-understanding-exists-between/) [John O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-toole/) > [I'd like to feel that an advertiser gets something extra when they advertise with us - a certain humanity that comes from upbeat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-like-to-feel-that-an-advertiser-gets-something-extra-when-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My education was dominated by modernist thinkers and artists who taught me that the supreme imperative was courage to face the awful truth, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-willis/my-education-was-dominated-by-modernist-thinkers-and-artists-who/) [Ellen Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-willis/) > [“Then came the era of 'box-tops' and 'thrillers.' It is not strange that the advertiser, in his search for the right kind of program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-c-waller/then-came-the-era-of-box-tops-and-thrillers-it-is-not-strange-that/) [Judith C. 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And if you talk to any one of those three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kilar/at-a-macro-level-it-s-balancing-the-needs-of-consumers-advertisers/) [Jason Kilar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kilar/) [Browse all 49 Advertiser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertiser/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Until the company believes in itself, AOL didn't have its own space and identity in the marketplace. 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