Brand Champions

Brand- It is All About the Name

 

Did you see the story on Harvard Business School last night on CNBC? If you did then you heard the word brand several times. Part of the feature included interviews of HBS alums who were asked if the Harvard Business School brand or the education was more important. There were mixed answers.

Because the concept of brand is still relatively new in some categories, many people think the word brand means logos and taglines. The interviewer was not asking the alums if the logo or tagline was more important than the education. The interviewer was asking about the name, what the name stands for and the set of associations that people have with the name Harvard Business School. While logos and taglines have value to a brand, they are not the brand. 

It is all about the name, isn't it? The name is what allows organizations to recruit and retain brand champions, like students, alums and others who connect with schools like HBS.

Brand Kennedy

 

If we think in terms of a brand being our name, what our name stands and the associations that people make with our name, then it becomes easier for us to understand brand. If we use a well known person as an example, someone like Caroline Kennedy, then it makes it even easier for us to understand brand.

During my personal branding workshops, and sometimes even organizational brand development sessions, I often ask the participants to think of a famous person, think about what that person stands for, and the set of associations they have with that person. I believe the Kennedy brand is great example to use.  Beginning with Joe the patriarch of the family and now with what appears to be a good bet that Caroline Kennedy will fill the open US Senate seat of Hillary Clinton, most people around the world have an opinion about the Kennedy brand, and I would guess that the view is relatively consistent.

Remember that personal brands affect organizational brands, and even nation brands. What impact do you think the Kennedy brand has on the world view of the United States? Leaders have a tremendous opportunity to recruit and retain brand champions around the world. You can do the same within your organization.

Brand Champions of the Day- University of Minnesota Duluth Football

 

Like you, I am getting tired of hearing the debate about whether the larger college and university football teams in America should have a playoff system. I think they should, just like the other levels do. For example, at the NCAA Division II level, like other levels, there is a playoff system to determine the champion. They play the game on the field. They do not play a game on a computer.

This past weekend, the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs won the NCAA Division II collegiate football championship. For their efforts, it is my pleasure to recognize them as the Brand Champions of the Day. During my days as assistant vice chancellor for communications and marketing at the University of Denver, I followed the UMD hockey team because they were in our league.

Now, I am aware of their football program and a champion of their brand!

Personal Branding: Set Yourself Apart

 

Yesterday I met with a group of students as a follow up to a personal branding class that I taught earlier in this year. Each shared experiences and ideas about how well the execution of their personal brand platforms has progressed to date. We met at a near by Starbucks and students engaged in a dialogue about their personal brand.

I was impressed with how far along each is in the evolution of their individual brand development process. I threw in my two cents where I deemed it appropriate. Recession or not, these people are doing well and I am confident that they will meet or exceed their professional goals. For those of you who might be interested, I wanted to let you know that I will be teaching a seminar on personal branding, entitled, Personal Branding: Set Yourself Apart, on March 24 & 31 at the University College of the University of Denver.

Do you have a personal brand strategy? Without one, how can you effectively recruit and retain your own brand champions?

Green Brand Strategy- Is it Sustainable? Is it Socially Responsible?

 

A few days ago I attended a panel discussion on green marketing hosted by the Colorado Chapter of the American Marketing Association. The event was a success. I think all attendees came away with some new ideas. For me, the event reinforced some concerns that I have in regards to messaging green strategies.

I believe that there is a difference between the concepts of green, social responsibility and sustainability. To me sustainability is all about creating a strategy to ensure that your organization has a plan to survive. Social responsibility is a guiding principle that helps guide your plan so that you are doing the right thing. Green is a means of achieving your socially responsible efforts. Obviously, there is overlap between these three concepts, but they are not always interchangeable terms and practices. 

Like the word branding, sometimes I think marketing and communications professionals are quick to embrace new trends, but then turn them into buzz words without properly understanding them ourselves or not helping educate our stakeholders know about the their differences and similarities. In order for others to understand and embrace new trends, we need to go back to the basics of communications in delivering our messages. This is often our best way to recruit and retain green brand champions.

 What do you think?

Brand Champion of the Day- Mark Zuckerberg, Founder & CEO, Facebook

 

Every Monday and Friday I recognize someone or some organiztion as the Brand Champion of the Day. At times these are recommendations from yous, people who have contributed to the content of blog posts or those that I have chosen to reward. Today I am pleased to honor a true champion of brand, founder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg.

Most everyone who is reading this post is probably familiar with Mark's story and have taken their rightful place on Facebook. For those of you who are not aware, Mark and a few others founded the online social website, Facebook as a means for people like you and I to more effectively connect, and in reality provide us with an opportunity to create our own network of brand champions.

I find myself more and more working with my clients utilizing Facebook or other social media as a way to communicate the essence of the brand strategy we have developed, and to recruit and retain brand champions. For his forward-thinking and innovative work, Mark Zuckerberg is the Brand Champion of the Day. Are you a member of Facebook? If not, get on board now!

Brand Mottos, Slogans, Taglines and Other Jingles

 

Today I had two client meetings and in both cases the subject of taglines came up. I often sound like I am not a big advocate on mottos, slogans, taglines, or a word I know I don't warm up to, jingles (aside from maybe Christmas). It is not that I am against these communication messages, I get concerned when organizations begin and end with them, and many do. 

Now is not the time, or ever for that matter, to limit your brand strategy to a tagline. Please don't schedule a time for five employees to meet thisafternoon and come up with a snappy tagline, and think your work is over. By the time the employees get home they will have forgotten what they created, not to mention the fact that it will not be relevant or memorable for any of your other brand champions. 

Now, there are exceptions. Apple is a great example, and I guarantee you they did not do this in a vacuum. As a side bar, aren't these grand times to listen to some John Lennon tunes? 

Brand Hero- Richard Branson

 

A few days ago, I recognized Richard Branson, head honcho of theVirgin Group, and my brand hero, as the Brand Champion of the Day. In that post I referenced his new book, Business Stripped Bare. After reading a few more chapters, I thought it would be appropriate to share more of Branson's ideas and quotes, especially in these challenging economic times, and because we share many similar principles about brand.

In terms of delivery on a brand promise, Branson says the two keys are communications and attention to detail.As a person who has a master's degree in communications management and who is often accused of being very anal, I obviously adhere to those same sentiments. Now, that our internal and external brand champions are expected to do more with less, and competition is more fierce than ever, these two concepts could not be more important.

Another concept that resonates with me is this quote, "If you are a late entrant to a market, you need to be radically different to win over customers." Even if you are not a late entrant, I think this is another very important key to success. If we do not know what we stand for and how we are different from our competitors, how will we weather the current storm, and how will we recruit and retain our brand champions?

After my post last Friday I received a note from Head Stream PR about their work for the Branson Book. If you want to learn more about what they are doing check out their website at www.headstreampr.com.

Brand Value in Recession

 

A word that is increasing its worth (no pun intended) is the word value. Some believe that those individuals and organizations that over valued their assets in the past are the reason why we got into this mess. For others, especially consumers, the word value is now more a part of their vocabulary. People are looking for the best value. What does that mean?

A few months ago I wrote that those of us who attended the Academy of Marketing international conference last fall discussed the fact that one of the emerging trends is brand valuation. There appears to be agreement that placing a value on an organization's brand needs to be a part of the dialogue. The question is, how best to do so?

You probably know that Interbrand and a few others have developed formulas on how to establish a financial value foryour brand. But, there currently is no standard to do so. I think the current economic situation provides an opportunity to ratchet up the conversation and help all organization's understand the benefit of placing a value on their name. This can also be an opportune time to educate people that brand is more than a logo or a tagline.

In the meantime, if you have not done so, take a look at your core values. While it might be difficult to place a financial amount your name, there is no monetary amount too large for your core values. They will remind you why you are in business, and help you get through any economic situation. Otherwise, your brand might go into recession. If we are not living our core values and helping our brand champions understand what they mean to them, we need to do so. What do you think?

Brand Champion of the Day- Sir Richard Branson

 

I have written much about Richard Branson and his branded house, the Virgin Group, but I have yet to recognize him as the Brand Champion of the Day. I can't think of a more deserving person than Sir Richard, so today he is the one. I am currently reading his new book, Business Stripped Bare. If you want to learn more about his philosophy on business and how to apply his non-traditional principles to your business, you should check it out.

Here are a few quotes from the book, and great insight for emerging or veteran brand champions. "The greatest and most unusual achievement of the Virgin Group is that, unlike most businesses, it remembers what it's for." Many businesses forget that their name is their brand, and what that name stands for. "Remembering who you are: it's the biggest challenge and expanding business ever has to face." I think this is especially true of during the current economic situation.

The Virgin Group is comprised of companies in the record, airline, mobile, train and other diverse businesses. It seems that no matter how far their brand is stretched, the Virgin Group understands who they are and what they stand for, irreverence, fun and entertainment. Do you know what your brand stands for? If not, how can you expect others to champion your brand?