Brand Champions

Brand Basics

Don't forget the brand basics. I was reminded of this a few days ago when I met my parents for dinner to celebrate my father's birthday. We met at a restaurant that we have frequented several times before. In the past we have had a consistent, on-brand experience. Last weekend we most certainly did not, and I am not sure I will return.

The restaurant is a national chain that specializes in bison burgers and is named after its founder, someone you know who has founded many famous brands. Because I am a brand strategist, I tend to spend most of my time focusing on the big-picture. I work with my clients helping them develop sustainable brand strategies based on mission, core values and stakeholder engagement. Now and then I need a reminder that tactics are important to the success of a brand too.

This was never more evident than my experience a few days ago when we had to ask three separate waiters, three separate times if we could get a bottle of ketchup and mustard. I found it odd that we had to ask for what should be obvious brand basics. Mustard and ketchup at a burger place, hello!

While I am not ready to jump off that brand wagon yet, I am close. Recruiting and retaining brand champions also makes for a sustainable brand. Don't forget the brand basics.

Sailing Girl Trumps Balloon Boy- Jessica Watson Champions Her Brand

I see where another Aussie is attempting to be the youngest person to sail solo around the world. This time it is 16 year old Jessica Watson. Her plans include a 23,600 mile trip through some of the globe's most challenging waters. Talk about championing your brand, not to mention those of any sponsors and her homeland, Australia.

Of course many do not think this is a wise choice because they do not believe that a 16 year old can make the type of critical decisions necessary to survive this brutal journey. Jessica and her family say just the opposite. During her trip she will be in constant contact via radio, e-mail and a blog. No matter what side of the fence one stands on in terms of whether Jessica should be doing this, one has to admit, this is an authentic feat.

Compared to balloon boy and his family, this is no contest. I say, go Jessica, champion your brand. I am one of your brand champions!

Brand Champion of the Day- T-Mobile

On Mondays and Fridays I feature a company or an individual who understands what it means to be a brand champion. Those companies and those people who realize that a brand is first and foremost a noun. Those who know how to bring their mission and core values to life, and align themselves with their customers. A company that does this for me is t-mobile, they are the Brand Champion of the Day.

I have been a t-mobile customer for the past five years and have found my situation to be of value. From the in-store experience working with t-mobile sales representatives, to help from t-mobile technical support on the telephone, I have yet to have a problem. Because I am not a technical person by trade, I often feel like I am asking silly questions. But, the t-mobile people make me realize that those are common questions and the situation is normal.

T-mobile text messaging has helped me understand how to enhance a brand with mobile communications, which is now a part of my job with my clients. I am one of your brand champions. For all you do, t-mobile, you are the Brand Champion of the Day!

Brand Champ or Brand Chump?

Two days ago I began preparing for a trip abroad. On my to do list was visiting a bank in my neighborhood where in the past I was able to purchase foreign currency with American dollars. I previously determined the amount I wanted to buy and had estimated what the fee would. As in the past I was greeted by a smiling face behind the information desk. I asked the person if he could direct me to a teller who could help me with my purchase.

Before I could get my answer out another employee interrupted us and asked if I had an account at the bank. I said no I do not. She proceeded to tell me that I could not make my purchase. The first thing that crossed my mind was you have got to be kidding me. Followed by, why do they now require that someone has an account, when in the past they did not? Thirdly, the question was do they not understand that there is a financial crisis and any customer is probably a good customer?

In these situations I try to remain calm and realize that the organization simply does not know that branding is the process of aligning the organization's internal culture with its external reputation. Most organizations do not engage their employees in the brand development process, so I don't take it out on them. I also realize that these situations make for great blog posts.

Here is a national bank in a financial crisis turning away the opportunity to make money from my transaction and perhaps gain a customer in the future, for sure a brand champion. Maybe even be featured as a Brand Champion of the Day. Brand champ or brand chump?

Band Champs Become Brand Champs

Did you see Barry Levinson's tribute to the Baltimore Colts band on espn this week? His documentary, part of the 30 for 30 series told the emotional story of the Baltimore Colts band after their beloved NFL football team left town for Indianapolis and the efforts of the band to get a new team in town.

I am not sure I have witnessed a better example of what it means to be a brand champion than what I saw earlier in the week about the band and the passion that they had for the team they played for. Many years later the band members still start crying when they talk about their football team leaving town. I was not aware of the lengths that the band members went to in attempting to get another NFL team to Baltimore.

Well their efforts paid off and now the Baltimore Ravens are in town and the band plays for them. This short clip shows the band playing the Ravens fight song. Well done band champs, I mean brand champs!

Brand Champions of the Day- Monty Python

Yesterday I read about the 40th anniversary of Monty Python. The crew including my favorites Michael Palin, John Cleese and Eric Idle are an easy choice for brand champions of the day. I can remember staying up late at night during my undergraduate years to watch The Flying Circus. That probably explains my very dry sense of humor. Perhaps it also explains why I think the UK is the cradle of brand.

There are not many brands that have stood the test of time over a 40 year time period. While the entire cast have moved on to successful projects including film, music, plays and others, they will forever be associated with Monty Python's Flying Circus and the movies that followed. Pythonites have etched in our minds lines like "What's on the tele? I think it's a penguin." "And now for something completely different." 

Last night the Monty Python team was honored in New York, and today they find their rightful place as Brand Champions of the Day!

Rush Limbaugh- NFL Brand Champ or Brand Chump?

As you probably know a few days ago it was announced that conservative talk-show host, Rush Limbaugh was one of several people who have made a bid to purchase the St. Louis Rams, a US National Football League team. For those who admire Mr. Limbaugh and love the Rams, Mr. Limbaugh probably appears to be the perfect choice and a champion for the brand. For those on the opposite side of the aisle, including many within the NFL, Mr. Limbaugh is the last person they want championing the NFL brand.

I was in Philadelphia the past week working on a university brand project so you can imagine that the Limbaugh announcement was a lead story in PA. You might recall that sometime ago Limbaugh made derogatory comments about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Donovan McNabb. Not only do people in Philly remember, but apparently the NFL commissioner and others within the league do too. As a result, it does not appear that Limbaugh has leadership support.

Do you think Rush Limbaugh as owner of the St. Louis Rams would be the right choice as brand champion for the Rams and the NFL, or would he be considered a brand chump? I guess it is now a mute point since the group Rush was working with dumped him.

Develop an Effective Brand Strategy and Executing with Social Media

On December 2, 2009 I will be facilitating a workshop on how to develop an effective brand strategy and execute with social media. I will focus on the steps necessary to do so at an organizational level. David Sandusky from Your Brand Plan will join me and present from a personal brand perspective. The workshop will take place 5:30-7:00 pm in room 306 at University Hall on the campus of University of Denver.

The session that David and I will present is part of the Knowledge Series for the Colorado American Marketing Association and sponsored by University College at the University of Denver. As the new economy requires organizations to be authentic and to do more with less, communications and marketing professionals need to understand how to help their organizations develop sustainable brand strategies and execute them with social media.

David and I are principals for Brand Champion University. David is also principal for Your Brand Plan and I am the same for BrandED Consultants Group.David and I have lived and breathed brand strategy for many years and were early adopters of social media. We did not jump on some brand wagon to ride the information highway last week. We believe sustainable brands are based on mission, core values and stakeholder engagement. Not logos, taglines and bad ad campaigns. Learn how to recruit and retain champions for your brand or your organization's brand.

We look forward to seeing you in December and engaging you in a dialogue about how to develop an effective brand strategy and execute it with social media.

The Evolution of Branding

Over the course of the past few weeks I have led many discussions about the evolution of branding, especially in the context of education branding. Each time I do, I am asked about literature on the topic. I always recommend that people read Taking Brand Initiative by Mary Jo Hatch and Majken Schultz. The authors provide several case studies of brands within the framework of what they refer to as the Three Waves of Branding. The first wave of branding is the marketing mind set, followed by a second wave of branding, the corporate mind set and finally a third wave of branding, the enterprise mind set.

When I think about the three waves I associate them with the evolution of brand building. Most organizations start off by the marketing department hiring an advertising agency to help them develop a logo, tagline or advertising campaign. Usually those solutions are not sustainable, and very expensive. After a chilling out process the organization realizes that they need to do something more (as I suggest from the beginning) and think about the mission, core values and engaging more stakeholders in the branding process. If executed properly it is at this critical stage when the organization has the opportunity to build an enterprise mind set where every touch point and every employee fully understands and embraces the brand strategy. Think Southwest Airlines.

Because the economy is forcing most organizations to now do more with less and place more value on their mission, core values and employees, I am confident that more organizations will experience the second and third waves. I do most of my work in education. For the past 10 years the majority of educational institutions have embraced a brand strategy, but have limited their focus on the first wave. Now is the time to ride the second and third waves. Those are sustainable. The evolution of branding usually includes the three waves of branding. If you are smart you will realize that you can skip the first wave and go right to the reason why you are in business to begin with, your mission, your core values, and your employees. It is more effective to recruit and retain brand champions based on your organization purpose and what you stand for, rather than the cool new ad campaign that costs a fortune and connects with no one.

Brand Champion of the Day- Josh McDaniels, Head Coach, Denver Broncos

Ok, so I am being a homer today. With their fifth consecutive victory to start the season, yesterday my hometown Denver Broncos have exceeded the total number of wins by one that I predicted before the start of their National Football League season in the United States. Like most everyone else, I thought the season would be a complete disaster, and they would be lucky to win four games. There is still time for a so-so season, but it appears that will not be the case.

Today is a day when others around the world are championing the Christopher Columbus brand. This past weekend I spent time in Providence, Rhode Island where they celebrate one of the largest homages to Columbus. I have a tough time doing so. While Columbus contributed much to global expansion, he did so at the price of many Native Americans, and despite what we were told in elementary school, he did not found the United States.

So on Columbus Day (still trying to figure that one out) I am recognizing Josh McDaniels, head coach of the Denver Broncos as the Brand Champion of the Day. I vote for wearing the ugly throwback uniforms for the rest of the season. That would make me a brand champion for the Denver Broncos!