On Mondays and Fridays I feature people and organizations who understand what it means to be a brand champion. Today is Monday, May 31 and here in the United States, we pay tribute on this national holiday to those who have died serving their country and recognize those who serve today. We have done so every year since 1866.
Whether one has served or not, whether one supports the war or not, everyone I know tips their hat to the men and women who serve their country and in many cases give up their lives to support their country. If we think in terms of our nation being a brand, and yes the name United States or where you live is the brand for your country, then those who serve in the military can arguably be considered a nation's truest brand champions.
For those who have served in the past, and those who serve now, you are the Brand Champions of the Day!
You might have been introduced to Dennis Hopper in classic films like Rebel Without a Cause, Giant, Easy Rider, Hoosiers or many others. For me it was Easy Rider. I remember the event like it was yesterday. I was in 7th grade and was one of the only students whose parents took them to see the movie. I was a hit the next day at school.
As a result, I have been a big fan of Hopper and co-stars, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson. The image of his character Billy riding his chopper and being a rebel has been my association with Hopper since. No matter what film Hopper starred or what other endeavors Hopper was involved in like contemporary art, his personal brand will most likely be forever connected to Easy Rider.
Dennis Hopper clearly understood the value of a personal brand. I anticipate he was a savvy manager of his brand. He was successful in recruiting and retaining brand champions like me. He won't be forgotten.
For the past several months I have had the opportunity to work on the Lasallian Education Brand Initiative for the U.S./Toronto Region. An educational brand project with a number of middle schools, secondary schools and institutions of higher learning. A colleague of mine and I have been traveling throughout the United States engaging stakeholders to determine their opinions and recommendations about their school's identity and the relationship of that identity with the larger network of schools.
As you can imagine when you meet with 550 people from 27 schools in nine cities, one has a unique chance to meet many wonderful people. These situations also allow us and our clients to find people who understand that a brand is more than a logo, tagline or advertising campaign. One meets people who realize the importance of building a brand based on mission, core values and stakeholder engagement. One has the rare opportunity to meet people like Tim Reilly.
Tim participated in one of our ideation sessions last month in Minneapolis. Tim agreed to share his views today on what it means to be a brand champion. Here is what Tim has to say about the importance of brand to Catholic schools.
“As
a faculty member of a secondary Catholic educational institution, we face many
issues today, especially those concerning our survival as a school. In these
incredibly difficult economic times, this is no exaggeration: we see schools
lose talented teachers because they cannot afford to pay them; we see schools
losing out on resources because they do not have the money to purchase them, we
see schools losing students because they cannot keep up with other private (and
in some cases public) institutions. How then, do we stop this hemorrhaging of
intellectual and economic power? Simply put, Catholic schools must begin the
process of branding themselves.
“The
concept of branding is not new. From products that would not exist without a
brand name (Kleenex) to companies licensing their logo for products that have
nothing to do with their brand (think John Deere t-shirts), it is ubiquitous
within our culture, a major exception being, up until now, Catholic education. The
concept of being a ‘Catholic school’ used to be a brand itself, signifying a
high quality education with a strong moral and religious backing, but that is
not enough. By affiliating with a religious order, a school can get a ‘leg up’
on the competition by using the reputation of the religious order to expand
their market share and ensure their survival.
“How
do I know so much? I am writing my dissertation on the concept of branding and
Catholic schools and I have discovered both groups are fighting for survival. I
recently presented my findings at the 2010 NCEA conference in Minneapolis (if you are interested in seeing
the Power Point, please email me at reillytt@yahoo.com) where I also had the opportunity to
meet with Rex and his colleague, Martin and had the opportunity to engage
in a meaningful discussion about branding and schools. The philosophy of their
organization is working from the inside out to
affect change, is the most essential method to accomplish something that is, in
reality, quite difficult: a shift in the cultural mindset of an institution,
especially a school, which is not known for their flexibility.”
Tim, thanks so much for taking time to share your thoughts and best of luck with your dissertation. You are an asset to your school, and to your system of schools. Clearly you know what it means to be a brand champion!
As you probably know I am a big fan of people like Martin Lindstrom and his research findings on multi-sensory branding. I agree that what we smell, taste and touch is more memorable than what we see and hear. So why is approximately 80 percent of marketing focused on sight and sound?
Apparently the National Basketball Association agrees with me, Lindstrom and others that much more brand execution should be devoted to smell, taste and touch. How else do you explain their decision to make available their logo and have it placed on pizza to eat? You also know my views on Mad Men advertising. Nuf said!
For example, I read a quote from a licensee who said, "Most people don't make it to an NBA game. This is how they create the experience for themselves." They eat the game, rather than watch it? How does that strategy recruit and retain brand champions? This might change the meaning of NBA to National Bizarre Association.
Each month I get excited when I see the latest edition of Fast Company magazine in my mailbox. Such was the case yesterday. Every month I get inspired to do better work and always find a gem or two that I can apply to my business and my clients work during my experience reading Fast Company. In reality the magazine is delivering an on-brand experience for readers like me.
This month Fast Company names the 100 most creative people in business. These are people who have a clear understanding who they are, what they stand for and how to execute their brand strategy. The have aligned their personal brand with their organizations brand, and/or with their brand champions.
I encourage anyone who wants to learn more about brand strategy and brand success to check out this year's list of Fast Company's 100 most creative people in business. Guess who is number 1? Someone who arguably has created one of the most effective personal brand strategies.
I am sure you have heard or seen the acronym PIGS, which stands for the economies of Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain or more recently PIIGS, and includes Ireland. At first stroke that sounds a bit funny, but from a brand standpoint it appears as an easy way to point the finger. Seems that is becoming common place now. Brands are supposed to figure out ways to collaborate and create ways to effectively recruit and retain brand champions.
Remember BRIC? Brasil, Russia, India and China. The new economic giant. Well perhaps BRIC and other established economies need to get this thing figured out and quit pointing fingers. I am not sure who came up with the acronym PIGS or PIIGS, but perhaps there is another more effective way of branding the group.
I anticipate that there is someone who is pointing the finger at the United States and the United Kingdom economies and saying USUK!
After watching the Champions League final last Saturday between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich, my excitement is building for the 2011 World Cup in South Africa. The enthusiasm has been sparked a few times lately, including watching Chelsea FC clinch its third Premier League championship in the last six years a week or so ago.
Now I will be the first to admit that I am not an expert on world football, after all I am an American over fifty years old. We did not grow up on the sport. But, most people younger than me here in the States and most people around the world are. In the past decade I have become increasingly a fan. I love watching Chelsea. The combined talent of champions for the brand on that team can compete with any team in any sport.
Chelsea FC is comprised of brand champions representing countries from around the world. That will become quite visual in a few weeks in SA. You can root for your home country and do the same for Chelsea goalkeeper, Petr Cech of the Czech Republic, Didier Drogba, Chelsea forward from Ivory Coast, Michael Essien, midfielder for Chelsea and Ghana, as well as John Terry, Chelsea captain from England. But not when they are playing your country!
The World Cup will be a great way to spend the summer, but today I recognize Chelsea as the Brand Champion of the Day! They understand how to recruit and retain brand champions.
Those who know me have heard me sing the praises of the Red Bull brand. The Austrian-based organization understands as well as any how to effectively recruit and retain brand champions. The brand brings to life its brand attributes through athletic events that often appear to be superhuman. Such is the case with the upcoming feat from Felix Baumgartner.
It seems appropriate that an Austrian Red Bull champion would attempt a free fall from space to demonstrate how to live the Red Bull brand. If you have not heard, internationally-recognized jumper, Baumgartner will be falling from an altitude of 22 miles above ground. Can you imagine the speed, danger, trill and risk involved? That is what Red Bull is hoping everyone will be thinking.
Have you seen these mascots for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London? They are described as one-eyed creatures from the digital age named after two small English towns. Former distance runner and 2012 organizing committee chair, Sebastian Coe says, "We've talked to lots of children and they don't want cuddly toys. They want something they can interact with and something with a good story behind it."
I assume Coe is referring to the multitude of mascots, most of which are dreadful. Most mascots either do not have a story to tell or the story is so complex, no one wants to listen. Ah, what most brands are about too. A Mad Men agency types and in-house staff get together one day after lunch and knock out a brand strategy consisting of a trendy tagline, new logo and wacky mascot. It is to be determined whether or not the 2012 summer games mascots will achieve the results Coe and others predict, but it appears that they have taken a strategic approach to their mascots.
It is encouraging to hear that there is a brand strategy based on history and storytelling, and attempting to place it in a 21st century context. Which is the approach brands should take. Mascots can then be created (or not) based on a tested brand strategy. Most mascots are silly creations by silly creatives sold to silly organizations on a whim. The Games mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville, based on their brand, will of course have their own
Facebook and Twitter pages. I have never been much of a fan of mascots, but I think I might like these. They might be able to recruit and retain brand champions. The UK is after all what I refer to as the Cradle of Brand.
This past Tuesday, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter was defeated in the Democratic Party primary for the State of Pennsylvania. As Jennifer Duffy, political observer for Cook Political Report was quoted saying the USA Today, "The bigger message is that if you're in Washington and your name starts with 'senator' or 'congressman,' voters view you as part of the problem, regardless of party." I think she is right.
Despite his defeat and the fact that at times he and I were on opposite sides of the aisle, I think it appropriate to recognize Senator Specter for his service to the United States and his tenure in the U.S. Capitol. There will not be too many people who can or want to serve as long as Specter did. The times are certainly changing or it might simply be time for Specter to move on.
Whatever the reason and whatever the outcomes down the road, Senator Specter deserves a tip of the hat. Winning as often as he did is evidence that he was effective at recruiting and retaining champions for his brand. Perhaps his brand strategy went a bit off course the past few years. For all you contributed to your state, nation and around the globe, Arlen Specter, you are the Brand Champion of the Day!
