Brand Champions

Brand Champion of the Day-Oakley

Over the course of the past week or so I have been asked to comment on several fashion brands, accessories like watches, shoes and handbags. Today I post a few thoughts on a time-tested accessory brand, Oakley. If any of you watched the Winter X Games the last few days, you saw Oakley, along with Red Bull, Navy and others.

It seems like Oakley has been around for as long as I have. One of Oakley's brand attributes is innovation. No matter how the world changes, Oakley always seems to be in line or ahead of the game. Goggles on snowboarders, glasses on babes on the beach or a guy simply walking down the street in a new pair of shades, Oakley is an accessory that seems to enhance those personal brands. Or organizational brands like Winter X Games.

I have never owned a pair, but always check them out whenever I am in the market for new glasses. I do not know why i have not pulled the trigger, but I admit always being a brand champion. Maybe I will have to get more serious next time. In the meantime, today, I will tip my hat and recognize you as the Brand Champion of the Day.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Tell Your Brand Story Through Social Media

Last week I met with a group of business school graduate students that I am mentoring. We were engaged in a dialogue about the process for developing their personal brand strategy. Each shared their homework assignment, which was to Google themselves and learn what others know about them when others do the same. We talked a lot about social media as a key communications channel for telling our brand story and recruiting brand champions. 

As you might imagine, there was a mix of responses when the students shared their search experiences. For some they owned a greater digital real estate than others. Those who have common names have challenges. Those who have little or no social media profiles, have less presence. The same goes for organizational brands. If we have no presence online, then we are invisible. You do not want to be invisible when you are in your job search, or any time for that matter.

Let us face facts. People do research about us all the time online for our personal brands and our organization brands. The first place that most people start (and sometimes end) is on Google, Facebook, Bing and Yahoo! We need to be present on the first page of each of these search engines. Social media and their search engine optimization benefits allows us to do so. We want and need our brand champions to find us online when we tell our brand story.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Winter X Games

I recall several years ago when I first heard about the Winter X Games. My initial thought was, "you have got to be kidding me. No one is going to care about that, let alone watch." Fast-forward to this post, and I am one of the Games biggest advocates. I am a brand champion. At times I tire of traditional sport, football (US), baseball and basketball. I like a more fresh and daring approach now.

The Winter X Games satisfies my need to recharge and watch something very exciting. I am a huge fan of the snowboarding competition. Looking at young people engaged in mind-blowing feats is competition at its best. Little did I know that fifteen years later I would be writing about the Winter X Games and very much looking forward to watching on television during the next few days the Games from one of my state's interesting brands, Aspen.

There will be a multitude of brands on stage too. Think Shaun White, Red Bull, Monster and Mountain Dew. A brand champion's nirvana. These brands get it. Here is to admitting that I was way wrong, and here is to the Winter X Games being the Brand Champion of the Day!

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Justin Bieber and Best Brand Out of Alignment

I am not like most people. Hopefully you are not either. If you were, your brand would not be authentic. More on that in another post. I am not like most people because I do not get geeked up for the Super Bowl ads. Heck, I do not really get geeked up for the Super Bowl that much anymore. At times Super Bowl ads can and do enhance a brand. Think GoDaddy.com. Other times they are simply a waste of a ton of money. Think most of the others, and I am predicting the upcoming Best Buy ads.

In an apparent attempt to win over the hearts and pocket books of younger consumers, Best Buy is teaming, or should I say tweening, with Justin Bieber who will appear in 30 second spots for the electronics chain. On top of that seemingly illogical combo, Bieber will be seen alongside Ozzy Osbourne. These three brands are out of alignment. I have been an on-again, off-again fan of Osbourne for many years. I have purchased a good deal of merchandise from Best Buy during that time. I thought I was the target audience.

No offense to Justin Bieber, but if he is the new baby face of Best Buy, then I probably have bought my last item from Best Buy. What is next? A name change to Best Boy? As my good mate, Martin Lindstrom was quoted as saying, "It's one of the most awkward relationships I've heard of in a long time." I could not agree more. The only thing I can think of is that some employees are brand champions and wear their hair like Bieber.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Align Your Personal and Organizational Brands

Yesterday's blog post and last night's radio interview focused on the importance of helping employees understand what your organization stands for. Making effective use of new hire orientation, employee performance review and other milestones are easy ways of doing so. Of course creating a culture that always engages employees in the brand development process is optimal.

Too often organizations do not know who or what they are. If they do not, then how can employees? When organizations have an effective brand strategy then employees know how to live the brand. It also allows employees, and organizations for that matter, to determine whether or not employees and the organization that they work for are in brand alignment.

I am a mentor for graduate students. This past Saturday morning we discussed the importance of this alignment. I believe they will succeed when this happens. I think a good example of personal and organizational brands out of alignment or grew out of alignment is Keith Olbermann and MSNBC. I anticipate that MSNBC now considers Olbermann someone who went from brand champion to brand inhibitor. Make sure your purpose and guiding principles are parallel with your employer brand.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Are Your Employees Brand Champions or Brand Inhibitors?

Every organization has to give serious consideration about the answer to that question. I anticipate that most organizations have a combination. Some have more inhibitors than champions. While a few are dominated by brand champions. I define brand champions as enthusiastic employees and customers who are passionate about defending an organization's brand.

Unfortunately most organizations do not pay enough attention to providing opportunities for their employees to understand the mission and core values of the organiztion that they work for. How organization's expect their employees to deliver on the organization's brand promise, without knowing how to do so always amazes me. Every organization expects all employees to live the brand. Many do not know how to do it.

For more on this topic, I encourage you to listen to my interview with host, Lindsay Woods on the Tuesday Talk Show tonight at 5:30 pm Mountain Standard Time in the United States. Simply click on the listen icon on the home page and then select the appropriate stream link. Much of the discussion will be how to recruit and retain employee brand champions.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Mark Udall, U.S. Senator

It was about time, perhaps not the first, that someone suggested that U.S. Senate and House of Representative members sit side-by-side during a presidential state of the union address. Instead of the usual division of seating arrangements that is the custom. A few weeks ago one of my state's senator, Mark Udall, made the recommendation of showing the world there can be unison. If only during an hour or so one evening in January 2011.

It will be interesting to see how many of those take Udall up on his offer. Some have argued that this is a PR stunt for Udall, but I think he is being authentic. This jesture seems to align with his brand attributes. If not, I do not think anyone would agree to sit next to those in competitive parties. Many have said yes to date. I think most Americans, and probably many abroad, are getting tired of the canyons (not aisles) that divide the nation's two primary political parties.

Whether the demonstration of bi-partisonship is sustainable remains to be seen, but at least in the short-term, I like it enough to say, Mark Udall, you are the Brand Champion of the Day. If this becomes a trend, you will recruit and retain many brand champions for your brand of politics, and the U.S. brand.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

 

Brand Champion of the Day-Rick Steves, Travel Expert

This past weekend I visited AAA to consult with my travel agent about an upcoming international trip. While waiting in the lobby area I noticed merchandise with the Rick Steves signature on them. A colleague that I was with commented on the Rick Steves identity. We agreed that his is a trusted brand.

When I see or hear the name Rick Steves I think about brand attributes that include humility, intelligence, knowledge, kind and well traveled. Steves was one of the first people that I can remember who developed a television show devoted to travel in Europe. Now there are networks devoted to travel.

I have learned a lot from Rick Steves about how to travel light (although I am still working on this one), be safe and where to go. I also like watching his shows that focus on places where I have been before. For understanding who you are, who your audience is and staying true to your brand, Rick Steves, you are the Brand Champion of the Day. I for one am a brand champion of the Rick Steves brand.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Why Employees Matter and Need to Be Your Brand Champions

This is the title of the next segment of the Tuesday Talk Show on Brand Matters, 88.9 FM, KRFC public access radio in Fort Collins, Colorado. You might recall that last month, host Lindsay Woods and I provided a general session on branding. On Tuesday, January 25 at 5:30 pm, Mountain Standard Time in the United States we will expand our discussion and talk about the importance of employees, who are arguably your most important brand champions.

As you know I am a strong advocate of engaging stakeholders, especially employees, in the brand development process. If we do not include employees in our branding process, how can we expect them to deliver on our brand promise? I love how Southwest Airlines ransk their stakeholders in order of priority. Employees, customers and investors. In the past two days a colleague of mine and I have engaged nearly 100 employees from four schools in the process and one cannot imagine how vital their input is to the success of this project.

I agree with Southwest's way of thinking. If we get buy-in and embracement from our employees, then our customers will have an on-brand experience, they will get others engaged and profits will take care of itself. So, please tune in at 88.9 FM if you live or work in Fort Collins. The rest of you can engage online at krfc.  Just click on the listen button.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

 

 

 

 

LUV This Brand

As you probably know LUV are the letters that represent Southwest Airlines on the New York Stock Exchange. They also represent the style of leadership, management and execution of the SWA brand. They are included in the title of recently published book too.

Last week I was pleasantly surprised when a signed copy of Lead with LUV arrived in my mailbox. The authors, Ken Blanchard and Colleen Barrett team up to share their experiences and philosophies on leading with love, er LUV. You probably know Ken as the author of The One Minute Manager and others. Colleen is President Emeritus of SWA.

On my way to Chicago (flying SWA of course) yesterday I read the first half of the book. On my return trip home I will most likely finish it. Anyone who wants sort of an insiders view of the SWA brand and insights on how to lead with love, should give it a go. You will also note on page 92 a quote from yours truly and this blog. They sure know how to retain their brand champions. Thanks Ken and Colleen!

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group