Brand Champions

Are Any Brands Hijack-Proof?

I thought about this topic while reading more about the Sony security breach. Apparently tens of thousands of Playstation and other technology users are at risk of having their identity revealed. At the same time Apple is being sued by users who fear that their identity has been damaged with Apple's tracking device.

In a previous post I asked the question if hijackers like this should be considered 21st century brand terrorists? Whether the job is internal or external, when situations like those at Sony and Apple occur, their brands are at-risk. Brand champions who are devotees of these companies are often the first to question the brand that they have come to love and evangelize. Why did this happen to ME?

As brands and their champions increasingly take their experiences online, the idea of brand hijack becomes more and more a reality. Especially for those brands and their champions who rely on online transactions as part of the experience. Is your brand hijack-proof?

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-John Gruden, Football Guy

Last night I tuned in and out of the ESPN coverage of the NFL draft. I was not all that interested in which college (American) football player went where. I liked listening to John Gruden, one of the draft analysts. He is very well informed, talks football speak, without being a jerk or an insider.

You might recall Coach Gruden won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers a few years ago. Many were surprised when he decided to go into television. But he is a natural. Arguably one of the best ever. A true football guy.

I anticipate that John Gruden has as many champions for his brand of football as anyone does. His style, knowledge and experience make for a logical Brand Champion of the Day.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Onward is On-Brand

I have been enjoying some down time during evenings this week and getting caught up on some much needed reading. This week it is Onward by Howard Schultz, chairman, Starbucks. Note the lower case title. That is how they do it at Starbucks. They do a lot of others things at Starbucks that create brand champions around the world through on-brand experiences. Let me see, I have two meetings at Starbucks today, followed by three more tomorrow. Combined with the three I have already had this week, that makes a total of eight.

Champions of the Starbucks brand visit a store on average, 18 times a month. I am doing my best to keep the numbers up. And so are many more. I read yesterday that after McDonald's and Subway, Starbucks is the third largest fast service business. I know they do not like being compared to these types of brands, and I would not do so, save for making the point that the Starbucks brand gets. Like those others do. However, I anticipate that Starbucks employees and customers are prouder to admit being a brand champion more freely than do those for McDonald's.

Whether you like the brand or not, I encourage you to give Onward a shot because you will learn something about your brand. You might even think about it being required reading for your staff. I am enjoying the transparency of the material and the day-in-the-life style of the writing. Howard Schultz is indeed one of the brand icons.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Do Mobile Apps Enhance or Dilute Brands? It's Like Roaming in the Wild West

I thought about that question and analogy this morning after watching a CNN story about a mobile app for dog fighting. No Michael Vick jokes please. The app has caused quite a stir and a lot of people do not like it. Some might be questioning their mobile phone and service provider for making it available.

I admit that I there are a number of apps that I use, some every day. There are others that I have downloaded to see how they work and think about how I might develop one similar for my clients or my own business. Then of course there are a number on my BlackBerry that I will never look at. I guess I am a brand champion for some, and not so much for others. They simply are not relevant.

That last statement is what brands are supposed to create. Relevancy. In that light, brands like Apple and BlackBlack should offer apps that align with the core values of their respective brand, and those of their users. Or should the space be wide open, like the ranges of the wild west days? Where cattle, prospectors, rustlers, gunslingers, homesteaders and everyone and every thing else roamed at will. For some the roaming charges were fatal.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Linked In

For many, Linked In was the first social media site that they joined. The majority of those early adopters, let us call them brand champions, were older people who associated Linked In with a digital rolodex. These individuals and businesses saw value in connecting online like they previously had done so offline. But a number of them were laggards when it came of other forms of social media like Facebook, twitter, YouTube and blogs. They thought those sites were for young people.

Just the opposite happened for younger people. The majority of these individuals and business owners saw great value to connect through emerging media like social networks. They were latter to the table to Linked In because that was for old people. Now, all age groups have come to the realization that in the 21st century making connections socially and professionally is done so through social media, like this site. Yes, there are a few that still have their heels dug in and are resisting anything that feels like social media. That number is smaller every day.

It is time to get in the game. All social media sites make it easy to connect with each other now. For example this post is now fed to Linked In, twitter and Facebook. I think Linked In has made a number of improvements over the past couple of years and they are the Brand Champion of the Day.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Howard Schultz, Chairman, Starbucks

Prior to a meeting at Starbucks yesterday I was reading an interview with Howard Schultz in Inc. magazine (a previous Brand Champion of the Day). During my reading I realized that while I have written many posts about Starbucks (the majority very positive), I have not dedicated a BCD post to its leader. Today I make up for that oversight.

In the interview Schultz says, "The customer today is very well informed. In addition to price and convenience, there's something else they are influenced by, and that's what the company stands for: how it treats its employeed and its customers. We've found that consumers are willing to walk another block and potentially spend a little bit more for companies where values they truly trust." Schultz goes on to say, "The most importnt aspect of our company is our culture."

Amen to that. To me branding is the process of aligning an organization's internal culture with its external reputation. Too many organizations do not pay enough attention to culture. That is in large part due to their marketing staff. Let us call them Mad Men. It is not their fault. They were trained to think external only. They were led to believe that branding is marketing, and that marketing is advertising. It is so refreshing to see and hear a CEO get it!

I look forward to cracking Schultz' new book this weekend. Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul. Sounds like a fun read. I anticipate I will be reading it from local Starbucks.Thank Howard, or should I say, Mr. Brand Champion of the Day?

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Differentiation

I am finishing up Different by Harvard Business School Professor, Youngme Moon this week. Thanks to my friend Pat for the nice gift. The title and of course the content is all about differentiation. It might seem that a brand consultant would be stating the obvious when he advocates a book about differentiation. All organizations need to think this way and create cultures that act that way.

No I am not talking about being weird or over the top. I am talking about not trying to act like your competition. I understand that is hard to do. It is very easy to get sucked into thinking and acting like your competitors, especially the successful ones. If you do so, you are going to look like a slightly different shade or a smaller or older version of your competition.

Most organizations were founded because there was a need not being met in the marketplace. Often organizations, especially when there are leadership changes, forget their heritage, their mission and core values. They end up getting off-brand by being obsessed with their competition. This might work in a few isoltated cases, but not in the majority. We are all different. Think and act that way.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Jackie Robinson, Change Agent

Last Friday all teams in Major League Baseball in the States wore number 42. The number 42 worn by Jackie Robinson of the Los Angeles Dodgers, will forever be associated with Robinson's brand. No I am not thinking in terms of his aggressive and fluid brand of baseball. I am think of Robinson's personal brand.

When I think of the Jackie Robinson brand, words like change agent, risk taker, polished professional and one's own man come to mind. I do not necessarily even think of him as a baseball player. My view of Robinson is that of a statesman. Yes sport can play a significant role in other areas of life, but I think in this case, it dilutes the Robinson brand.

Robinson has recruited and retained many brand champions all over the world. So, while I think it is great that today's baseball players wear the number 42 as many of their predecessors have done for many years, I am going to recognize Jackie Robinson as the Brand Champion of the Day.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Ford F-150 Brand Short Circuiting

For the past 34 years the Ford F-150 has been the best selling vehicle in North America. Wow, did I read that correctly and what does that say about the North America brand? This week came word that nearly 1.33 million of these big brand trucks are being recalled. It seems that there is the potential for a circuit short to inadvertently deploy a driver's side airbag. What does that say about the Ford F-150 brand?

Can you image what a pain in the rear (or cab) this is going to be for the Ford Motor service stations and for the millions of Ford F-150 brand champions? Ford says that the problem can be fixed in less than one-half day and it is doing so for free. Safety should be a reason to believe in the Ford Motor Company brand. So should service and convenience. Let us see how they deliver on their brand promise.

I have never been inside a Ford F-150 so I am not sure what the appeal is for owning one. But, apparently there are a ton of brand champions driving this ton of a truck. Will the recall retain its brand champion? Will Ford still be effective in recruiting F-150 brand champions. Often the key to being able to recruit and retain brand champions is word of mouth marketing. This situation should be interesting to follow. What will owners tell others? Deal or no deal. Do you own one, and what do you think?

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

City Brand or Retail Brand? Is the Tail Wagging the Dog?

I thought about answers to these questions yesterday. I drove by the new IKEA store that is going up near a large mall in the southern sector of my city. Following my drive, I read about the new H&M store that is replacing Nike Town in a downtown mall in my city. In both cases, these are the first stores for both brands in Denver. I am happy they are here and hopefully they will help in my struggles to describe my city when others ask.

You might recall that a while back I posted some thoughts about the lack of a brand strategy for my city. I am not sure there is an effective narrative out there. I am a native of Colorado by the way. As a result of this lack of a story to tell, I think that sometimes the city loses business and in other cases it takes forever for companies like IKEA and H&M to see value in being a part of the city brand. Or in this case, helping shape the city brand. It is almost like the tail wagging the dog.

Cities, just like other organizations should develop brand strategies based on their mission, core values, stakeholder engagement, location, history and other factors. Many cities have done this or are in the process of doing so. When that is accomplished, it is much easier for relationships to be built. In other words for brand champions to be recruited and retained. Retail should be champions of the city brands, not the reverse.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group