Brand Champions

Brand Champion of the Day-Jurgen Klinsmann, U.S. Soccer Coach

A few days ago I posted a few thoughts about whether or not Jurgen Klinsmann was the right choice to lead the U.S. Soccer team. I think he is. He brings a great tradition of success as a player and coach. Earlier in the week I also shared some views about the United States brand. I think it appropriate that I combine the two previous posts today.

Wednesday night was Klinsmann's first match. A friendly with Mexico. In the past the U.S. has not fared too well against the Mexican powerhouse. This week we achived a 1-1 tie. Even though it was an exhibition, that result might kick start the team. I think what was most important and why I am recognizing Klinsmann, was what he did as a brand champion.

He took the names off the backs of game jerseys. He also gave starters numbers 1-11 and reserves numbers 12-18. His point is that you are playing for the United States brand. This will be a very interesting situation to follow. I think we will show up strong in Brasil during the next World Cup.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Social Animal Enhances David Brooks Brand

This past weekend I finished reading The Social Animal by David Brooks. Thanks Marilyn for the recommendation. I have been a champion of the David Brooks brand for a long time. I have always been impressed reading his pieces in The New York Times or hearing his logical perspectives in PBS and Meet the Press. I also like his calm and reasoned demeanor.

I had been meaning to read The Social Animal but kept forgetting to pick up or order a copy. While presenting a case study on university branding at a conference in Chicago a few weeks ago, a friend reminded me that I needed to do so. Heeding her advice, the next day I bought a copy. Over the past few weekends and flights I had a chance to delve into the book and gain a different perspective of the David Brooks brand.

I also had a chance to think a bit differently about my own personal brand. Most of my life I have attempted to find reason by intellectualize everything. If I did not understand something I tried to learn more about it and even become an expert. The Social Animal advocates that much of what we achieve, learn, love and garner is based on our unconscious self. That is a new way of looking at the world for me. Perhaps during the second half of my life my brain will be more balanced and allow my brand to do so too.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Steve Williams' Brand of Golf

I enjoyed watching the PGA Bridgestone Invitational Golf Tournament this past weekend. I wanted to check in to see how Tiger Woods would play upon his return. I also liked the fact that one of my favorites, Aussie, Adam Scott led most of the tournament.I am a brand champion.

I was of course (no pun intended) most interested in watching caddie, Steve Williams on the bag for Scott. Irony of all ironies, Adams Scott smokes the field with Steve Williams as his course mate around the track. After the win, Williams tells the world that after 33 years of golf, this was the greatest week of his life.

Golf is often referred to as an individual sport and in many regards it is. However, especially at the professional level, players rely on caddies, coaches, doctors, travel agents and others to help them with their game. Someone who certainly understands his personal brand as much as anyone is Williams. Bravo!

Steve Williams probably has as many brand champions as anyone on the tour now.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-United States of America

No I am not being a homer. Although that is exactly what a brand champion is. Someone who advocates the mission and core values of an organization that they work for, who they connect with as a consumer, partner or friend. Nations are no different. They too have brand champions. They too rely on brand champions. They too need a sustainable brand strategy.

Like many organizations, some nations have a brand strategy. They understand who they are, what they stand for and where to position themselves effectively in the 21st century. They value their history and tradition. Like many organizations, many nations do not appear to have a brand strategy. They are struggling right now. They do not appear to have systems and policies that work in the 21st century.

I have a dialogue with numerous organizations all the time about the value of a brand strategy that will ensure their sustainability. A process that engages stakeholders to create a brand platform which can help operationalize a strategic plan and bring the mission to life. Unfortunately those organizations too often need to feel their pain before realizing they need to move forward with bringing value to their brand.That is when my phone or email lights up.

The United States of America is now at the point of putting party systems and politics aside and develop a brand strategy. Most citizens, brand champions if you will, want to passionately advocate their nation. The organization that they and others around the world, rely on to survive, grow and flourish. Perhaps everyone now understands the impact of the USA economy on the world.

The past week has been a wake up call for the United States. We do not want to feel this pain any more. Let us work together and become brand champions. Let us mark this day and move foward.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Will Jurgen Klinsmann's Brand of Futbol Save American Soccer?

I think the time is ripe for American soccer to become more of a presence on the world futbol stage, and I am confident that new coach Jurgen Klinsmann is the right man for the job. His international experience and global perspective appears to be just what the doctor ordered.

I was first introduced to the world stage about forty years ago when I attended a match between Bayern Munich and Stuttgart. Teams Klinsmann would later coach and play for. Having lived in Stuttgart my senior year of college I began to follow the team and later Klinsmann.

Because of their lack of ability to win the World Cup and my affinity for Klinsmann, I often root for Germany in those matches. Over the course of the last few decades like most Americans have wanted to root for the USA and have, but it seems empty. Now I think the cup is at least half full.

Klinsmann understands what it means to be a brand champion. He might even have the ability to evolve American soccer into world futbol.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Foursquare

Usually when people hear about a new social media platform, they think it is some game-oriented site for generations younger than theirs. They often think it is going to be difficulty to learn and that they do not have time to take on another digital concept. Their top of mind thinking is social first, business second. I must admit those were my thoughts when I heard about foursquare.

Such is the challenge for emerging media and brands. Two areas that I am engaged in professionally. As I always remind people and organizations, a brand is your name, what your name stands for and the associations that people make with your name when they see or hear it. And social media is one of the most effective ways of delivering your brand message and connecting with your brand champions. 

Like all other social media like this very blog, I decided to take the plunge and open a foursquare account. The only way I am going to know if this is for me and my clients is by doing it. Like most social media platforms, I discovered that foursquare was easier to learn than I had anticipated, it is a great way to build your brand and it is connected to many other sites. That means you do not need to post on all sites. Maybe one or two.

I now feel good about checking in on foursquare because I know my post will go to my friends and clients on facebook, twitter and linked in, just like this post will. I never anticipated writing this, but foursquare, you are the Brand Champion of the Day! I do anticipate foursquare and related apps will indeed be the way to recruit and retain brand champions for years to come.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Video Builds Brand Community

This morning I had the opportunity to interview one of my clients as a colleague of mine shot video of our discussion about higher education branding. After a few edits we will post the video on our website and youtube channel. Our client will have the opportunity to do the same. Video is increasingly becoming one of the best resources by which to build a brand community.

Just like other forms of social media, youtube is no longer limited to attempts to go viral. Yes in the beginning it was fun to shoot a bull dog on a skateboard and share with the rest of the world. Every now and then, it still is. Today more and more organizations are making use of video to share their brand values. As video sites become more and more prevalent, your video helps your search engine optimization.

This fall a fellow brand champion, Harry Hayward from the University of Washington and I will be delivering a pre-conference tutorial on this subject at the 2011 Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education in Chicago on November 6. We will of course be shooting and posting a video on our respective brand channels. Stay tuned for more on this topic.

Don't forget, youtube is the number two search engine and becoming top of mind thinking for people who want to see the information they seek. A great place to recruit and retain brand champions. See what happens when you search higher education branding on youtube.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Employees: THE Key to a Sustainable Brand Strategy

This past weekend I received the current copy of Marketing Management. It is one of the benefits that I get as a member of the American Marketing Association. My interest was peaked when I read that the cover story was "How to Navigate the Future of Brand Management." My interest was further heightened when I saw that the author was Kevin Keller a trusted brand in his own right from the Tuck School of Business.

In my earlier days as a brand professional I cut my teeth learning from the American Marketing Association and people like Keller. Now I still respect those entities, however I our paths tend to go in different directgions. Mostly because I advocate more of a focus on internal branding and employee engagement then they appear to. When I see the outcomes of projects that I have the privilege to work on, the client success is largely due to the ability to align internal cultures and external reputations. Mainly because employees are a huge part of the brand development process.

Keller's piece does a great job of describing the need to engage customers, the importance of social responsibility and social media. No arguments here. However the article does not address what I consider to be the key to the future of brand management. Employee engagement. After all, employees manage a brand, not customers. When employees become brand champions, customers do too.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Christo

I remember several decades ago watching on local news an orange curtain being assembled and then blown away across the Rifle Gap opening in western Colorado. I learned that the artist of this interesting and gigantic piece was an eastern European named Christo. I recall the television reports describing him as some kind of wacko.

Many years later I found myself working at an art college and learned more about the genius and creative process of Christo. Rising through the ranks of higher education, I became a VP of enrollment and President of a state art education association. One of my primary responsibilities for the association and the college brand was coordinating the annual conference.

As a marketer I understood the need for demonstrating value for the conference to members by attracting top talent. My experience as an enrollment manager allowed me to know that a certain number of attendees were required to meet or exceed our budget. My personal goal was to bring in one of the world's top keynote speakers and to recruit a record number of attendees.

My top choice was Christo. By then he and his wife, Jeanne-Claude were a creative and business team. They both agreed to present. The topic of their presentation was The Gates Project for Central Park and the Over the River project for the Arkansas River in Colorado. After decades of getting approval, The Gates project became a reality in 2005. Now it looks like Over the River will become a reality too. The Bureau of Land Management appears to be supporting Christo.

At the conference, the presence of Christo and Jeanne-Claude did indeed attract a record number of attendees. People were inspired by what was presented and the prospects of another project in our state of Colorado excited everyone there. The opportunity for a select few of us to discuss their work with Christo and Jeanne-Claude over dinner was an experience I will never forget. Unfortunately we lost Jeanne-Claude. Christo has dedicated what will probably be his last work to his beloved wife.

I have so much respect for Christo. His vision and process is very similar to mine. We share the challenges of helping people understand what we do and what we do not do. We are often questioned by those who think we are going to diminish a brand experience rather than enhance it. We have challengers at every step of the process. Our sales cycles seem to be forever. We believe in what we do. We know that sustainable brands are based on mission, core values and stakeholder engagement, even the skeptics. Especially the skeptics. We add value to the brands of our clients.

Learning from Christo allows everyone to realize the need to recruit and retain brand champions, and how to do so with class and perseverance.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group