Brand Champions

Brand Champion of the Year 2011-Joseph A. Michelli

I started blogging here in October 2007. My goal was to provide opportunities to share experiences, tid-bits and recommendations for effective brand development, so that those who are new to the process can understand the value of recruiting and retaining brand champions. On Mondays and Fridays I have featured people and organization best practices who clearly demonstrate what it means to be a brand champion. I call this feature Brand Champion of the Day.

On or about the anniversary of the blog I give a nod to one Brand Champion of the Day who received the most hits while being featured, the person or organization who has generated the greatest conversation off line and someone who I have some personal connection. In 2008 I featured Brandon Coco Curtis and Red Bull. In 2009 it was Paula Berg from Southwest Airlines, and last year Kit Yarrow from Golden Gate University. This year I am pleased to announce that the 2011 Brand Champion of the Year is author, consultant, keynote speaker and brand champion, Joseph A. Michelli.

Just a couple of weeks ago I featured Joseph and his new book, The Zappos Experience. Many of you have read his previous insiders view of organizations including the Pike Place Fish Market, Starbucks and UCLA Medical Center. In each case Joseph provides the reader with a behind the scenes look at how the organization brings its mission and core values to life by engaging internal and external stakeholders. That is music to my ears. Follow Joseph's insights and analysis and your brand will have a greater chance for sustainability. Follow Joseph A. Michelli and you will be a better person.

Please join me in recognizing Joseph A. Michelli as the 2011 Brand Champion of the Year.Then go out or go online and get a copy of The Zappos Experience. I think you might be able to order online now and October 15 at your local bookstore. You will better understand how to recruit and retain brand champions via your core values.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

 

Brand Champion of the Year-Kit Yarrow, Consumer Psychologist and Professor

This week marks the third anniversary of the Brand Champions Blog. During that time I have shared my views on a number of issues related to brand. On Mondays and Fridays I have highlighted people and organizations who understand what it means to be a brand champion, as the Brand Champion of the Day. Sometimes those posts are my views and other times people have shared their own experiences.

At the end of the year I look back and determine which posts authored by others received the most attention. Two years ago it was Brand Curtis and the legion of Red Bull University students. Last year, then manager of emerging media for Southwest Airlines, Paula Berg took the prize. This past year, Kit Yarrow, consumer psychologist and professor of business and psychology at Golden Gate University garnerd the most attention.

I first became aware of Kit Yarrow when I read her co-authored book, GEN BUY, one of the planet's best insights into the buying habits of Generation Y. After being energized by GEN BUY I reached out to Kit and asked if she would be willing to share a blog post. She willingly agreed. The post was one of the most viewed of the past year and the best connected across the social media sphere. For all you do, Kit Yarrow, you are the Brand Champion of the Year and the third inductee into the Brand Champion Hall of Fame.

I look forward to learning more from you, and being your brand champion!

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Year 2009- Paula Berg, Manager of Emerging Media, Southwest Airlines

Today is the second anniversary of the Brand Champions Blog. As I did last year at the end of the first year of the blog, I am recognizing the Brand Champion of the Year. The Brand Champion of the Year automatically goes into the Brand Champion Hall of Fame. Last year's recipient was Red Bull. Like last year I am using the same criteria to recognize this year's awardee. The Brand Champion of the Year is a person or company that understands what it means to be a brand champion, someone or some company that delivers on its brand promise, and realizes that a sustainable brand is based on mission, core values and stakeholder engagement. The Brand Champion of the Year is given to one of the people or companies that is featured as a Brand Champion of the Day, and the one who receives the most blog hits that day. In other words, the reader's choice too.

This year the competition was as stiff as it was last year. The very moving comments by Brian Dolan this past Friday about his friend Dave Sinclair, several great posts by our friends at La Salle University, the very on-brand post by Kristen Fusco from H&R Block, the amazing story and insights from The Daily Blonde, and many more made for a number of deserving candidates. But, without question the person who deserves the honor of 2009 Brand Champion of the Year, and the second inductee into the Brand Champion Hall of Fame is Paula Berg, Manager of Emerging Media, Southwest Airlines. Many of you read Paula's post when she was featured here on July 20, 2009 as Brand Champion of the Day. Her description of what it means to be a SWA brand champion and her savvy use of social media on the post demonstated what her brand and the one she represents stands for. For any of you who would like to read that post again, or for the first time, click on the Brand Champion of the Day link to the right and scroll down to July 20.  

I am not alone in my recognition of Paula. Earlier in the year she was given the coveted Southwest Airlines President's Award. Paula informed me that the award reads: "for intuitively knowing that social media would help enrich the cultural fabric of Southwest Airlines; for keeping Southwest Airlines on the cutting-edge of communication; for your 24/7 passion and energy for our beloved airline; and for always being “wired” into what is best for Southwest.” That says it all. For those of you who I have worked with or have seen me present at conferences like I did just yesterday at the University & College Designers (another worthy candidate of Brand Champion of the Year) conference in Seattle, know I talk about Southwest Airlines as the best example of a brand that "gets it." One of the reasons they get it is because they know their mission and value their employees, who in turn deliver on-brand experiences to customers like me. In fact, I will be flying home on Southwest Airlines tomorrow, and then flying to a client meeting on Thursday on Southwest Airlines.

For all she does, Paula Berg is the Brand Champion of the Year and the second inductee into the Brand Champion Hall of Fame!

Rex Whisman
Brand Champions Blog

Brand Champion Hall of Fame Inductee- Red Bull

Usually on Mondays and Fridays I recognize a Brand Champion of the Day, which I will return to doing next Monday. Today I decided to change things up a bit and create a new category on the blog, Brand Champion Hall of Fame, to recognize those brands that I award the Brand Champion of the Year title to every year. As you know, the first-ever Brand Champion of the Year in 2008 was Red Bull.

Red Bull continues to amaze me with the strategic savvy in which they manage their brand. They are strong contenders for a repeat this year as Brand Champion of the Year. Each time I write about them or talk about them as a case study during my many presentations around the globe, they give me wiings!

Who would you like to nominate as the 2009 Brand Champion of the Year, and gain induction into the Brand Champion Hall of Fame?