Brand Champions

Brand Champion of the Day-Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum, Authors

This weekend I finished off That Used To Be Us, the latest from Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum. I have been a long time champion of the Friedman brand. I love his work in The New York Times and on shows like Charlie Rose and Meet the Press. This was my first introduction to Mandelbaum. I anticipate I will be a brand champion of his too.

That Used To Be Us is a fitting title of the woes of the United States and how the nation brand has lost its way. Like Friedman and Mandelbaum I am a champion of the United States brand. We are Americans. Like them I am concerned about our recent past and what the future holds. The authors make the case that globalization, technology, debt and climate change are four overarching factors affecting the United State's ability to regain its mojo.

I agree that without a long-term plan to address these issues the United States brand will continue to be diluted. As is the case with personal and organizational brands, a strategic approach to brand buiding ensures sustainability. Leaders need to support brand strategies that go beyond their real or perceived time as CEO. Term limits, party politics and celebrity wannabes are challenges to developing a long-term brand strategy for nations, and for organizations. Without it, brands die.

Thanks Friedman and Mandelbaum for writing what most of us are thinking. You are the Brand Champions of the Day.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Ice Hockey Team

You probably know by now of the tragic plane crash in Russia that took the life of 43 people. The plane was carrying the Kontinental Ice Hockey team, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Two of the members of the team who passed were past members of my home town hockey brand, the Colorado Avalanche. Karlis Skrastins and Ruslan Salei played here in Denver.

It is so unfortunate when events like this take place. It reminds us how fragile life is and how one never knows what life holds for us when we represent a brand we love. In this case coaches, players and crew who were on their way to a hockey game. Those who represented their company and ten nations from around the world. Ice hockey is a great sport and has brought many people together.

Today we come together to mourn those who passed. The Brand Champion of the Day. May they rest in peace.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Department of Journalism and Technical Communication, Colorado State University

This Friday at 9:00 am I have the pleasure of participating in the third annual Media Festival, hosted by the Department of Journalism and Technical Communication at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. It will be the second time that I will serve on a panel with fellow alumni from the department to discuss what I do and share my views with students, faculty, alumni and friends.

During the inaugural event I shared the podium with others from the education communications profession. As a brand strategist, who works primarily for P-20 schools, that experience was right up my ally. Ironically, one of my fellow panelists was a former client. On Friday I will be talking brand + public relations. This topic too will be one that I am familiar with. I am a big advocate of utilizing public relations and social media to recruit and retain brand champions. Traditional advertising? Not so much.

I think fondly on my graduate school experience in the JTC department at CSU. It was during those years that I found my passion. Understanding how brands like Starbucks could be applied to the academic world. I would not be doing what I do had it not been for professors like Greg Luft (event organizer), Vern Keel and Roger Lipker. I hope to impart some of the same wisdom they provided me, to those in attendance on Friday. In the meantime, JTC at CSU is the Brand Champion of the Day.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-David P. Reynolds

You know the brand, you probably know the brand champion. In the 1800s Richard Reynolds founded the company. His family, including David Reynolds, kept the brand wrapping and unraveling for decades. I could not come close to estimating how many miles of Reynolds aluminum foil I have purchased in my lifetime. I am a brand champion. This week David Reynolds passed.

But his ability to champion the family brand and those brands that he and his family founded will keep churning right along. Unless technology or the environment prevent me from doing so, I anticipate I will  champion the brand for the rest of my life. I will also remember Reynolds when I watch future triple crown races. I did not know until yesterday that David Reynolds was owner of many horses, including one of my favorite brands. Tabasco Cat.

For keeping things fresh, helping prevent spills and many other daily uses of aluminum foil, David P. Reynolds is the Brand Champion of the Day.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-USA Pro Cycling Challenge

Nice to see that pro cycling is back where it should be. Back in Colorado with the just completed USA Pro Cycling Challenge. Congratulations to champion, Levi Leipheimer, and congratulations to the fans and sponsors, the brand champions, who turned out to make the inaugural event a success.

Many of us remember the exciting times when the Red Zinger Classic and the Coors Classic came to town. Those were the days when most of the world's leading cyclists, many from right here in Colorado, would compete throughout our great state. Many pros train here, so why not compete for the real deal too.

Although the laps of time and justification were way too long, the gap has now filled. But it will be up to brand champions to ensure that we do not repeat the same challenges and disinterest from the past. For now, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge is the Brand Champion of the Day!

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Foursquare

I am increasingly becoming more and more of a brand champion for Foursquare. When I first heard the brand name I thought it was a game. One of my colleagues kept referring to the point accumulation function. That did not do much for me. I am not a game person. Now when I introduce others to Foursquare I often get the same response. My next thought was that there was something wrong with the name. The more I understand the functionality the more I think it is right on.

Like any good brand consultant and someone who helps my clients understand the value of bringing a brand to life and recruiting and retaining brand champions through social media, I realized that I better find out more about Foursquare and see if my perceptions were accurate. They were not. As was the case with other social media, including this blog, I realized there was a business function to Foursquare. Ok so I do not have a life outside of branding.

When I travel, especially when I am on the road working on a client brand development project like I am this week, Foursquare gives me a quick and efficient way of "checking in" with my brand champions and "shouting" a few comments related to the brand work that I am engaged in. One catch. Not all businesses or places where I am at are on Foursquare. As a result I might actually be checking in from one of your competitors place of business.

Check it out, get a company profile listed and start checking in with your brand champions. Let us connect there too. Just like other sites you can connect to Facebook and Twitter eliminating the need to post on every site.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

 

Brand Champion of the Day-Inc.

Yesterday I flew across the United States, spending what seemed to be all day in an airplane. Like I have done in the past, a good deal of my time was spent reading Inc. magazine. Along with its trusted companion, Fast Company, Inc. allows the reader to forget about being on a long trip and provides the opportunity to learn what other organizations are doing to live their brand promise. It is a rejuvenating experience.

This month's edition of Inc. is the special report on entrepreneurs and the organizations that those special people have grown. Although I do not always think of myself as an entrepreneur, I am someone who started a business, so this special report gives me a chance to compare notes and learn from others. We can all learn from the success of others. Even when our categories do not seem to compare, often our processes and philosophies cross pollinate.

I have become a brand champion of Inc. I get excited when I see that my issue has arrived in the mail. I like it when it arrives right before a flight. I know that the experience on board is going to be on brand.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Danica Patrick

About three years ago I gave a tip of the hat here a day or so after Danica Patrick became the first woman to win a major open-wheel race in Japan as part of the IndyCar Series. I think it is time to pay homage her again. There might not be anyone who has a better grasp of branding than Danica Patrick. So she is deserving as a repeat Brand Champion of the Day.

The world of racing is a sea of brands. You have sponsor brands, race course brands, car brands, tire brands, team brands, series brands, and then there are the driver brands. Unlike many other sports, automobile racing and their brand champions are usually connected by personal, not organizational brands. There is a huge need to align brands. In this game, a very challenging task. A brand strategy is a must.

Like all drivers, Danica races for a team and is supported by her sponsors. For example she has raced for the Michael Andretti-led team and she is often seen as a Go Daddy Girl in television spots for her primary sponsor car sponsor. But the constant is Patrick. Next year she is apparently going full-time to NASCAR. Talk about brand world and the need to differentiate and know how best to recruit and retain brand champions. She will probably win that event too.

By the way, Go Daddy helps fuel this blog.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

Brand Champion of the Day-Breckenridge

I am here in one of my favorite spots on the planet, Breckenridge, Colorado. Along with a colleague, we are participating on our semi-annual retreat. There are not too places where one can get away to take a look at the past, understand the present and ponder the future.

I have been coming to this destination brand for several decades. No matter how much it grows, what time of year it is, what the weather is like, the town maintains its charm, welcoming environment, pristene standards, good food and more. In other words, it delivers on its brand promise.

For understanding how to recruit and retain brand champions, Breckenridge, you are the Brand Champion of the Day.

Rex Whisman

BrandED Consultants Group

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