Archive for January, 2009

The Coolest & Gaps Results

Posted by Chris Wilson January 29th, 2009

The Coolest & Gaps Top 5, Apple, Coca-Cola, Disney, Ferrari, Virgin

Back in November I invited you to participate in a worldwide branding survey, The Coolest and Gaps, that was being conducted by the Madrid consultancy Allegro 234. Now with 1,000 participants, spanning 39 different countries Europe 55%, the Americas 40% and Asia 5%), the results are in.

Here are some highlights from the study:

Coolest

The five coolest brands are:

Apple (2x’s more mentions than 2nd place)
Coca-Cola
Disney
Ferrari
Virgin

Runner-up brands just missing the top five:

Adidas, Alfa Romeo, Illy, Moët Chandon, Nike
Agent Provocateur, BMW, Jaguar, Nestle, Norwegian Cruise, Patagonia, Red Bull, Starbucks, Volvo, Vueling

Even coolest brands can improve. These areas were noted as needing improvements:

Associate services: The product meets expectations, what it is around shows deficiencies
Warranty: The “small print”
Price: Brand premium price

Gaps

Across the board it was noted that all companies, across industries, need to focus on their brand experiences.

Of the participants, 70% were working in related areas of branding, marketing, communications and PR. Cristián Saracco notes, Allegro 234’s CEO, made an interesting observation that,

Those working in areas related to branding are more pessimistic than the non-related people, except in regard to the synthesis of their value proposition [what the brand says]

He goes on to say,

… in regards to the internal branding experience, 60% of participants believed that it is inappropriate and/or partially adequate in their business.

Those working in related areas are more critical [they base their internal experience on communication]

Those working in non-related areas live the experience better because they are considering other factors that go beyond communication

Who Will Lead Us?

It was that last quote that got me thinking about how brands are soon going to have to face these issues with their experiences head on, because they will only get worse as the landscape continues to shift. We need to change our mindsets from fine tuning messages to evaluating how we are meeting (hopefully exceeding) expectations from start to finish and back to start again.

As brands start to make this shift from heavy communications to creating consistent experiences across channels, who we have leading us will become more important than ever. As we move closer to a totally online world, we will need a new breed of creatives to step up to the plate and show our brands how to take on and maintain the organic, adaptable traits necessary to thrive in world where consumers are creating the expectations. Communications (in the traditional sense of the word) aren’t going to meet those expectations alone.

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I’ve included the full study below.

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What do you think?

Who should lead brands in the future?

CATEGORIES: Advertising, Branding, Marketing

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Shaun White Defies the Law of Brand Endorsements

Posted by Chris Wilson January 28th, 2009

Shaun White Celebrity Endorsement (Photograph by Martin Schoeller)

When it comes to brand endorsements, celebrity endorsements can be one of the most complex. Not only can it be hard for the brand to overcome what Rohit Bhargava calls the “paid to play” perception, but there is always a risk that a celebrities actions might stray from the light the brand wants to be represented in.

My biggest concern with celebrity endorsements is how diluted they can become as the celebrity endorses more and more brands. After all the celebrities that are hot and in demand are the ones that tend to do the most endorsements. So while an endorsement of RedBull today might generate immediate attention and mass appeal, when that same celebrity goes on to sign that underwear deal with Hanes, RedBull just won’t seem as edgy (at least in association with that celeb).

Fast Company recently did a feature story on extreme sport superstar, Shaun White. One might think with White’s massive fan appeal, especially among Gen Y age groups, that he would be a celebrity endorsement stretched to his limit. But, this is clearly not the case.

White maintains successful endorsement deals with Burton, Target, Red Bull, Oakley, HP and Ubisoft. This is obviously more brand attachments than most celebrities are able to manage. So what makes Shaun White different?

After reading the story, here are a few standouts for why Shaun White continuously defies the natural law of brand endorsements:

Understands the value of his personal brand.

Shaun understands that in the same way his endorsement reflects on a brand, his personal brand is reflected upon by a brand he chooses to endorse. He always weighs not only the short-term gains for a deal, but how this will affect his personal brand value in the long-term.

White remains authentic.

Despite Shaun’s continuous escalation to stardom, he stays true to who he is and what he stands for and his fans love him for it.

Only works with brands he can connect with.

Shaun only works with brands that he personally connects with. In fact, there have been multiple occasions where White sought out a relationship with a brand he wanted to work with, instead of signing a contract with anyone that writes him a check.

Understands how endorsements work together.

This was clearly exhibited back when White had to decide between continuing his relationship with Volcom or enter into a brand new deal with Target, where he would have a hand in designing a special line of clothing. He opted to work with Target because of the freedom the opportunity provided him and because it would eliminate any possible conflicts between Burton and Volcom.

(See Shaun White in Action)

I think Shaun pretty much summed up his success with brand endorsements when he said,

I don’t know what my image is. But I know what it’s not.

CATEGORIES: Advertising, Branding, Marketing

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Pow! Lessons in Surprise Like You’ve Never Read Before!

Posted by Chris Wilson January 24th, 2009

Pow! Profiting From the Power of Surprise Andy Nulman

There’s no doubt that surprise can be a powerful element in reaching and retaining customers, and even better yet, one of the more memorable ways to do so. But more often than not it’s the HOW that trips us up. Having employees dress up like a gorillas while wearing a sandwich board with the company logo on it just isn’t doing it.

Not to worry though because the master of surprise, Andy Nulman, is here to save the day with his book Pow! Right Between the Eyes, (and he’s got an offer you can’t refuse). Andy is giving away 200 copies of his book to any blogger that asks for one. Here’s what you can do to get your copy:

Request the book in a post on your blog any way you see fit.
Link that post to Pow! at www.andynulman.com.
Please include your mailing address in your post so I know where to send the book.

If Andy’s words from the front flap of the book are any indication of what’s to expect from POW!, then I can’t wait to receive my copy.

Rest assured that this commitment will not go unrewarded. You’re about to learn how to change your business and delight your customers. By following this book’s Tao of POW!, you’ll discover how to apply the “Lubricant to Yes” to deliver “Euphoric Shock,” and how to generate lopsidedly influential POW! moments. You’ll realize why “Everyone’s a Kid in Disneyland,” learn how to “Time-Bomb,” see through “Virgin Contact Lenses,” understand the reason why there doesn’t always need to be a reason . . . and then get to use these tactics to grab attention and earn a special place in the hearts—and wallets—of your customers.

(Andy, Please send my copy to: 500 N. Walker, Suite H, Oklahoma City, OK, 73102)

CATEGORIES: Marketing

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Human Talk: Why?

Posted by Chris Wilson January 22nd, 2009

Compan Ask Why Day, Ask Questions Raise Hand

Here’s a surefire way to start talking to your customers like a real human being in 2009. Hold a company “why” day.

Take time out from the daily grind to question everything you do.

Create a safe, honest and open platform for anyone to bring a question to the table.
Choreograph the customer experience from start to finish, questioning everything along the way.
And for everything that you find along the way that you can’t understand or isn’t adding value to the organization, cut it out.

This brilliant idea can be credited to Bill Gammell. Here’s how he describes it:

“Business as usual” is a load of crap. It leads to too much floating, too much status quo. Do you see it too?

It’s time we abandon ingrained company assumptions and dismiss company urban legends. Time to shed egos, dismantle best practices and stop blindly towing the company line.

It’s time we questioned all our practices, policies, assumptions, creeds, titles and mission statements.

Back to basics? Sure. But it’s more than that. We need to have a day where everyone in the company from janitor to CEO questions “why” we do the things we do and how we do them. Don’t hold back, question it all.

We need to welcome a day of fresh eyes and fresh ideas.

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This post is part of the Human Talk series.

If you would like to contribute your good or bad Human Talk examples, Email me. I’ll accept photos, stories, videos, audio, etc. and give credit where credit is due.