Ms. Swift Shows How Powerful Social Networking & Twitter Can Be

Not all of you may know who she is, but Veronica Ballestrini, 17, has been using twitter, YouTube and Facebook to make her career, sell more than seven million records in the last four years, and sign a country music contract. So, love country, or hate it, but you've got to love the fact that this woman had the smarts and the gumption to keep plugging away at her online presence to build up a following. An online following that outstrips just about any country western star except for Miley and her dad Billy Rae Cyrus.

Ms. Swift was a nobody just a few years ago, but she was among the first country artists to aggressively use online media to promote herself. With 100,000 followers online, she had Country Music Television calling her and asking to play her music.

So if you're still wondering about whether social networking and twitter actually work - take a look at what this girl from Connecticut did. Oh yes, or you might just look at a little country called Iran and ask how the revolution is being communicated...

Content Marketing - It's My Facebook And I'll Do What I Want To

Not sure if everyone's been following the latest with the Manhattan Borough President's press secretary Lee Lander. Apparently Lee went off on a bit of a rant about Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. It wasn't the nicest of rants either, with the racist epithet coming up on a number of occassions.

I'm not going to delve into what this aide said in his rant, but rather how absurd his idea that his facebook account shouldn't have been used against him, and that some things are "private." The idea that "hey, it's my facebook and I'll do what I want to," "free speech protects me no matter what I say," and "but, I did it on my own time," are played out. The idea that in this day of blogs, tweets, podcasts and mobile media, that anything you say is private is borderline absurd. No longer is it just Lindsay Lohan and Barack Obama who are being picked up. It is you, me, and eveyone else. Your work, your play, your life is all out there. For anyone and everyone to see and use as they wish. Whether that is fair or not is a whole other discussion. The fact is, we are all now public beings - public brands.

If you think about it, it's really not all that bad. It just means we're all being held accountable for being true to ourselves and our personal brands. No longer can we have secret lives. No longer can we lead double standards. If we deviate, in time we'll most assuridly get caught. Especailly if it is a big enough blunder - i.e., a rant that attaches your personal view of racism to a national event.

So how does this all come into the content marketing arena? Think about it. It's all content. A 140 character tweet, a uTube video, a blog entry. It's all content, which can be used to positively position a product or a person. Or negatively position them.

So next time, watch it. Take a step back before you publish your post. Think about what you're writing, speaking, videotaping, and ask yourself, is this something I can agree with, even if it's taken out of context? Is this true to your brand - personal or professional?

Louis Vuitton and 40 Years of Moon Travel

Talk about a brand that truly knows itself and its customers. Bravo Louis Vuitton.

Yes, LV is a luxury brand. Yes, their logo and products are the envy of any high-end shopper. But more important, it is a name and brand that knows who they are. It is a symbol that stands for travel and the journey. How big and how small one goes with the concept of the journey is up to the individual. From a small clutch and a trip for a latte, to the kind of baggage one only sees in vintage shots of ocean liners, to a trip to the moon. It is this last journey that they were smart enough to realize just how big it could be. Not because they could latch onto the 40th anniversary buzz, but because they could help to make the buzz. They went from being a product company that creates luggage, to a company that moves people.

When I first saw their print advertisement months ago, I thought, "Wow, now there's a company that understands what they are about, and isn't afraid to use real people that truly exemplify their brand, instead of just another pretty body or face." I never realized how big they were going to go with it though. From a store wrap that attracts gawkers and, more important, shoppers, to today's reproduction of The New York Times July 21st, 1969 headline, complete with, yes you guessed it, their ad on the back, they not only captured the excitement, they built upon it by honoring the astronauts. Best of all, when I saw President Obama with the astronauts - Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins - I couldn't help but think about the ad by Louis Vuitton.

To the other brands out there - first find out what is at the heart of your product and your company. Cull it down to one word. Then find a way to take that word off the drawing board and bring it to life. For Louis Vuitton, it was journey. For the rest of us, it was the Apollo 11 moon shot from 40 years ago.

New York Congress - Can Anyone Tell Me What's Going On

I mean really. The NYS Republicans talked several NYS Democrats into joining their side. Then the Democrats locked everyone out of the capital. So, becuase one side had a key and the other didn't nobody could do anything for several weeks. Then several Democrats decide they'll become Democrats again. Meanwhile all of this is because of "deals" struck.

WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!

Doesn't this all kind of sound like 1890's fat politicians bribing, paying kickbacks, and giving out favors? As the Times reported "Under the deal, Senator Malcolm A. Smith of Queens will be president for an undetermined period of time, and Senator John L. Sampson of Brooklyn will be the leader of the Democratic caucus. Details of the arrangement were explained by Mr. Smith at a news conference."

If we're going to go back to this kind of politics, can't we at least bring back the hookers, alcohol, and graft that made politics fun in the first place.

Branding? It's just all coated with slime. And not the good kind either.

Sometimes Shutting Up Is the Best Policy

So what's going on with Dick Cheney? He had his 8 years in the spotlight, outpacing Andy Warhol's 15 minutes of fame, by immeasurable time. But he just wouln't let it lie. Now, there's nothing wrong with standing by your convictions - no matter how misplaced they are. But there is something wrong in believing your own press. Bottom line, there's often a better way to go about getting your agenda through, than just forcing it into the public eye.

Not only is he becoming known as the only politician who is doing more public speaking after he left office than when he was in the office, but his ratings keep dropping every time he speaks. Based on a CNN poll, fifty-five percent of people questioned still have an unfavorable opinion of the former vice president.

And what about George Bush - who hasn't said a thing in public since leaving the oval office?
In the same timeframe, “Former President George W. Bush's favorable rating rose six points in that same time period, and Bush has not given a single public speech since he left office.” Or so says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

So what's the brand lesson in this? Sometimes it just best to say nothing. Sometimes it is best to build a consensus before going public. Sometimes it is far better to stay away from your the press than pushing an agenda through it. And at absolutely no time, should you stop looking at the polls. Agree or disagree with them, but you only get yourself in trouble by ignoring them.

It's Not The Time For Mauve

Mauve. Can you think of a worse color? It's not a matter of liking the particular hue or tone. It's more a matter of what mauve stands for. Which in my humbel opinion is blah. Not even a capitalized BLAH, but simply blah. It's not a nothing color - which can be profound. Instead, it's a color of mediocrity. It reminds me of a Ford Granada, circa 1977, or a K Car. It reminds me of a patio set in a mid-west suburb. It reminds me of a company or a person who has just given up and decided it's better to do time on Maple Drive than it is to take a stab at doing something.

Mauve. It's not the time for mauve. Not that there is ever a time for mauve. But now, more than ever is the time to make a stand, to step up with midnight black, or fire-engine red, or natural heather even. Now is the time to do something bold. Because if you don't you'll just fade into the pack and remain as much of a standout as the K Car.

If this isn't the time, then there will never be one.

Party First, Country Second

I'm confused. Very confused. How can a Rush Limbaugh say he hopes the President fails, in the same breath he speaks about being a patriot? How can he even begin to think it's okay to put the success of his political party above the success of the President of the United States, and of the United States itself?

Without delving into politics too much, it is unconscionable that any pundit, newscaster, or even shock radio/tv host [whether it's Rachel Maddow or Rush Limbaugh] who calls themselves a patriot or true American, can wish that the President fails. "I deal in principles, not polls," wash Rush's response. So I ask, what principles are they, that he holds so dear? Is his principle and brand about "Damn America as a democratic state, and win at all costs?" If so, then his message is right on target.

Giving Your Addicted Child An Allowance

"Mom, dad, can I have another sixteen billion dollars?"

"Hmmmmm, well honey, what did you do with the thirteen billion we just gave you?"

"Uh, spent it?"

"Spent it? On what?"

"Things...."

Well, you get the idea. GM is addicted to doing business the same old way it has always done business. It hasn't developed new products that consumers are actually looking for. It hasn't opened its eyes to the resource problem we and the rest of the world are having with oil. It hasn't, in the face of failure, shown an ability to get off its addiction to antiquated thinking and given anyone the least bit of assurance that it can, in fact, change.

Aside from the fact that General Motors can't seem to manage its business. It's definately not carrying through on its brand promise for being an innovative, forward thinking company. Instead, it's showing itself as a tired, old company, set in its ways, and groaning about how bad things are. Hmmmmm, would you buy a tired old man on a porch?

Perhaps I'm being overly harsh on this. After all, they did just shed Hummer. Okay, not quite forward thinking, but it's a step. And they did create the Saturn concept. Which while admittedly was innovative in the 80s, their decision to hide it in the closet in the 90s, leads me to think more of a [once again] tired old man too embarassed when his kid dyed her hair green and started listening to Kurt Cobain.

So even if they do survive, what will their brand be remembered for? Have they already tarnished it so badly with their management [or lack thereof]? Or do they have to hire someone under 50 who can truly reinvent the company.

Hmmmmm, wait a minute, isn't that what we're doing with Barack Obama and the United States?

Well, perhaps both brands can be saved after all. It will be an interesting year...

Starbucks - 25 Years In The Making & Gone In An Instant...

So last week, the purveyor of high end coffee drinks, the self-promoted creator of luxury coffee, the name that taught Americans what was acceptable and not acceptable in making a good cup of joe - announced it was launching an instant coffee.

Instant?

As in Maxwell house? As in Folgers? As in Taster's Choice? As in a product known for bad taste, cheap, and lousy?

Why, after spending all those years impressing on people the need to roast the beans just right, to use only spring water, heated to just the right temperature, and served by a practiced professional, would they now say, they can give you the same great taste in an instant, powered coffee? Why would they undermine their brand by aligning it with a bottom of the barrel category?

UBS analyst David Palmer, said of the instant coffee - "It's no big deal," he says. "What's different about soluble coffee is that it's equated with poor quality."

Hmmmmmmm, would a company really undermine its brand and long-term prospects to leverage that brand for some very short-term profits? Apparently so.

What's next? Will Tiffany's start producing cubit zirconium rings? Will Chanel start making $29.95 plastic handbags?

Hmmmmmm, there may be a reason brand leaders are very careful about ensuring their products match their brands.

Let's all watch and see what happens when Starbucks - "Seattle's Best" puts its toe in the worst coffee category. Will it become Seattle's Worst?

This could be more fun than watching Coca Cola try and launch New Coke. We all know how well that turned out....

Kelloggs - Get Real

So dropping Michael Phelps because he happened to smoke marijuana is Kellogg's way of supporting athletes and making a commitment to their growth. I hate to tell you Kelloggs, this isn't 1955, and today's kids don't eat their wheaties while waiting to work at dad's accounting firm. This is the 21st century where star athletes are under unbelievable pressure to perform. Not just in their venue, but 24/7.

Think about Michael Phelps. He's what 23? He's been doing nothing but training every day for the last six years. He won more medals at the olympics than can fit around his neck. He takes a break and makes one mistake by trusting his friends while he parties. And boom! You turn around and drop him as a bad influence on America's youth. Doesn't say much about your commitment to your athletes. It doesn't say much about your standing behind America's principles. Actually, it sounds more like a company that cuts and runs at the tiniest hint of bad news. Why not admonish the snake who took the photos and sold them? That would have been a stronger move, and one that would have bought you a lot more respect.

What do your actions say about your brand? In my humble opinion, it tells me that you're a brand that only stands by your friends as long as the skies are clear and the sun is shining. Let's just hope your product never has a rainy day.

Oh yes, I would be very curious to know how your executives unwind after a bad quarter? Something tells me it's not all apple pie and freshly scrubbed faces...

Blagojevich - Or, Just How Badly A Bad Image Can Ruin You

Blagojevich - now there's a name to bring up when talking about the importance of reputation management. Not in terms of his recent media campaign, but proof of how quickly and completely a bad reputation can permanently ruin a person's reputation or a product's brand. Brand management? Personal branding? Reputation management? Throw your case studies out the window, because Rod Blagojevich will go down in history as showing the true value of a reputation.

Think about it. Technically Rod Blagojevich hasn't been found guilty of anything illegal - yet. He hasn't faced criminal proceedings yet, and in the United States it is still innocent until proven guilty - isn't it?

The only fact that is concrete, is that he shot his mouth off on several occasions and embarrassed himself and the state of Illinois so badly that it's been the leading headline beneath Obama's win.It's as if the Illinois Legislature has said, "Enough, Rod. Frankly, we don't care if you're innocent or guilty. You've already done so much damage to this state that we really don't really care if you are innocent or guilty. Please, just leave."

They are not even allowing him to present witnesses in his defense. "Thank you Rod, but we just want you to sit there for a moment so we can get this over with."What is this all based on? A brief window in time in which he allowed himself to be, well himself.

Nobody knew who he was before this. But the brief look at his language, his attitude, and that Boss Tweed meets Tony Soprano image he created for himself. In effect, his reputation and his brand.

He, in such a short period of time, created such a reprehensible name for himself that he's now being impeached for it. He could possibly be the first person found guilty, not for doing anything criminal, but for establishing a bad brand.

So if you ever have to ask yourself how important branding is, or reputation management is - well just think of Rod Blagojevich. The guy who created such a bad image for himself, he ruined his career and his future in less than a day. Well, ruined that is unless he wants to do talk radio...

Keeping One's Personal Brand Strong

As John Stewart said "If you ever wondered what Barack's 'Shut the F**k up' face looks like, just watch him when Joe Biden started to joke about the slip up with the oath of office."

It's also one of the best examples of someone protecting his personal brand. In effect, by taking the initiative to repeat the oath, by reigning in his second in command, and by maintaining a no-joke demeanor throughout his campaign and the initial days of his presidency, he has sent a solid message out to the world - "we do not take this job lightly, we understand how serious this office is, and we are not going to allow anyone to undermine us in tackling the tasks ahead."

It is refreshing to see, and is a lesson to everyone out there in terms of what it takes to protect one's brand in today's media world.

Just glad we could help you live out the recession in ease....

Speaking at the FBR Capital Markets conference in New York in December, Walter M. Pressey, president of Boston Private Wealth Management, a healthy bank with a mostly affluent clientele, said there were no immediate plans to do much with the $154 million it received from the Treasury.

“With that capital in hand, not only do we feel comfortable that we can ride out the recession,” he said, “but we also feel that we’ll be in a position to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves once this recession is sorted out.”

Well, ain't that wonderful? I mean, it must be nice to have all these kind people help you out, and ensure you could ride out the storm in comfort.

And don't think he's alone. At the Palm Beach Ritz-Carlton last November, John C. Hope III, the chairman of Whitney National Bank in New Orleans, stood before a ballroom full of Wall Street analysts and explained how his bank intended to use its $300 million in federal bailout money.

“Make more loans?” Mr. Hope said. “We’re not going to change our business model or our credit policies to accommodate the needs of the public sector as they see it to have us make more loans.”

I truly can't even comment on these two statements - on a human level, on a brand level, or on a "never in a million years...." level.

I ask, if We the people can give the money away, can't we call the loan in early? Why not put it up for vote?

How Much Time.....

Well, now that Barack Obama has become President of these United States, how much time does he have? How much time is the American public going to give him until they start ripping him apart for not returning us to pre-depression and pre-disaster times?

At this point, he's got a great approval rating. His numbers are up, which means the Obama brand is flying strong. As of January 14th, most American's throught he was the Man. Which is good. But he hasn't done anything yet. Which means he's been able to convince most of us that he is capable of incredible feats of governance and management merely on his presence and his words.

Don't get me wrong. I love the guy. I think he's the only hope for America now, and well into the future. This is less a commentary on him and his capabilities, and more a comment on We, the people...

Does his strong brand and strong position buy him the two or more years he's going to need to turn America around and show some results? Will it buy him the 4 years that's far more likely to be needed? Or will most Americans give up after 6 months, when it's time to hit the 4th of July celebrations?

American's love two things - praising the underdog, and ripping apart the leaddog. We do it all the time. So now that Obama's not the underdog any more. Now that he's transitioning to the leaddog position, at what point will we start doubting his ability? How long until we start doubting? Will we have the presence to support him when things don't instantly come up sunny? Or will we go back to our usual and look for someone to blame?

The brand is a strong and powerful force. It's done very well for Mr. Obama and his team. But how long will the brand survive without AMPLE actions to take it, and him, to the next level?