So I was perusing some articles looking for something to spark enough inspiration for me to put the pen to paper and write about something that would teach and inspire. Instead, I came across this extremely mind-blowing article on buzzfeed.com.

Apparently, this story is pretty big now, so I apologize if I’m the last one to board the train, but I was so drawn into the article—and the Facebook posting chain that was included—that I lost myself in utter disbelief and shock. I kept reading… and in between gasps I was able to finish the article. These are my thoughts:

1.       WHAT did you just do… to your brand?! Your image?! The TV segment was bad enough… but to then add fuel to the fire on Facebook.

2.       WHY are you managing your own social media on your own?

3.       WHERE is your PR/Marketing firm? (Clearly you needed one.)

While this story is a pretty extreme example of social media no-nos, and the damage that can be done by mismanaging your *Brand, it is also an example of the power of social media and why it should always be handled with care.

 So this is my warning: brand-owner beware! You can be your own worst enemy when it comes to making or breaking your reputation – and your brand! If you do encounter a problem, it is best left to the professionals.  And, face it: social media is king! It can break you if you get too emotionally vested or do not fully understand how to implement an effective social media strategy.

A great marketing firm is an important ally to have in your corner as a business owner—don’t underestimate their value.

Oh yes, I have attached said article for your reading enjoyment – http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/this-is-the-most-epic-brand-meltdown-on-facebook-ever

**Hot off the AMA website, “A brand is a “Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.” Source: The MASB Common Language Project. http://www.themasb.org/common-language-project/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand

“A brand is a customer experience represented by a collection of images and ideas; often, it refers to a symbol such as a name, logo, slogan, and design scheme. Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the accumulation of experiences with the specific product or service, both directly relating to its use, and through the influence of advertising, design, and media commentary.” (Added definition) “A brand often includes an explicit logo, fonts, color schemes, symbols, sound which may be developed to represent implicit values, ideas, and even personality.” Source: SEMPO

Hip hop pioneer Chuck D. once said, “Don’t believe the hype.” Since I was a youngster, I have always tried to live my life by these words of perspicacity. What exactly do I mean by “hype,” you ask? It is when a person gets caught up in the minutiae of a situation and they refuse to see the big picture.

These types of folks are normally very numbers driven. If they can’t measure the results numerically then, well, the efforts are completely wasted in their mind. For example, think of your doctor and the Body Mass Index scale.

The BMI scale is a formula physicians use to evaluate the shape of an individual’s body based on their height and weight. The problem is it only accounts for two variables: weight and height. I am 6 feet, 185 pounds and according to my doctor I am—you guessed it—fat. The scale is totally numbers focused, completely ignoring external factors such as bone size and muscle mass.

If I valued my doctors opinion—which clearly I don’t—and got down to 160 pounds I would not only look like Screech, but women would probably start to mistake me as one of their own.

The same kind of crude tool is used to measure success in the world of marketing. Over the course of my career, I have been involved in several successful marketing campaigns; however, not all of them, in the short term, could be measured in total sales. If a quick increase in sales is a short term goal, then that needs to be explicit from the get-go.

One campaign sticks out in particular. It was a social media campaign for a local home builder. The goal was to simply educate their target on the current housing market and expand the reach of the brand within the St. Louis Metro area.

Upon completion, the client was perplexed that they didn’t sell any new homes during the duration of the campaign. To them, it was a complete failure. I, on the other hand, was thrilled with the outcome.  Social engagement was through the roof and growing steadily. People were talking about us. We were “sexy.”

Six months after the campaign, the client sold 2 new homes in one month. That was more than they had sold in that last 9 months. While these folks did not participate in the social campaign, they were, in fact, aware of their newfound social presence.

Sure a quick boost in sales is nice, but it doesn’t always equate to long term success. If you can expand your reach and increase brand awareness, you can reap the benefits from one campaign for many years.

The same can be said for weight loss. If the number on the scale doesn’t say “you are skinny,” but people complement your appearance… your efforts were a success.

Did you know today is National Thank You Note Day?

No?

Yeah… Neither did I! But apparently it is – and it makes me think – when was the last time I received a bona fide, real-deal thank you note? I really think they’re a lost art. So much so, that the simple act of sending one can leave a lasting impression on the recipient!

We live in a world of electronic media. eBlasts, eNewsletters, Facebook, Twitter and e-mail – they’re all wonderful forms of communication that quickly and efficiently deliver your message. But what about the personal touch? Sincerity can be lost when keys, clicks and send buttons are involved.

As we roll into 2013 I challenge you to send one Thank You note a month… minimum! And no – thank you emails do NOT count. They have to be true cards – signed, sealed, delivered! You just might be shocked at how much a person appreciates a hand-written note of thanks.

In our fast-paced lives, it’s all too easy to lose sight of a personal touch. So the next time you’re feeling thankful, don’t click send! Slap a stamp on your appreciation and drop it in the mail!

You’ll thank me for it…

Ha!

Last week Facebook announced that they would be taking a stand against fake people. No, they aren’t going after your girlfriend/boyfriend for refusing to make your relationship Facebook Official. They are targeting online-based companies who sell Facebook LIKES.

This comes after years of complaints from businesses who have grown their fan-base organically only to be over thrown by a competitor who used a bunch of fraudulent profiles to LIKE their page. While this problem isn’t new, Facebook has finally taken the time to address it and come up with a viable solution.

Facebook will now delete LIKES from business profiles that are determined to be from fake profiles. While this will only impact on average less than 1% of most pages’ fan total it could dramatically affect any business that purchased LIKES in the past.

I hope this will end the ongoing practice of buying LIKES and will encourage businesses to engage with their target and create a conversation around their brand. The more people are talking about a brand the larger its reach will be. Padding LIKE figures with fake accounts and bots may increase overall fan totals, but I can promise you it won’t increase another aspect of the business… SALES!

At KolbeCo, we help businesses tell their story. We develop creative, personal marketing messages that not only increase brand awareness, but show results!  If you want to share your story with us, please feel free to drop us a line. We’re all ears!

It never fails. At least once a year (maybe more) during a new client kickoff, we ask the question “who is your audience?” Then we receive an enthusiastic reply of “Everyone! Everyone can use/buy/benefit from my product or service!”

Ugh. Now it’s time for me to burst your bubble and explain why not everyone is your audience. Let’s take a couple of examples:

1. Could everyone eat at Hardee’s? Well, sure they could. But do they? No. And Hardee’s knows that, and knows that their primary audience is young-ish men who like to eat big burgers and watch ads with half naked women rolling around on the hood of a car.
2. Can every woman wear make-up? Absolutely. But there are specific audiences for each line. The Wet & Wild crowd is totally different from the Lancome crowd, and everything about their marketing speaks to that.

In each of the cases above, you have clearly defined targets which help guide the strategy, messaging, and customer experience. That’s what we’re looking for, and planning towards, when we create strategy.

So, when I told a new client a few weeks ago that I wasn’t his audience and would never buy his product because it just doesn’t fit my lifestyle, he was shocked. He kept trying to sell me on why I should buy it, because “everyone can benefit from this!” Someone else on my team chimed in and said “I would never buy it either.” Wow! Does that mean the idea is bad, or that the product will be a flop? Not all all. We reassured the client that there is an audience that will respond well – it just wasn’t two of the five people sitting at the table, and that’s OK! We just needed to dig though his customer base to find commonalities, identify pains and triggers, and perform research to make sure we had the right fit.

It took him a while to realize that it was OK that my colleague and I would never buy what he had to offer. It became OK for him to define a clear niche and speak confidently to that audience. And finally, he realized that it was OK to not be all things to all people. When you try to appeal to everyone, you end up appealing to no one. When you try to speak to all people and convince all people to buy, you’ve wasted a lot of time, energy and money.  Find your audience, answer their “why do I care”, and craft your strategy accordingly.

So recently we got into a discussion about a brand and whether the customer cares if you make money. Well… we decided it depends.

On what, you ask?

THE BRAND

Apple is a perfect example. They charge a premium for their products; however their brand is based on a solid foundation of products that simply work and a great customer experience.  What’s not to like? Will everyone pay the premium for that experience? No – but many will, and those that do are loyal. The reality is that Apple has engineers and designers that develop a great product that makes the customer feel special. Apple has cultivated the devoted customer base that other companies strive for.

Now let’s talk about the other end of the spectrum. A company that sells something generic, ordinary, and off-the-radar. Maybe their product/service is hard to understand and their message is unclear. The customer will start to focus on negative aspects. “It costs too much. It looks cheap. It’s a rip off.” Ultimately, the customer could be lead to the conclusion – “They are making too much money.”  A perfect example is gas. Who really WANTS to buy gas? No one. There’s a resentful feeling as we stand at the pump, sending dollar after dollar into our tanks. Gas, and the brand, offers no promise. The most successful, and often profitable, gas stations are those that manage to create a user experience; those like QuikTrip in St. Louis that offer more than gas. They create loyalty to their brand in an industry where most customers are just seeking the cheapest gallon.

You name it, we’ve all been there. With an Apple product you have millions of people waiting for their latest products, some camping outside stores the night before. Did anyone line up for the Microsoft Zune? I don’t think so. The Zune doesn’t even exist anymore. If the iPod disappeared there would be huge outcries. Why?  Because the consumer has forged an emotional connection to the Apple brand and their products. The Zune was like comparing generic cola to Coke. The products are the same cost to the manufacturer, but one has a huge premium. Many people grew up on Coke, so there is a real bond there. They are willing to pay the extra money for Coke over the generic cola.

In the end, your customer doesn’t care about your profits. They just want to know that you will deliver on what you promise with your brand. No Brand Promise = NO customers.

We recently met with a prospective client that was referred to us by one of St. Louis area’s talk radio stations. We are always appreciative of the recommendation and referral.

So why were we referred? They were looking for a new direction that was creative but was also thinking about the brand strategy. The problem is that the messages that were being promoted in the past were not consistent with the brand or the actual user experience. So, we have a problem. Actually the brand has a problem.

Their target demographic is men. But in today’s advertising world the way many seem to want to market to men seems to be one of 2 things:

• Make men look like they can’t accomplish anything on their own and they are incompetent
• Call out their manliness if they haven’t wrestled and killed a 200lb tiger.

The reality is while men have many dreams, whether that is to go mountain climbing or sky diving, many men also savor the time with their kids. I think of the Craftsman tool ads that show the son handing their dad a tool while working on a project. This is the type of emotional connection that can really appeal to men. Most men savor the little time they have to work on a project with their dad. This is a positive emotional connection that can be tapped into to create loyalty.

The reality is this brand is focused on showing men the way things used to be in a classy, retro way. The goal is for men to get away and relax in a good way, such as a nice private country club. But the previous advertising said the complete opposite.

How would an ad feel with a father and son spending time with the product and service together? Branding is about appealing to emotions. While the intention of these videos and ads was to appeal to men, I think it actually reflects in a negative manner on the product and appeals to a negative emotion.

The videos and ads that were created made it seem as though you did anything with the women in your life you were not a man. In my world, most men would do anything for the women in their life. Does that make them any less of a man?

The problem these videos create is that it makes it seem like there is a war between men and women. 80 percent of men want to live their lives their way and not be stereotyped as a buffoon or as prize fighter.

In the end when marketing, always map your campaign back to the brand strategy to keep things focused and avoid confusing your customer. If you don’t have an overall brand strategy then now is the time to put one in place. Make your advertising dollars more effective.

If you would like to know more about emotional branding, check out Daryl Travis’ great book, Emotional Branding: How Successful Brands Gain the Irrational Edge.

As Joseph Pine and James Gilmore said in their 1998 book, The Experience Economy, “Work is theater and every business is a stage.” It’s something every business should take to heart, and it’s something that we always stress in branding campaigns. The experience is your brand. With this in mind, I’d like to share a recent trip Scott and I took, which exemplifies the importance of not just the product, but of creating an experience.

Last weekend, we traveled to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, to a resort I had found online and chosen because of the location, the good reviews – and the fact that they were pet friendly. While we expected a nice place to stay, we were completely impressed by the EXPERIENCE that the resort owners at Eureka Sunset Lodge created for us.

Upon registration, owner Becky warmly greeted us, drew out a map of places to go, and gave restaurant and menu recommendations. She lives on the property, and told us she was right there if we needed anything, and explained that daily maid service wasn’t done but that she’d bring whatever we needed. Becky said that her guests are typically there to get away, and don’t really like the interruption of housekeepers coming in each morning. Wow – I get that! It is always a hassle to be shooed out of my room every day!

When we approached our cabin, we immediately saw a chalk board out front with the message “Welcome Scott & Lauren” – and a smiley face. What a simple, yet special touch to add to the experience. Other special touches included fresh coffee beans & grinder in our kitchen, a basket full of snacks, and a gas grill on the private deck just waiting for some great meals. And we couldn’t help but notice, but our cabin was probably the cleanest place we’ve ever stayed. I’m talking shiny, brand new looking, spotless (yet comfortable), all in this little cabin in the woods.

To add to the experience, our cabin was filled with the owners’ family photos, and a framed print that told the story of how a group of friends came to build the resort. It made us feel part of the story because they invited us in to that story.

All of those little touches made for the experience. Was it a nice place? Yes. Was the setting beautiful? Yes. But what will I remember? I will remember the chalkboard note at the front door, the extra time Becky took with us, the fresh coffee beans. That experience is their brand, and that’s what great marketing is all about.

Domain Names & Protecting Your Brand

This recent case is interesting. French fashion giant, Chanel sued a company that was selling counterfeit knock-offs of their high-end products and the judge penalized the counterfeiters in a unique way.

Ultimately, in this case someone is trying to leach onto an established brand. The folks at Chanel recognize how powerful their brand is and rightfully chose to protect it. What is very interesting is that the judge ruled that mainstream social media platforms and search engines must de-index the counterfeit sites. This is the part that I found very surprising about the case. When I asked local attorneys their opinion – they said this is a pretty bold step for a judge. What possible implications could this have for marketers? Based on this case, a judge could potentially ask someone to change their domain name because it is too close to an established brand.  Maybe next time you are coming up with a brand, focus on becoming the next Pappy’s (St. Louis reference) and not McDowell’s (Coming to America Movie Reference).

So, what does this all mean to the small business owner or VP of Marketing? It means do the right thing and build your own brand. While you may be able to beat the system for a period of time, in the end building your own brand with its own story is the only thing that will be sustainable. Trying to leverage another brand will just get you in court or out of business.

If you want to sell perfume could you appeal to someone that would like Chanel but couldn’t afford it? Sure. What emotion could you play into from a product and positioning perspective that might make someone feel better about a unique product? Could you give $1 from each sale to a cause? Would that have more impact than counterfeiting a product?

The folks leveraging the Chanel brand – instead of taking the “easy” way out when it comes to launching a website – think about how you can be different and not a rip-off product. All of that energy could have been put to good use instead of being shut down.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/11/us-judge-orders-hundreds-of-sites-de-indexed-from-google-twitter-bing-facebook.ars