Photo from ArtistasCafé.com website. Cause marketing is nothing new to brand builders. But this program is really special and was the deciding factor when I purchased my last automobile. Several years ago I [...]
Branding tips from the road warrior. This past year I’ve been to over 50 airports in the US. I’ve seen and experienced the good, the bad and the most disappointing. For a long time airports have merely been geographic facilities that connect people to places, events or attractions that they were headed to.
“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.”
Salvador Dali
Some days writing is effortless, fun and comes like breathing, easy and without much effort.
Other days writing can be really hard. It’s like climbing the tallest mountain with no sight of the top and brutal weather beating up every inch of your soul.
It’s always been a dream of mine to attend Fashion Week in New York City. Thanks to a local charity auction, it became a reality a few weeks ago. In April, Wheels of Success, a nonprofit in Tampa that provides automobiles for people in need, held their annual fundraiser. Like many charity events, they had a live auction offering some very cool items. The package I bid on and won was two tickets to go to a show at the 2014 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City.
The last 60 days I’ve been MIA from social media. Except for a few random tweets, my social channels have been inactive.
While social media is seductive, persuasive and can influence behavior and actions that impact my economy and help build my brand, I consciously opted out.
WHY?
My plate has been full with other branding projects, speeches and personal obligations that required my brain and bandwidth.
Brand and branding are a part of everyday life, pop culture and even the media. It’s not uncommon to hear a journalist, a high school kid or even a seemingly out of touch, very mature [...]
I’m always on the hunt for cool gizmos that make my world a little better. I recently added a few to my collection and thought they may help you too. I adore my iPad. It keeps me connected and productive especially when I’m sitting idle somewhere waiting for something, my food, my drink or my next big idea.
When I purchased it, I opted for the simple black case with an extended keyboard. That worked for a while until my keyboard battery seemed dead more often than I had patience to deal with. Plus, what was I thinking? That black case was boring and did not symbolize my brand style.
Well I fixed that. I found the perfect lipstick red leather case at the Apple store.
I wrote this blog a couple of years ago. Today it may even be more relevant as brands and businesses look for fresh ways to stand out in a busy and noisier marketplace. If you read it the first time, I've added some new ways to stand out that are worth checking out.
Odd Fish Finish First
Imagine a big glass tank loaded up with hundreds of squirmy gold fish. Pick the one you want and in seconds you’ve lost it because they all look alike.
Suddenly, behind the coral tree, from within the school of many, emerges a slim, purple and orange fish. He quickly stands out from the group, his distinctiveness apparent. He swims around with a unique confidence and a bold identity, while the others just seem to fade away.
Using video is like adding high-octane fuel to a Hennessey Venom. In case you missed it, because you blinked, this year the Hennessey Venom GT broke the world speed record at 270.49 mph at the Kennedy Space Center.
“Video has been the fastest and most consistently growing medium for content marketing,” said Lori Rosen, Executive Director, Custom Content Council.
Want more traction on your Website and social media channels? Add video.
Branded video is sharable.
It can become viral.
Today everyone can use video.
I recently added video to my branding tool kit. When I speak, I open every brand talk with my Branding Boogie music video. The video tells a story about boring Bob’s brand and his cry for help. This drama sets the tone for my presentation message. Boring will get you nowhere.
The past few weeks you have likely seen the CEO of Target trying to manage the aftermath of the massive credit card hacking scandal. Not a fun situation for any brand leader. One recent interview on CNBC caught my eye. While Gregg Steinhafel was assuring customers that the company was taking the right steps to deal with the mess, a beautiful logo-patterned, red Target vase was perched on the stage behind him.
Was his intention to communicate, yes this is bad, but you can still expect great design and a style edge that the big blue retailer just can't do?
Using logo marks well in non traditional touch points is a great opportunity for any brand.
I read an interesting story in the Wall Street Journal about the return of wearing branded apparel. The story was titled, “The Return of the Fashion Logo”. Full story click here.