Comments on: Stop guarding your precious brand http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/ Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:27:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: James Governor’s Monkchips » links for 2008-04-16 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-755 James Governor’s Monkchips » links for 2008-04-16 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:50:06 +0000 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-755 [...] Go Big Always - Stop guarding your precious brand relax. (tags: avatars branding) [...] […] Go Big Always - Stop guarding your precious brand relax. (tags: avatars branding) […]

]]> By: Go Big Always - “Don’t pee in the pool,” one customer’s rollout strategy http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-726 Go Big Always - “Don’t pee in the pool,” one customer’s rollout strategy Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:32:30 +0000 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-726 [...] A lot of our customers replace the name of the product (Clearspace) with their own company name or they create a completely new brand. In this case it was the latter. I’ve modified the logo for this post since the customer’s Marketing/PR department isn’t ok disclosing vendor associations. [...] […] A lot of our customers replace the name of the product (Clearspace) with their own company name or they create a completely new brand. In this case it was the latter. I’ve modified the logo for this post since the customer’s Marketing/PR department isn’t ok disclosing vendor associations. […]

]]> By: MyTechnologyCompany.com » Marketing 1.0 Needs to Stop http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-725 MyTechnologyCompany.com » Marketing 1.0 Needs to Stop Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:24:58 +0000 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-725 [...] Software, put out a post close to my heart - Marketing and PR departments clinging to idea that they need to control the message. Companies can not stop people from talking about them. Technological change means that their [...] […] Software, put out a post close to my heart - Marketing and PR departments clinging to idea that they need to control the message. Companies can not stop people from talking about them. Technological change means that their […]

]]> By: A Challenge For Marketing « WiredPen http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-723 A Challenge For Marketing « WiredPen Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:56:38 +0000 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-723 [...] April 2008 at 5:56 pm (Social Networks, Web/Tech, marketing) Sam Lawrence throws down the gauntlet to marketing folks today in a blog post entitled “Stop guarding your precious brand.” [...] […] April 2008 at 5:56 pm (Social Networks, Web/Tech, marketing) Sam Lawrence throws down the gauntlet to marketing folks today in a blog post entitled “Stop guarding your precious brand.” […]

]]> By: Dean Thrasher http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-722 Dean Thrasher Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:56:28 +0000 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-722 In the days when there were only a few channels to the customer, like retail stores, radio, television, and newspaper, it was (just barely) possible for marketing and PR departments to control much of what was officially said about a company. Today, with broadcast media fractured into hundreds of channels and new media in the hands of anyone with Internet access, a defensive strategy no longer makes sense. You've got to engage your customers pro-actively. In the days when there were only a few channels to the customer, like retail stores, radio, television, and newspaper, it was (just barely) possible for marketing and PR departments to control much of what was officially said about a company. Today, with broadcast media fractured into hundreds of channels and new media in the hands of anyone with Internet access, a defensive strategy no longer makes sense. You’ve got to engage your customers pro-actively.

]]> By: Kathy http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-721 Kathy Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:52:09 +0000 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-721 Hi, Sam, this is a slightly different frame on the concept of user-centered design ... which is the core of what makes a product or a website **work**. Period! On one level, control also reflects fear, I think. (Hey, I just saw the Dalai Lama today. His message: need to remove fear, doubt and suspicion to make way for compassion.) Marketing (and advertising) uses fear-uncertainty-doubt as weapons against the unsuspecting (or unsophisticated). That's the absolute opposite of engagement and conversation. Control can also mean "fear of losing one's job." It's closely aligned, in this meaning, with preserving position (esp. common with middle managers whose jobs have been to control the flow of information w/in an organization). But it, too, is the opposite of conversation. What's different about new companies (digital ones) and old companies is reflected in <a href="http://twitter.com/jeffmann" rel="nofollow">Jeff's comment</a>: "All brands which through overuse became synonyms for an object rather than a brand. Kleenex Bandaid Hoover" NEW companies *want* their brand to become a verb ... to diffuse rapidly and totally. Google is a verb (but not Yahoo!). So is Tivo (but not ReplayTV). If those companies had tried to "protect" their brand like Jeff is suggesting, would they be as successful as they are? (Yes, I know Tivo is not as successful as Google, but it's more successful than it's competition.) Hi, Sam, this is a slightly different frame on the concept of user-centered design … which is the core of what makes a product or a website **work**. Period!

On one level, control also reflects fear, I think. (Hey, I just saw the Dalai Lama today. His message: need to remove fear, doubt and suspicion to make way for compassion.) Marketing (and advertising) uses fear-uncertainty-doubt as weapons against the unsuspecting (or unsophisticated). That’s the absolute opposite of engagement and conversation.

Control can also mean “fear of losing one’s job.” It’s closely aligned, in this meaning, with preserving position (esp. common with middle managers whose jobs have been to control the flow of information w/in an organization). But it, too, is the opposite of conversation.

What’s different about new companies (digital ones) and old companies is reflected in Jeff’s comment: “All brands which through overuse became synonyms for an object rather than a brand. Kleenex Bandaid Hoover”

NEW companies *want* their brand to become a verb … to diffuse rapidly and totally. Google is a verb (but not Yahoo!). So is Tivo (but not ReplayTV). If those companies had tried to “protect” their brand like Jeff is suggesting, would they be as successful as they are? (Yes, I know Tivo is not as successful as Google, but it’s more successful than it’s competition.)

]]> By: Stacey Monk http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-719 Stacey Monk Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:19:01 +0000 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-719 In the world of social change, your brand message is particularly applicable. With $0 for marketing, it's even more important to empower people to spread your "brand" for you. By necessity, I think many small/new nonprofits like mine (http://www.EpicChange.org) are trying to exploit the benefits of supporter-led marketing efforts, perhaps even more than organizations with huge marketing budgets and departments. Just today, I published my own rules for storytelling on our blog at http://www.EpicChange.org/blog, which closed with the most important rule, "Let your supporters speak for you." If you get a chance, stop by and give it a look. Insights like these are the reason I follow you on twitter. Thanks for the advice (and the cybersteak)! @StaceyMonk In the world of social change, your brand message is particularly applicable. With $0 for marketing, it’s even more important to empower people to spread your “brand” for you. By necessity, I think many small/new nonprofits like mine (http://www.EpicChange.org) are trying to exploit the benefits of supporter-led marketing efforts, perhaps even more than organizations with huge marketing budgets and departments. Just today, I published my own rules for storytelling on our blog at http://www.EpicChange.org/blog, which closed with the most important rule, “Let your supporters speak for you.” If you get a chance, stop by and give it a look.

Insights like these are the reason I follow you on twitter. Thanks for the advice (and the cybersteak)!

@StaceyMonk

]]> By: David Straus http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-718 David Straus Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:04:59 +0000 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-718 I agree with your basic point about Marketing being focused in the wrong place (e.g. "Protecting the Brand"), but I wonder Sam if the issue is more basic. How many Marketing organization are internally focused when they should be externally focused? How many Marketing organizations understand and focus on their basic purpose; to drive growth (as defined by the business)? How many Marketing organizations are focused on deliverables (powerpoints, events, press releases, etc.) versus effects? My guess is the organization focused on driving growth and measureable effects don't suffer the ills you written about as often. Thoughts? I agree with your basic point about Marketing being focused in the wrong place (e.g. “Protecting the Brand”), but I wonder Sam if the issue is more basic. How many Marketing organization are internally focused when they should be externally focused? How many Marketing organizations understand and focus on their basic purpose; to drive growth (as defined by the business)? How many Marketing organizations are focused on deliverables (powerpoints, events, press releases, etc.) versus effects? My guess is the organization focused on driving growth and measureable effects don’t suffer the ills you written about as often. Thoughts?

]]> By: Perry Mizota http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-716 Perry Mizota Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:50:52 +0000 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-716 Good post, Sam. I agree that marketers need to let go and start having conversations with their marketplace. I have posted more of my thoughts at http://abovethenoise.blogspot.com/2008/04/can-marketers-have-conversations.html Good post, Sam. I agree that marketers need to let go and start having conversations with their marketplace. I have posted more of my thoughts at http://abovethenoise.blogspot.com/2008/04/can-marketers-have-conversations.html

]]> By: Trevor Speirs http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-714 Trevor Speirs Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:26:57 +0000 http://gobigalways.com/stop-guarding-your-precious-brand/#comment-714 Sam, I completely agree. I can't understand how, in today's technological environment, companies still try to only use marketing departments to "push" out messages(I had a <a href="http://www.mytechnologycompany.com/?p=14" rel="nofollow">small post on it a few months ago </a>). Today, the message should be no more than 25% of the marketer's job. The remainder should be tasked to connect with consumers and understand their needs (not try to fit whatever engineering developed into their needs). A marketer who truly understands today's environment and possibilities can be a great asset for a company. Now it can't be all on the company, the marketer needs to be able to communicate across functional areas, management levels, and with all types of consumers - a tall order for sure. While I understand that some companies will make it impossible, but today's marketer must be prepared to evangelize this message throughout the company. If we wait for senior executives to "get it", we could be waiting a long time. Cheers! Sam,
I completely agree. I can’t understand how, in today’s technological environment, companies still try to only use marketing departments to “push” out messages(I had a small post on it a few months ago ). Today, the message should be no more than 25% of the marketer’s job. The remainder should be tasked to connect with consumers and understand their needs (not try to fit whatever engineering developed into their needs).

A marketer who truly understands today’s environment and possibilities can be a great asset for a company. Now it can’t be all on the company, the marketer needs to be able to communicate across functional areas, management levels, and with all types of consumers - a tall order for sure. While I understand that some companies will make it impossible, but today’s marketer must be prepared to evangelize this message throughout the company. If we wait for senior executives to “get it”, we could be waiting a long time.
Cheers!

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