I just realized it’s been over 2 months since I last updated this blog. Funny thing is – I visit plenty of other blogs, and always wonder why either you see someone with way too much time on their hands, posting constant updates. Or, it’s being maintained by someone that obviously had the best of intentions, but in reality – posted two or three times, then left it by the wayside.In reality – keeping these things updated means you constantly have something of value to say. That, or you just want to post for the sake of posting.

Personally, I’d prefer that my postings be of value.But, it seems to be inevitable, like death and taxes, that you run out of things to say for the moment. So, you leave postings similar to…well…this one.

So, for those that might actually visit this blog…let’s just say “Happy Holidays”…and sorry for the lack of regular postings…but that’s my holiday gift – less crap to wade through for those that visit here!

I realize that the above title…well, yes…it’s been used by others. Actually, it may be one of the most popular topics out there. But, what is more disturbing than the fact that I’m writing about the obvious…is the fact that for most companies – it’s just not that obvious. Case in point – think about a small business for a minute. With the advent of web-based purchasing through multiple vehicles, being able to move your product through a multitude of different venues may gain volume, but does it really gain customer loyalty for repeat purchases? How long can a company sustain itself on one-time purchases – purchased made only once, not because customers had a bad experience, but because they didn’t have an experience worth remembering?

More importantly, how can doing just a few little things make for an experience that differentiates your company from your competition, and keep your company in the forefront of your customers purchasing decisions? It doesn’t take much – it just means putting a little care and thought into the experience you provide them.

Here’s an example. There is a music performer from Hawaii. OK…yes…I enjoy music from local, Hawaiian artists. Anyway, there is a group that has been popular for over 30 years, and one of the guys in the group is a very talented musician called Henry Kapono. For the first time in his career, he’s done an album in the Hawaiian language…but a little differently. Think Jimi Hendrix-like sounds, but the lyrics are in Hawaiian.

So, I go to iTunes to see if I can download it. It’s not carried there, but I find his website, www.henrykapono.com. I order his new CD, “The Wild Hawaiian”. Well, for $2 more, I can get a signed copy. So…I ordered it. A few days later, it came in the mail. Not only was the invoice receipt hand signed with a “Mahalo, Dave!”, but the CD itself was signed by Henry, and wrapped in kapa cloth. Very nice, personal touch.

What does this matter? Well…from now on, because his people care about his product, and take the little bit of extra time and effort to make a difference – I won’t download future music from him via iTunes (or any other download vehicle) – I’ll order from him directly. I’m sure he makes a bit more profit, as the cost of doing this over a standard download from anybody else was almost double. But, because he and his people care – well, it makes me care as well, and he’s got a customer for life. (Or…at least until I have a bad experience buying from his site).

So…yes – it can be profitable to do a little extra! And…it makes your customers want to buy from you more than once!

And…by the way…Henry’s music ROCKS!

Has the media lost its credibility? 10 years ago, there was still a certain degree of objectivity in the media. Now, when video news releases seem to substitute for real news, when we see the debacle with Dan Rather and 60 Minutes, one can no longer be certain whether or not the media is impartial. In fact, it could be said that the media, in its pressure to produce 24/7 news while also providing shareholder return (remember – these news organizations are owned by corporate monoliths with a profit-centric focus) – is in the job of selling advertising space, and the first news outlet on the scene of a story is the company that can set the highest ad space pricing.

What does this mean for Branding? Simply put – this pressure has made the press vulnerable to pre-packaged content such as press releases developed by private agencies. If you’re trying to build your brand, you shouldn’t expect to accomplish this by leading with a public relations campaign alone. As important as public relations is to the overall development of a brand, the risk now exists for potential customers of your brand feeling “duped” when they read, watch or hear a story about your product or service, rather than the result you may have hoped for. For example – when a television news story on a fashion line is sponsored by the same company that is featured in it, there is a real risk of that company’s brand identity to loose credibility. In other words, “no credibility = no brand”.

PR role isn’t to build the brand. Its role is to support the brand. With all the advertising messages (or clutter) out there, PR can be an excellent tool to help cut through the “white noise”, and gain attention to your brand that it may not otherwise achieve. Furthermore, when you build the brand, you’re building an image. With PR, you build a reputation.

Your PR strategy should be centered more around insulating your brand, and to defend the reputation of the brand. Thanks to the perceived bias within today’s media, PR should be transparent – anything that screams “propaganda” is to be avoided. Instead, your PR strategy should be to do what the media doesn’t – provide fair, honest, objective information to the media about your brand. Even if that information sounds negative. By doing so, you also accomplish an important goal for your brand – differentiation.

Finally, keep in mind that branding and advertising have the same goal – building in image. Advertising, thanks to media bias as it relates to PR, may have come full circle – it may now have regained the credibility that it once lost. Let’s face it – when people read an advertisement – they expect to be sold. It’s honest and straightforward. In a world of “mixed media messages”, combined with the risk of the media skewing the perception you’ve worked so hard to build with your brand, advertising may be the best vehicle to accurately communicate the image of your brand.

AMA Phoenix – 4th Annual Spectrum Awards

This past May 18th, the Phoenix Chapter of the American Marketing Association held it’s 4th Annual Spectrum Awards at the Valley Ho. It turned out to be an incredible event – with the main event being held in the hotel’s main ballroom, and the AMA’s silent auction held outside in front of the ballroom. From what I’ve been able to find out, this years event not only had record attendence, but many great companies (big and small) were honored with awards for their exceptional marketing efforts.

Yes, cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco – have great companies and great agencies that produce some of the best marketing out there – but let’s not forget that Phoenix can produce – or out produce – with the best of them! Whether your a large company with a huge budget (like SRP) – or a small firm (like Shonna James Communications) – in this city, it’s about doing the best work possible – and the “best of the best” were seen at this past years Spectrum Awards.

The Design Foundry entered for the Brand Idendity category, with the work we did for ProVision Communications. And…we were a top 3 finalist!

To be honest – I know a bit about the event, having been on the planning committee for it with AMA Phoenix – a great team put on a great event. But, the point is – no matter how good a job we might have done arranging the event – the true stars were those companies that sumbitted and won!

This past May 18th, the Phoenix Chapter of the American Marketing Association held it’s 4th Annual Spectrum Awards at the Valley Ho. It turned out to be an incredible event – with the main event being held in the hotel’s main ballroom, and the AMA’s silent auction held outside in front of the ballroom. From what I’ve been able to find out, this years event not only had record attendence, but many great companies (big and small) were honored with awards for their exceptional marketing efforts.

Yes, cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco – have great companies and great agencies that produce some of the best marketing out there – but let’s not forget that Phoenix can produce – or out produce – with the best of them! Whether your a large company with a huge budget (like SRP) – or a small firm (like Shonna James Communications) – in this city, it’s about doing the best work possible – and the “best of the best” were seen at this past years Spectrum Awards.

The Design Foundry entered for the Brand Idendity category, with the work we did for ProVision Communications. And…we were a top 3 finalist!

To be honest – I know a bit about the event, having been on the planning committee for it with AMA Phoenix – a great team put on a great event. But, the point is – no matter how good a job we might have done arranging the event – the true stars were those companies that sumbitted and won!