Nothing Like The Olympics

Friday night while watching the most amazing opening ceremony of olympic history I was reminded of the importance of such an event. Not only is it a terrific display of athleticism and competition at it’s highest level, but at the same time it’s such a significant display of global unity. As I watched athletes from around the world marching into the stadium I couldn’t help but notice how proud they were to be there representing their country. It didn’t matter if they were a team of 1 or several hundred. It didn’t matter if their country was small or large, or what economic advantages they did or didn’t enjoy they were thrilled to be an official ambassador for their homeland. 

During the Parade of Nations, which I have to admit I don’t view as the highlight of the opening ceremonies I observed and learned many things about the cultures of the various countries. It’s amazing what you can learn by watching the facial expressions and body language of people as they make their way around the track. Some people were over-the-top boisterous while others were much more reserved and stoic. Their body language says as much about their culture as their official olympic costume, perhaps more.

And then there was the nine year old boy helping lead the home team of China into the stadium. This little national hero is a survivor of the earthquake that killed so many people earlier this year. The great part of his story is how after he’d been rescued he went back into his school to help free his classmates from the rubble. I think that too speaks to the culture of his country and the values they hold. I think China is scoring big points these days and making the most of these games to boost their image. There’s nothing like the olympics to help tell you story!

The Morning After

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted on this blog. Life has been somewhat of a whirlwind and I’ve just sort of been hanging on. So, Idol is over and many of us in Kansas City are pretty happy (and have that hometown pride) about the David Cook win — I was very surprised. We shared the finale with some family members and made fun of the cheese factor throughout the entire show, but I’m going to fight the urge and not comment on that.

I find the entire American Idol phenomenon so fascinating. We’ve been watching for 5.5 months (which is sort of sad when you think about it) and then last night I look across the room and both of my twenty-something daughters were on the edge of their seats as they announced the winner. Both of them told me how nervous they were and confessed to having butterflies in their stomachs. I reminded them that the outcome of the show had absolutely nothing to do with them personally, but that didn’t get rid of the butterflies. When all was said and done they were both slightly disappointed in the result, but that was short lived. I’m sure they’ll get up today, go to work and have a very normal day. It’s just another morning, after a fun night of entertainment.

On the other hand, David Cook will wake up this morning to anything BUT a normal day. It’s a very significant morning after for him. The power of the American Idol brand has become a huge force with enormous impact and value (more value for a select few than for the masses). It’s a brand you interact with and become truly engaged with as you get to know your favorite contestant and cast your vote week after week. I’ve seen even the casual watcher become engaged quickly, developing a strong tie to their favorite contestant. So much can be learned from the way this brand has woven itself into the fabric of society. 

So, now that it’s over what’s life like for you the morning after? Have you already forgotten about it? Are you mourning David’s loss, or celebrating David’s victory? I can tell you this: They just added a second American Idol concert in Kansas City, and I’m not going to either show.

Now That’s Service

Last night I had an amazing dinner at a remarkable restaurant in Sedona AZ. We’d eaten there before but last night I was reminded why we enjoy it so much. The setting is somewhat surreal, nestled in the gorgeous red rocks surrounding Sedona. The evening was one of those amazing Arizona nights where the air is spectacular and the atmosphere somewhat magical.

The restaurant itself is somewhat new but has real old-world charm. When my wife and I first ate there in 2004 it was relatively new and undiscovered. Now, four years later reservations are usually required and you’ll likely need to park quite a distance from the door. The fresh bread, accompanied by green chile infused olive oil is a great surprise to your palate and something hard to describe or even imagine. I don’t mean for this to sound like I’m trying to get a job as a restaurant reviewer but it really was an amazing experience. 

The food, wine, atmosphere, setting, everything that comprised the experience of the evening was designed for our pleasure. On top of all of the tangibles was something most of us may consider intangible. However, good service is a mix of the tangible and the intangible. The good service began when we arrived as we were taken to our table with efficiency and it continued throughout the meal and even as we left. The most tangible form of the great service came in response to us commenting on how much we enjoyed the house salad dressing. To that comment our server thanked us but also said they made it available for purchase at the gourmet food shop next door. When we expressed an interest to go next door to buy some he told us the store had already closed for the day, but if we’d like he could get into the store and get some for us. 

He didn’t offer to do this because he had nothing else to do, or because it was going to add a large sum to his tip. He offered because he wanted to be of service and wanted to extend our experience beyond the evening. We left, with our salad dressing in hand, but also with the intent of returning as soon as possible to enjoy another wonderful evening. In the meantime however, we will enjoy the memories, and the salad dressing. Now that’s service!

What’s Your Brand?

I attended a luncheon not too long ago where Shel Holtz was the guest speaker. During his presentation on Social Media he asked how we defined brand. After several very predictable definitions from the audience he shared his definition with us: “The definition of your brand is whatever Google says it is.” He then went on to explain that if you want to know what people think of your brand type it into Google and see what it returns. Not only how you rank but also what is being said.

As I’ve reflected on this I’ve come to agree with Shel. Furthermore, you not only need to be in touch but you should also be adding to what is being said about your brand at this level. You can’t control what is being said, especially within the various social medias but you can at least be aware of it, and whenever appropriate join the conversation.

Not too long ago I spoke with one of my clients about this very thing. They’re a conservative, non-profit group and they came to me about posting a video on You Tube. I told them I thought it was a great idea and it would be a positive way to get their message before a younger public. Then they asked if people would be able to comment on the video. When I told them yes they had serious concerns. As it turned out they were much more interested in delivering their message to the public than in receiving feedback from the public. They ended up posting their video but on their corporate website where they felt they could better control it and where people couldn’t talk about them.

I’ve not yet given up on helping this client enter into the conversation where appropriate. What a shame that they can’t let go and allow people to experience their brand at an interactive level. The public is ready to engage but the organization is unwilling to provide the platform for them to speak. In essence, the organization is unwilling to listen to what is being said about their brand. In our Web 2.0 society there may be no greater offense.

All In One Place

Check out Alltop. I came across it reading Guy Kawasaki’s blog, How To Change The World. Alltop is a one stop shop for “all the top” news stories from “all the top” sites on the web. The site is very well organized with categories for Work, Living, People, Interests, Culture, Geekery, Good and News. Within each of those categories are a variety of topics. Very cool. Because of my work in brand experience marketing I tend to spend time reading Social Media stories, and because of my role at Premier Studios I end up in the Small Business section. Since I’ve never owned a computer other than a Macintosh you can count on me spending some of my time here. Check it out! 

Christvertising

I was reading Jaffe Juice yesterday and he mentioned this site. If you’ve been exposed to very much Christian advertising you’ll either find it very humorous or it’ll piss you off. At first I thought it was real, because he spoofs it so well. Then I decided it couldn’t be real. I did a little research and discovered it really is meant to be humorous and not taken seriously. 

People’s comments are all over the map, including those who are irritated that someone would find humor in something they consider to be so sacred. I mean no disrespect but these people need to get over themselves and their idea that God and laughter can’t be tied to one another. Have you taken a look at Christian advertising lately? Unfortunately much of it is very laughable, even when it’s supposed to be serious. The bar needs to be raised significantly if Christian marketers want to be taken seriously, 

If you think the site is funny you need to check out this clip. If the site offended you then you should probably steer clear of Dr. VanPelt, and may God bless your brand.

Morning Song

I noticed something several days ago; every morning when I wake up I’m singing a song. I honestly don’t know if I’ve always done this, if it’s only been in my adult life or just something that has started as I approach fifty (lots of stuff is changing). Some mornings I can explain why I’m singing a certain song. Maybe I heard it the day before while I had Pandora playing at work, or I heard it on my way home. Easier still is when I wake up singing something I heard the night before on American Idol. And, right now at this time in the show’s season that is usually the case for Wednesday and Thursday mornings. 

American Idol has managed to capture the attention of a large segment of the American society. I’m sure there a number of theories out there but I would maintain it’s largely because the brand is so experiential. Sure you can just observe, but even if you’re the coolest of heads watching the show you’ve got your favorite contestant. Go ahead, admit it. You’re engaged! You know right now who you’re hoping goes home the winner, and who you just hope goes home. 

Some of you keep your computer on your lap while you watch the show so you have the the contestants bios at your fingertips. Some go to the website to look at the behind the scenes info and others have purchased your favorite performance on iTunes. Then there are millions of us who have actually cast votes for specific contestants. Regardless of where you are on the American Idol continuum you can’t deny the significance of the experience. Another thing you can’t deny is the intentionality of all things Idol. A brand experience this strong doesn’t happen by accident. 

Perhaps you’re wondering how big of an Idol geek I am, so here are the facts. I try and watch the show every week — I enjoy living vicariously through Simon because I’ve judged several talent shows in my lifetime and was never allowed to speak my mind like he does. I also have my favorite one or two contestants and have cast my votes along the way. I watch the show with my computer nearby, and I’ve watched some of the behind the scenes videos, but I’ve never watched the Ford commercials online. So now you know all of my Idol secrets. What are yours?

 

Now, if I could just figure out why I woke up this morning singing Sunshine On My Shoulder.

Dinner Impossible

I love cooking shows. I know, it might seem a little odd but I love food, cooking and eating. So to watch others cooking is a fun past time for me. It’s interesting what you can learn by watching professionals cook. Tonight I watched Dinner Impossible  on the Food Network. This is a show where professional chef, Robert Irvine has a limited amount of time, in challenging surroundings (or extreme circumstances as he calls them) to cook a meal for his guests. During tonight’s episode he talked about how his passion is to make people happy with food and to give them a great experience. 

What Robert does each week is create a brand experience. He knows his audience (or at least as much as he’s been told) and he knows his brand (his unique style of cooking) and he makes sure that when the two interact they have a satisfying and memorable experience. During tonight’s show people said things like, “he can come back and do this any time” and another said, “this is the best I’ve ever had.” He gave them an experience that matched his brand. What more could you ask for. I’m hungry!

 

So what allows Robert to do the impossible? How can Robert walk into an unknown location and challenging situations and make them work? Turning the impossible into possible. It’s one word; EXPERT. Robert knows his craft so well that he can make things happen in the worst of circumstances, and he actually thrives on applying his expertise under pressure. This applies to other areas of creative expertise as well.

 

This past week I was talking about some young creatives that I know and the comments that were shared with me were something along the lines of, “you can’t rush creativity and force it into some kind of timeframe.” My response; experts can. If you’re an expert you can apply your craft on a moment’s notice. You can create on demand. I’ve seen it over and over again. It’s what separates the experts from those who haven’t fully developed their expertise. Expertise is a process, a journey, and it demands a higher level of applying your craft. Beware, it may not be for everyone. Experts can turn the impossible into possible and they do it on a regular basis.