Hammer, glad we were able to help…

Saw Hammer again at TWTRCON SF yesterday, where he was again talking about leveraging social media to build his personal brand. But in addition to Twitter, he is using associations (with fine institutions such as Stanford) to build his personal brand. He tweeted this Tracy Press article out to his followers a few days ago: http://is.gd/Jd8J. He was referencing his time with us before he even came.

A few quotes:

• “Now, Hammer (born Stanley Burrell), speaks on behalf of social media in front of Intel, Harvard and Stanford.”
• “In February, Hammer spoke to the Harvard Business School about social media. In March, he addressed the MIT/Stanford Venture Lab about using technology to promote music. On May 17, he’ll talk at Stanford University about branding.”

Hammer, glad we were able to help.

Desiree Rogers’ Brand Obama

The article “Desirée Rogers’ Brand Obama” (http://magazine.wsj.com/features/the-big-interview/desiree-rogers/), published in the WSJ Magazine, offers a great illustration of using story to develop personal brand. Intertwined is the branding of the Obamas with the branding of Desiree Rogers, White House Social Secretary.

Branding the Obamas…

• Consistent messaging: The White House as “the people’s house.”
• Vivid storytelling: An environment where average Americans might stop by and catch the first lady serving homemade huckleberry cobbler and caramel ice cream to students, tending to the vegetable garden on the South Lawn, or watching the romantic comedy “He’s Just Not That Into You” with her girlfriends.
• Imagery: Photos of Mrs. Obama reading to schoolchildren, digging and planting the White House Kitchen Garden with fifth graders, shaking hands with voters, dancing at parties, and smiling widely with a glowing face.
• Media blitz: Mrs. Obama on the cover of People, Vogue, and Oprah’s O magazine, among others, building her status as an American icon.
• Extendability of brand: “Our possibilities are endless.”
• NOT: The image that Mrs. Obama gave America early on the campaign trail by talking about her husband’s dirty socks and how he was “stinky” in the morning.

Branding Desiree Rogers…

• Vivid storytelling:
  • On being a networker…She is the descendant of a Creole voodoo princess and a daughter of the middle-class Seventh Ward of New Orleans. Red beans and rice on Mondays. Fried fish and potato salad on Fridays. Dreams of Wellesley and Harvard as she walked to high school on St. Charles Avenue. A city councilman father used to ask little Desiree to serve drinks or gumbo and help entertain when company arrived. There was a constant flow of company moving through the house. This upbringing gave rise to her becoming the “world-class networker” that she is today.
  • On being a style icon…She got her sense of style from Big Mama, her maternal grandmother, who used to dress for church on Sunday in bright colors and spectacular hats. It grew from there. Now an enduring topic among White House press corps is what Rogers is wearing.
  • On being a go-getter…In 2003, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and, after several surgeries, overcame the illness. “There’s no time to waste. Every day there needs to be movement on something,” she says.
• Persona: The 49-year-old turns on just enough Southern charm to camouflage an aura of self-assuredness typically reserved for runway models or first ladies.
• Association: Every morning she attends a meeting with President Obama’s Chief of Staff, a top Obama aide, and other senior White House officials. Moreover, she has been friends with Mrs. Obama for nearly two decades.

Go Ahead…Mess Up

Harley-Davidson. An iconic brand with loyal customers. So loyal that the logo is permanently tattooed across enthusiasts’ bodies. But loyal to what? The company? Not really. Rather, they are loyal to the product, the brand and, perhaps most importantly, to each other.

Kind of a “so what” insight until you think about the implications. The company can mess up on all sorts of random things, and it’s not critical. In fact, I believe the company’s missteps can actually strengthen customer loyalties as riders bond with each other by griping about the company. A great example of this was the Harley-sponsored “Posse Ride” across the U.S. There were a lot of things that the company did wrong, such as not having enough commemorative t-shirts and expecting participants to stand in a number of long lines. But, at the end of the ride, a shocking 100% of riders said that, if they replaced their motorcycle, they would buy another Harley. 100% loyalty?!? Wow; insanely high and increasing from the pre-ride survey results of 89%. And, beyond repeat purchase, 100% would definitely sign up for another long distance Harley Owners’ Group rally (vs. 86% pre-ride). Beaming loyalties, yet most riders didn’t come away feeling like Harley really understood their needs. You see, it wasn’t about Harley getting logistics right or even customers feeling cared for by the company. The customers own the brand and are powerfully united by what it represents.

This slack certainly doesn’t apply to every company. I just used TurboTax to complete my taxes, and their brand promise was to get my taxes done right. I viewed them as a business partner, and I expected them to pay attention to details and deliver. If they mess up, I will be hesitant to return. All the same, I don’t expect them to be exciting. Harley, on the other hand, is a rebellious best friend. Their promise is freedom and independence; far from perfection of details. With business partners and best friends, some areas of incompetence are okay. So, go ahead and mess up…just not with your promise.