Comments on: What does your brand stand for?

By: Lessons in Simplicity, courtesy of the American Red Cross | BrandonSutton.com – Embracing Community

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:41:57 +0000

[...] have a desire to help others in need. This goes back to the cause efforts that I’ve been writing about lately. It’s obvious that we have a connection with our fellow humans that runs deeper than social [...]

By: Social Media is the New Super Bowl: Pepsi Refresh and What It Means to Marketers | Online Marketing Strategy

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 07:34:21 +0000

[...] the world a better place versus a laugh at the end of a 30-second spot.) As my online friend Brandon Sutton recently wrote on his blog, "Instead of trying to get clever with your messaging, why not try thinking smarter by [...]

By: Brandon101

Brandon101 — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:53:10 +0000

Well said! I look forward to staying in touch.

Thank you for the comment at the RT!

By: Opinion@Large

Opinion@Large — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:09:18 +0000

Great post. This kind of thought represents the progressive edge of social media and interactive marketing. Companies are realizing that the rules of the game are changing. Businesses cannot talk at their consumers anymore. Whether it is customer service, marketing, or advertising, its a discussion and a collaborative effort now. The power to shape the presence and brand of business is flowing freely into the hands of the consumer.

By: Brandon101

Brandon101 — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:53:10 +0000

Well said! I look forward to staying in touch.

Thank you for the comment at the RT!

By: Opinion@Large

Opinion@Large — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:09:18 +0000

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:07:02 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by Brandon101: What does your brand stand for? http://bit.ly/5DE3RF pls RT…

By: Brandon101

Brandon101 — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:36:37 +0000

Yeah, we're on the same page Dan. Listening to what people are saying and being flexible and open to collaboration with the end users of the product or service is the key. Then the paid campaigns can be used to help tell the story that has developed as a result of this collaboration. Thanks Dan! Hope to continue the conversation with you in the future.

By: Dan Ziman

Dan Ziman — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:04:07 +0000

Thanks, Brandon! Perhaps “ownership” is the incorrect word on my part. What I'm really trying to say is that the amplification affect due the voice of the online consumer is becoming louder, more pervasive with ease of engagement. Thus, paid brand campaigns by marketers still have worth, but can't keep pace with how brands propagate thru online networks.

By: Brandon101

Brandon101 — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:59:22 +0000

Thanks for the comment Dan. I agree that 'brand' will indeed be a major topic of 2010. The quicker companies realize it, the better off they will be. The fixation on communication channels is a distraction – what matters is what is being said and how the brand is perceived by the participants of the dialogue, wherever that dialogue may take place.

Your point about the ownership shift brings up an interesting question: does a company really ever 'own' its brand? In many cases, brands are shaped by the people they serve, not the board room of the company that owns it. Sure, the brand can be guided by the company (and should be in collaboration with the overall audience), but I think that guidance has more to do with what the brand does not what is says.

You may want to check out Justin Kownacki's post about the Tiger situation – I think you'd enjoy it. http://www.justinkownacki.com/2009/12/18/you-ca...

Thanks again Dan!