Krywosa, IMC

Last week, I began to ponder the style of a branded Twitter account with fellow Twitter peeps @lanejoplin, @timnekritz, @radiofreegeorgy, @thanhancock, @bradjward. Supposedly, as channel/community manager, you’re taking on the brand persona, right? Or are you putting your own persona into the brand? Do you have a plan for your tweets or are they random? The more this was discussed, the more a blog post it deserved.

Personally, I’ve been putting on the University brand, primarily, touting University events, related news stories and of course, Boston updates. One thing I’ve not been doing too much of is interacting. Being someone who endlessly preaches ‘interaction, integration and two-way communication’ I cant really sit idle any longer: Its time to Tweet.

As I move forward in discussing and commenting on students and other follower/followees there’s a line to draw. How much is too much? Is too little robotic? Can I really chime in on how much I loved the Cuddy/House drama last week (Thanks for the input, @lanejoplin:) )?

I’d love for branded tweeting to take on a more personal touch, but how much of that touch is one person’s idiosyncrasies and lovable quirks versus a unified branded approach? Can both live simultaneously in harmony? What happens when the (hopefully, luckily) loved persona moves on or becomes too busy?

I’m thinking the answer is a little bit of both: stay true to the university brand and persona while also injecting a little personality to keep things interesting. Of course you wont get political or attach links to stories that’ll stir the pot, but generally, you’ll be able to have fun while providing information.

That’s what social media is all about, right?

Many people know me as an athlete. Rower, Swimmer, Volleyballer, Softballer, even a semi-ok basketballer. But contrary to popular belief, athleticism does not equal running prowess. When it comes to running, I suck.

Be it bad knees from years of illl kicking practice in the breast stroke or bad form from only needing to run during AYSO soccer, running and I have never really seen eye to eye. There was a stint when I took to running on the weekends and even got up to 4 miles at a time. However, it quickly dissolved when knee pain turned to hip pain and put an end to my beginning of running.

But now, through rowing, I have a friend who is a marathoner. Not just one, but several across the country. No matter how many times I try to tell her I’m not built for speed she brings on challenge after challenge that I swiftly deny her. This time however, something is different: there’s beer involved.

Yes, many runs are for charity. And yes, many runs have fabulous after parties. But not just any run carries the name ‘Harpoon’. If you’ve ever attended a Harpoon fest before, you know of the joy that fresh beer and new friends can bring. Being an athlete – and humanitarian – folding charity (proceeds benefit the Angel Fund) and sport into the brand name brings me to a new place in my running: maybe I can complete a 5 miler.

I’ve been approached many times for charity runs, and have considered, but never felt the pull that I feel for this. Its not even about alcohol, its about the brand. I approve of it. I like to align myself with it. Its Boston. Its mature. Its always fun but responsible. How could one not want to participate in such a run?

If I can do it, any one can. Want to join? Registration opens tomorrow. Check out the info here.

During these 2008 NFL playoffs, I started to think about how my deep and undying passion for the New York Giants began. My family wasnt a big football family. My high school team wasnt that great. My father was more of a college basketball kinda guy. I realized that its like most product branding: it just is. Its a choice I made a long time ago that will stay with me for life. Yes I’m from NY, but that’s basically where the influence for this decision ended. But its a powerful one.

You choose a product/team and its something that stays with you, and for most of us, will never change. Through ups and downs, trials and tribulations, we’ll stick with what we’ve known. Changing is not an option. This also bleeds over for many of us into product choices, such as pain relievers, bath products or home cleansers.

The thing about product and brand loyalty is that sometimes, there may not be a reason. Many consumers go through the motions of picking up what they are out of at home robotically. Some families may expect that their children will go to a certain college because thats what the family does. There are many reasons that are undeterred by current slander in the news, be it salary questions or child labor insinuations.

For me, I’ll always be a NYG fan and that will never change. I’ll always wear Nike’s. But, there are areas where I waver and experiment, especially as I grow older. How will you as a marketer influence these decisions for people like me?

Photo Courtesy of Benswing via Flickr.

As a follow up to yesterdays ‘Yeay for Amazon’ post,  I’m writing regarding today’s experience with Borders.

As a rewards member, I receive emails regarding sales and new releases which come about once a month. These are useful and contain coupons for things I’ll actually buy. But recently, I’ve been receiving many emails regarding the Borders Reward Perks program that I joined. These are additional rewards from other vendors (flowers, candy, retail, etc.). They’ve been coming in increasing regularity and are very very annoying. Also, I mistake them for my usually happy encounter with the Borders Rewards emails that I enjoy.

Today, I decided to take action: updating my subscription settings. Now, normally, like many of you, I deal with these annoying emails by adding them to spam or deleting them over and over again. I decided to do a solid by all permission based email marketers and to delete myself from their mailing lists, thereby keeping their analytics accurate, and my karma clean by not asking for email, and then calling it spam. I used the opt out link provided and was taken here:

This isnt for my Reward Perks. This is for my normal communication with Borders. I was confused because I only had one subscription checked, and it wasnt the one they had sent me via email. I then hunted and pecked all around the site, to log in to a second section of the site (thats right, I was not only not logged in from the email they sent me, but I had to log in again to this other section). Once there, I was given a second set of subscription settings:

Although now I wont be receiving those pesky emails, how many other people will go through these hoops to make sure versus just adding this to their spam folder or opting out of everything all together? I wonder how confusing this is to others?

Thoughts?

I recently read a post by Chris Brogan discussing the idea that search is social. After initial brain digestion, I began to apply it to my new position to see what I could uncover. I’m realizing that there is much to be learned regarding our customers and how they access information, but also, what they already think of our product.

How do customers decide upon a college beyond price, location and academics? If they don’t know who you are, chances are, they may not be looking for you. But, do they know what you offer, experientially, geographically and in terms of personal growth opportunities? Does your university culture offer something that others do not, and if so, how are you using that to help students decide to attend your school over another? What doesn’t it offer that may leave some students feeling like they are missing something, and yet empower others?

Creating tactics in social media are one thing, but, creating a branded identity that can be applied to a student’s persona is another. Search – and research based on customer segmentation – is a part of this, as its a part of behavior.

What are your thoughts on creating an experience as an identity, and not just a university brand?

By now we’ve all been wowed by the well greased machine that was Obama’s campaign. But what can we learn to do, or do better, in our own endeavours? These five philosophical items can help you build your brand, be it personal or work related:

1. Embrace Your Truths -know what matters to you and wear it on your sleeve. Promote these things beyond anything else. By doing so, you’ll solidify if not elevate what you mean to others. Above all else, dont succumb to pressure to morph into what you think people want you to be: you’ll only fail.

2. Understand Conversations, Even if You are Not a Part of Them -No one can be everywhere all the time, or want to hear everything that is said, but, you can listen and learn from it. Dont try to interrupt what people are saying or change their minds. You risk appearing guilty or one sided. Hear what they say and find ways to apply it to the way you do business and communicate better. People’s unabridged ideas about you are your strongest measurement of their overall opinions. Use this to make better decisions, not arguments.

3. Harness Newness - whether social media or community organization, find ways to communicate well with people. Find where they are, and be there. Know how they best consume information, and provide it in this way. Translate it in other languages or new and different patterns of discussion. Seek out ways to do things better, even – especially – if no one else is doing it this way.

4. Ride The Wave -dont assume that things will be seamless or smooth. Expect and anticipate bumps in the road. Dont waiver, even when things seem to be going against you. By standing by decisions and embodying ideals you’ll solidify not only your concept, but maintain it in the minds of the public.  Dont fear change. Without risking failure, you learn nothing.

5. Be What You Are - nothing tarnishes a brand like pretending to be something its not. Everyone has their own thing that they do well, stay with that thing and get better at it. Provide something that others do not.

For a second there I thought, ‘Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the Music Industry is ok.’. Well, thank you Advertising Age for continuing to prove I’m not insane.

But, what really worries me is the Branding issue. Branding oneself alongside another brand. In my mind, music is meant to free a soul or shed some light. Not to get more people buying the BlackBerry Curve because John Mayer approves of it.

And, please, whats up with the free Dr. Pepper for All Guns N Rosesscam? Are you serious? If this were to happen when I was in sixth grade, and obsessed with Dr P and GNR, I’d still be like ‘What?!’.

I’m really starting to wonder about people’s motives and consumer’s brains.

As a swimmer and lover of the sport, Phelps simply amazes me. To be engineered to do something so well that no one can do it better, that’s just fate. Whats even more amazing is what he’s single-handedly doing for the Olympics and for Swimming alone.

Its no secret that Phelps has always wanted to elevate swimming in the minds of the public. A sport often overlooked, now it seems to be the reason people are tuning in to the summer games, and tuning in, in greater numbers. Something that used to be seen as secondary to the excitement of diving, gymnastics, track and field or volleyball at the summer games has now been pushed into the forefront as we watch with bated breath to see our American hopefuls pull off yet another astonishing win that we were told we could not do. It was not possible. But, its just like an American to say ‘I wont quit. I’ll find a way.’ Phelps has created such an image and Americanized dream of success around the sport that we can only be that much more excited when Lezak pulled off the impossible.

We may all be in awe at how amazingly talented he is in the pool, but we should also be amazed at the well oiled PR machine that he has been groomed into. He’s humble. He’s team oriented. He’s polite and gracious. All this from a 23 year old Superman who has every right to pull a ‘tude about his greatness. He’s become one of the greatest brands in athletic history, American, or otherwise. Something solid for companies to hang their identity on, not only in competition, but in his poise with the public as well. And in the biggest international event in the world, he’ll become the biggest of all time in front of billions. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Who better to elevate our awareness of swimming as a great American sport? Something to look for in the TV listings. Something to be proud of, be it Torres or Coughlin, Piersol or Hansen. I think after these two weeks, none of us will ever dismiss swimming again. Or the fact that the impossible really isn’t after all. The biggest of all athletic spokespeople embodying the American dream, internationally.