August 26th, 2010 → 8:59 am @ The Brand Chef // 4 Comments
PRESS RELEASE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DES MOINES, IOWA – AUGUST 26, 2010
Andrew B. Clark,“The Brand Chef,” and Doug Mitchell “Chief Brand Amplifier” from createWOWmedia, have formed a new company called createWOWmarketing, LLC to deliver complete online and offline marketing strategy and execution.
Clark’s 18 years in marketing communication, brand development, graphic design, interactive strategy and production is a logical fit to Mitchell’s’ results oriented interactive marketing strategy and Internet findability model.
Mitchells’ createWOWmedia brand and client base are being absorbed into createWOWmarketing where he will continue as strategist and consultant to the current and future client base.
“Doug and I have been so like-minded when it comes to interactive marketing strategies and execution that a merger was inevitable,” Clark said. “With createWOWmedia’s proven ROI model and robust client base and my interactive development and brand marketing background, the new company will have the resources to execute effective integrated marketing through traditional and interactive mediums.”
The new company will transition its branding and introduce its new offerings over the next few months.
The long term process of developing organic, online findability, i.e. top results for unpaid keyword searches then conversion of those searches into leads and sales, continues to challenge business owners who don’t have the time nor resources to execute. “createWOWmedia has worked closely with SMB’s who typically don’t have a full compliment of in-house resources to execute a comprehensive marketing strategy,” says Mitchell. “As more companies InSource their traditional and new media marketing needs, they look toward a firm that knows their stuff and can execute with rock solid and provable return on investment, and that’s exactly what we’ll continue to do.”
CreateWOWmarketing, LLC can be found online at http://www.createWOWmarketing.com or you can contact The Brand Chef (Andrew B. Clark) on his createWOWmarketing direct line at 515.257.MKTG (515.257.5684). Andrew’s email is andrew@createWOWmarketing.com Faxes can be sent toll free to: 866-257-0961. Doug Mitchell can be reached at http://www.douglasEmitchell.com
August 25th, 2010 → 2:07 pm @ The Brand Chef // No Comments
Have you ever wondered how I became The Brand Chef? It’s not a story I tell often, but in a recent interview with Johnny Wright (Twitter: @unsecretshopper), better known as The UnSecret Shopper the TRUTH was revealed.
The request came out of the blue (proof of building a good personal brand), but after a few Twitter direct messages and a phone call-or-two, I decided Johnny had some great things to talk about and was very interested in learning more about The Brand Chef, marketing strategies and generally what I do… (go figure). 
In 19 short minutes, we covered everything from marketing strategies, social media marketing, customer service (which Johnny is brilliant at, by the way), and we even talked a little about how I became The Brand Chef!
Here’s a link to his post of his full 1-hour show. Or you can listen to just my interview below.
Enjoy!
The Brand Chef and Johnny Wright – The Unsecret Shopper Interview 7/24/10
Again, I’d like to thank Johnny Wright for taking the time and giving me the honor of being on his show. It was a great conversation and I look forward to hearing / seeing more from him in the future!
Keep Cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
Johnny Wright can also be heard on 1350 AM, KRNT radio in Des Moines Iowa. Every Saturday at 8 AM. Check it out!
*This post was originally seen on The Brand Chef Blog. You can see the original here.
August 23rd, 2010 → 4:37 pm @ The Brand Chef // No Comments
We had a great day up in Rake, Iowa (you can hit MN with a rock from here it’s so far North) shooting video and putting the pieces together for a 60-120 second “Who we are, what we do, and what makes us special” video that will soon grace the home page at Asmus Farm Supply’s Website. I shot a little blog post on our way out that reminds us all to not waste any opportunity to capture content especially when we’ve driven far and brought lots of great equipment. We have enough video archived now to provide Asmus with content for months. We can’t wait to show off the amazing staff, the unbelievably clean and massive facility, and the new offices and conference center that are being built.
Living in the city, you and I probably don’t appreciate how important solid agronomics and proper application of nutrients and other chemicals are to producing the food that feeds the world. I appreciate it 10x more after spending the day with our friends at Asmus Farm Supply, Inc.
Doug Mitchell talks content creation at Asmus Farm Supply from Doug Mitchell on Vimeo.
August 20th, 2010 → 2:16 pm @ The Brand Chef // No Comments
Does your company have good character? I’m not talking about the people or “characters” within the company. While the people make up a very important part of it, I’m talking about the character of the company, itself.
Good character, like TRUE branding, is based on a very specific set of criteria. For TRUE branding, we’ve determined that the brand must be True, Relevant, Unique and Engaging to have a strong, marketable brand foundation. But when it comes to character, there are six traits that form the strongest foundation:
• Trustworthiness
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Fairness
• Caring
• and Citizenship
Not one of those characteristics has anything to do with increasing market share or ROI.
There’s more than the bottom line. There’s more than the marketing. There’s more than 60-hour workweek. There’s more than the executive washroom. There’s more than accounting or sales. More than copier paper, toner, staples… There’s simply more, and it’s called character. While it shouldn’t be confused with your company brand, good character and a TRUE brand should go hand-in-hand.
Can British Petroleum (BP) say they’ve got a good character? If you evaluate the company character based on the simple six criteria listed above, they’re failing miserably! They’ve broken our trust, shown absolutely NO respect, taken no responsibility for their actions and have been deplorable in their dealings since the spill (can we even call it a spill any more?). And let’s not even talk about caring and citizenship. It’s a perfect case study in complete corporate character implosion. Even based on the TRUE branding criteria, I’d say their brand (and company) is in a world of hurt.
I love the recent statement by Laura Ries when she identified BP’s “brand problem.”
“The spill in the Gulf has pulled the curtain off of a company that has been blowing smoke up our butts for years. No consumer, regulator or politician will soon forget this tragedy”
And she concludes with,
“Strong brands with a reputation for quality, safety and honesty are able to survive even the worst tragedies and negative PR stories. Toyota, Tylenol and Goldman Sachs have faced some dark days recently, but for them the future is still bright because the brands are strong. For BP, not so much. A brand with a poor reputation facing one of the worst oil spills ever is damaged goods. No amount of advertising can fix this. Anything BP says will no longer be believed. You can fool us once, but never again.”
Because of recent events, BP is the obvious example, but what other companies have been branding themselves as the “community company” when its character, deep down, is flawed, selfish, myopic and detrimental to the community in which they serve? Finding the truth within your brand is imperative. It’s the foundation on which all else is built. Ironically, truth is a core component for good character as well.
I can’t emphasize the importance of the correlation here. There’s an important connection. When the two support each other, everyone wins!
What has your company done to educate and foster good character? Does good character start in the corner office and spread on down through the ranks or is it simply a happy face panted over oil slicks, smoke screens and broken promises?
Food for thought…
Keep Cooking! (TRUE character-driven business)
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
For more information on the six pillars of character, check out these links:
http://www.charactercountsiniowa.blogspot.com/
http://charactercounts.org/sixpillars.html
http://www.drake.edu/icd/
http://josephsoninstitute.org/business/
*This post was originally seen on The Brand Chef Blog. You can read the original here.
August 18th, 2010 → 2:18 pm @ The Brand Chef // No Comments
I don’t mean to fire another shot at the marketing community in the U.K., but…
VIDEO:
(we’re sorry. the video could not be re-posted here. If you would like to watch the TELEGRAPH.UK news coverage of the mascots, please go to The Brand Chef Blog to watch.)
Sorry about the auto play… (Notice the kids giving the Nazi salute to them? WTH?)
To have such a prestigious organization adorn your city would be an honor to last a lifetime. But it seems like the folks marketing for the occasion have taken the opportunity and turned it into a Duran Duran meets The TeleTubbies on LSD experience.
Let me back up about four years… If you haven’t read it yet, I did a blog post (June 2006) about the incredibly ill-conceived logo designed for the London 2012 Olympics. Saying:
“I’m saddened when I think of the world’s athletes that have put so much effort and time into achieving the honor of competing in the Olympics having to walk around the Olympic Village slathered with a logo that looks like they just got back from a Duran Duran concert.”
And now the marketers have launched a campaign to show off the new mascots. All I can say for them is at least they’re consistent.
Good Lord, They look like the love child of Timothy Leary and TinkyWinkie! I’m thinking the Aztecs saw this for 2012 and just decided to end it all there. What the heck would be the point of living after that?
Normally, in these horribly off-the-mark situations, I’d point my finger at some self indulgent agency or myopic company trying to be “cutting edge” without the first hint of research or understanding of the target market. But according to The Telegraph UK, the chairman of the London Organizing Committee, Lord Coe and his marketing group spent 18 months and did over 40 focus groups in preparation and development of these atrocities!
40 FOCUS GROUPS?!?
What did they do, design them AND THEN hold focus groups until they found someone to say they liked them?
Here are a couple more images that come to mind when I see these mascots:
At least Vancouver 2010 Mascots related to the region and didn’t scare the hell out of people…
Also from The Telegraph UK:
Stephen Bayley, the prominent design critic, said: “What is it about these Games which seems to drive the organisers into this cretinous infantilism?
“Why can’t we have something that makes us sing with pride, instead of these appalling computerised Smurfs for the iPhone generation?”
“If the Games are going to be remembered by their art then we can declare them a calamitous failure already.”
I mean c’mon, if one of the biggest design critics in your country says they suck, shouldn’t you reflect on the direction you’ve taken?
So, what is the London 2012 Olympic committee to do? It’s too late to start over. It’s too ugly to ignore. Is this a public relations issue now? Can they make this all make sense somehow?
I’d love to know what you think. And for a little fun, here’s a little spoof from Gawker…
Keep Cooking! (at least tasteful branding decisions)
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
*This post was originally seen on The Brand Chef Blog. You can read the original here.
August 15th, 2010 → 4:55 pm @ The Brand Chef // No Comments
If I ever get caught up in the online world I like to watch the clip below (don’t watch if you’re offended by strong language…because this clip is pretty “strong”). This is the famous Always Be Closing scene from Glengarry Glen Ross where Alec Baldwin eviscerates a team of under performing real estate salesmen.
In a harsh blood boiling way Baldwin reminds me to remember the phrase A.B.C….Always Be Converting. A conversion can be a product sale, a phone call, an email sign up, an SMS text marketing campaign opt in, etc. What does conversion mean to you? Have you defined this most elementary outcome you’d like to see occur when someone DOES find your firm or you personally online?
It is wise to keep your eye on the A.B.C. ball when developing a web strategy so we don’t end up with 1000 fans, 500 followers, and $0 in sales. ABC.
August 10th, 2010 → 2:27 pm @ The Brand Chef // No Comments
Assassins. Espionage artists. Spies. Mercenaries. Survivalists. Turtles? Whatever you call them, the Ninjas’ brand is simply cool as hell! They have an aura of overwhelming power, intelligence, stealth and magic that no other warring agent can touch. Sure, the “Ninja” brand has been copied, stolen and spoofed, but it just can not be duplicated. Now THAT’S a strong brand…
So, when it comes to really stepping up and differentiating your product or service from your competition, why not pull some hints from the code of the Ninja into your branding?
A Branding Ninja must…
1. Never betray the clan.
Truth and honor are the core of the ninja brand. If your ninja brand can’t be trustworthy and loyal, then you have no foundation for the relationship (in business or life).
2. Accomplish the mission; failure is not an option.
Ninja branding is all about making the mission successful at virtually any cost. So what do you do when the challenges become overwhelming? Go into ninja-mode and kick some brand arse!
3. Put the clan and the mission before himself.
When working in a team environment, focus on the brand mission over your personal needs. Rogue ninjas are simply a detriment to themselves and the overall brand mission. It’s called teamwork, ninjas!
4. Escape if captured (no excuses).
Stealth. Speed. Nimble action. They’re all actions of the brand ninja. If you get stuck in you mission or captured by adversity, reject, re-focus, re-purpose and re-launch! A ninja held prisoner is soon a dead ninja!
5. Kill only when necessary for survival.
If threatened by conflict, competition or failure the ninja will always strive to redirect the end to his favor through any means necessary. And only as a last resort, he go for the death blow.
6. Avoid striking a member of the same ry (school).
This discipline should go without saying, but it goes back to working within a team. A team of brand ninjas all tirelessly work toward the same mission. To have infighting and dissension amongst its ranks would doom the brand mission.
7. Strive for peace, harmony and enlightenment in all things.
Once you have a TRUE brand mission on hand, the direction to take should be one of serene discovery. If your brand mission is on path, resistance will be futile.
8. Aid a genin (fellow ninja) from the same ry.
If one ninja should stumble or fall, the genin to his sides will pick him up and correct the course. Mentoring and unfaltering support within the branding ninja ranks is imperative for mission success.
9. Never use the terms “ninja”, “shinobi”, or “assassin” when speaking in public.
The branding ninja shouldn’t need to overtly reveal his brand mission objective or tactics. The mission will speak for itself and the actions of the individual will be irrelevant to its success.
10. Always observe others and know your surroundings.
This is the external version of #9. If you observe with sharp diligence and objectivity, the scope of your branding territory (target market, niche mission, competitors’ flaws, etc.) will be revealed.
10.5 Understand you are always being observed. Always.
Just as you are watching others, they are watching you. Always protect your brand, your mission and be prepared to react with lightening speed and power!
The above list was taken from the Ninja Code of Honor during Japan’s Sengoku period, when, according to reports, the ninja discipline was born and developed between the 15th and 17th centuries.
Of course, I edited and kept the disciplines that spoke directly to branding and teamwork, but can you see the correlation?
SO… Which of the above codes can you work on to keep your brand TRUE? Is your brand ninja-like or do you need to go back and do a little TRUE ninja branding boot camp?
Keep Cooking! (with stealth, power and mystery in your brand)
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
What’s that behind you!
*This post was originally seen on The Brand Chef Blog. You can see the original here.
July 25th, 2010 → 4:42 pm @ The Brand Chef // No Comments
If you don’t believe in Interactive Marketing, the Long Tail of Content, Social Connectivity, Content Outposts, and being disciplined enough to write compelling content for the web…you are missing out. Here’s the progression that may change your mind about executing vs. thinking about when to act.
Now my phone hasn’t rung with people wanting to give me money (yet) today…but every bit of this exposure counts for me and for you. If nothing else, I’m tickled pink and now am writing blog posts and sending emails to my aweber lists about this (ie creating more content with keywords and analysis). Come on wouldn’t you feel good if your “ancient manuscript” was dug up and praised? (OR are you too busy to write it). Execute.
July 20th, 2010 → 4:46 pm @ The Brand Chef // No Comments
Are you ready to build a better PowerPoint and absolutely make your audience gasp at your awesomeness? Well I’m not the guy to ask about the first part. I do pretty well with PowerPoint and Keynote in that I don’t use a lot of words. I have a formula for delivering more compelling presentations that breed engagement and interaction vs. note taking and word reading. If you want to know how to make unbelievable presentations regardless of context read the Rapid E Learning blog. But to get the audience thinking your’re awesome…here’s my formula.
Now you’ve provided the audience with a magical multimedia experience to go back to without worrying about note taking. This model works very well and people are typically impressed and blown away that you’d put such effort into making their lives easier. Let me know how it works for you.
ADDED EXTRA BONUS – If the information/content in your presentation is private post the doc on your scribd page, and put the audio up as a podcast, put the slide images in Flickr, perhaps video your actually presentation and upload it socially, embed your video/recorded presentation in a blog post…which feeds Facebook, Twitter…etc. Now you’ve hit at least 6-10 content outposts in additional to your personal speaking gig. Every chance to speak publicly is a chance to generate massive online organic findability. Don’t waste your chance!
July 9th, 2010 → 5:14 pm @ The Brand Chef // No Comments
I hope you’re still with me and please let me explain.
Like many of us, I live in an always on, hyper-connected, socially engaging, linking, tweeting, statusing, emailing, automating, filtering, searching, blogging, podcasting, video’ing world that accelerates geometrically each few months. In this world it’s hard to remember that most businesses are still NOT doing much of the above as part of an overall web strategy.
If I meet with 100 businesses over the next week, I’ll find that 50 are “experimenting” with some of the above and perhaps 1 or 2 are strategically using over 50% of the tools to become “a socially findable and recommendable” business. The balance are still stuck with their old brochure site that hasn’t been updated in 3 years because “The girl who built my site for free to start her design career went to work somewhere and we don’t even have the passwords to change things if we wanted to.” (I’ve spoken to 2 businesses doing a combined $45 million in the last 2 weeks in this exact scenario)
It’s ironic that if asked, every one of the businesses in my survey would say the first place they…and their target customers look for information on people, products, places, and services is the web or more specifically, “They Google It”. Yet…when asked if Internet Marketing as a real part of their marketing strategy…vs. simply playing with the tools in an ad hoc manner…nearly all say no.
In most cases, companies are merely bolting on more features to a broken platform…like putting a fresh coat of paint on a rotting structure. There may be some benefit…but ultimately the structure is shaky. This is why social media as a stand alone practice is not the recipe I’d like to see being cooked in most business kitchens.
Can a company see great result with the bolt on approach. Yes. But most will not reach anywhere near their ultimate potential without an integrated web strategy for their companies. I’ve seen the examples like you have of the pizza place or the retail store seeing more traffic by advertising/sharing/connecting on Twitter. Some businesses are more suited to this strategy agreed.
I believe however that the term and practice of “Interactive” or “Social” Marketing is far more relevant and representative of reality. So for me…”Social Media” as a term and practice sleeps with the fishes. To get transformative results, it’s best to take a holistic approach that encompasses the client’s:
As with other tools (like blogging a few years back) Social Media converts and luminaries get sweaty and preach Gospel on the street corner and proclaim the arrival of the savior (aka Twitter)…but as a disciplined professional you know that without a comprehensive Interactive Marketing strategy behind your efforts that social media is….well….social. It is possible and desirable to state loudly and proudly that you’d like social tools to become transactional and that’s where most companies and consultants don’t execute.
