Comments

I agree with you about the Apple experience complementing each other. I had first hand experience with Apple and its complementing layers of customer touchpoints. They have a multi-layered approach to meeting customer needs. Their website is user friendly and they have classes almost every day of the week where you can learn how to use the ipod. What I really like is the genius bar, where the "genius" behind the desk can help you with any problem or question you are having. For someone who wants personal interaction you can get it. They reach all types of customers, those who want personal help and those who would rather learn from the computer. They make it so easy to buy from them and intrigue you into the next purchase too. Apple is an expert in pulling you in, serving individual needs and keeping you as a customer. What other companies do this in such a smooth and fluid way?

Posted by Diana at March 18, 2005 12:13 AM

Diana asks what other companies can blend experiences in such a complementary way ...

It's easier to think of service companies that create good brand harmony than it is to think of other manufacturers. How about companies like Hertz Car Rental, Starbucks, Cold Stone Creamery (disclosure: client), Four Seasons Hotels, a number of cool retailers, a bunch of indedpendent restaurants I like, all who create interesting sets of complementary experiences that help me understand their brand stories.

Posted by Steve Yastrow at March 18, 2005 12:25 AM

What really strengthened your feelings, the Apple brand or its “energy of activation?” What blended together in your mind, your own feelings or the Apple brand? I argue that we can help consumers, companies and brands by helping consumers process their own emotions through kinesthetic expressions [e.g., design, wording]. I argue that activating patterns, neural pathways in the brain, bridging the sensory and motor cortex, will provide the hero’s journey.

If a significant number of women are in a state of anxiety and mania given the pressures of society, we want to provide them the feeling of “I rule,” an upgrade path that involves thinking first, feeling second, behaving third and measuring fourth; a true behavior change platform. We also want women to know they are in control of their own life, understand it is about the family, happiness is more powerful than importance and we want them to catch eagerness and feel exquisite pleasure. The “energy of activation” comes from your own identity, not from a brand. The “energy of activation” comes from a feeling and bio-chemical reaction, not a brand. The “energy of activation” comes from a pattern of activators exploding inside your soul, brought about by a brand’s kinesthetic foundation and complementary feeds.

I agree 100%, humans are not 1-dimensional, they are multi-dimensional. Consistency is not normal in nature nor is it normal in marketing, the business of empathetic bonds.

Posted by Wendy at March 18, 2005 2:03 AM

What you can really get from your idea of brand harmony and touchpoints is that mapping your brand is possible. That you can get an image of how your customers get an impression of the brand, how they react and what are the different ways this brand is lived. Then you can see if there are stories that complement each other in a fluent way, or there are inconsistencies and real disharmony. From the lived experience little myths start to emerge as those guiding lines a community accepts about your product. You have to be able to listen to those myths and act in consequence because they can have a great power in the experience of other customers.
One of the traits of life in modern societies is fragmentation.It seems difficult to link one aspect of our lives with others without difficulty. I have defined this situation as "life as a collage", different parts sticked one to another but still separated, like small independent pieces. Perhaps that´s what you were seing when thinking in a lack of complementariness.

Steve, you tell about "Kind of blue", a "music made in paradise" as called it drummer Jimmy Cobb. Jazz is a great metaphor for branding. I wonder how we could value other albums such as Coltrane´s "Ascenssion", a music I love. It is addressed straight to the heart though harmony is not a very important element in it. Perhaps a musician like you could tell us more about this.

Posted by felix gerena at March 18, 2005 9:14 AM

Felix - Hi! What you said intrigues me, because what I am proposing is that we help consumer re-map their brains to process feelings, use brands as activators to feelings, use brands to pull feelings closer. Can we use brands as energy acivators, emotional energy activators that result in psychological outcomes, but benefit the consumer, truly benefit the consumer ... music made in paradise?

Posted by Wendy at March 18, 2005 11:13 AM

That´s a great idea Wendy. It´s branding taken to it´s limits. Mind changing, energizing are a leading brands traits. Though, there are marketers who doubt about the possibility of changing habits and customer´s ideas. I know a friend of this blog like Tom Asacker is quite sceptic about it. Perhaps a blend of both styles can be succesful. It would be great if you told us about your experience, Wendy.

Posted by felix gerena at March 18, 2005 1:08 PM

Isn't harmony about relationship and resonance? Every tone resonates a series of overtones. The geniuses of jazz find the "good" tones and play them in harmonic and rhythmic patterns that swing. Remember, in jazz as in all things, "it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing."

Posted by Richard Dubin at March 18, 2005 1:16 PM

I think Wendy and Felix are on to something. In my opinion, we still see "brands"/companies too much as deliverers of goods and services or content and not creative drivers. I think the economy is being divided down the middle--material production on one hand (with shrinking ROI) and content/creation on the other (with almost unlimited ROI if done properly). The only prob. is that most of our infrastructure and thinking is set up to favor and value the former, so the latter is slow a-bloomin'. I believe that very soon we'll have brands, like at old time jazz "cut contensts", engaged in a very vigorous and spirited competition to see who can deliver the bomb creative goods--the intangibles--that our current culture so sorely lacks. (Been living by bread alone--and that was before low-carb). Those that rise to the top of this heap will have the integrity and confidence to use the material economy essentially as an instrument--something to play, something to play with. And the whole world's gonna flip out. All we need now are some artists strong enough to master such an instrument (with even traditional CEOs falling right and left).

For how great and creative it is (he types on his Powerbook), Apple still makes tools--and therefore it behooves them to be consistent. Who wants a creative hammer? On the other hand a brand like Zegna brings a style, a broad pallate and perspective, to an area of goods. What I posit is that we'll have artists growing out of music, literature, etc. bringing broader, more useful and more beautiful perspectives to an ever growing portion of the economy. We see this now in a small way with brands like Martha Stewart, Phat Farm, Rockawear, Oprah, etc. But in my opinion these tend to be only partially realized--either creative-based with poor implementation (and primarily for kids) or business-tight with an overlay of "feel" and weak creative (skewing older and self-help instead of actual play and creation). Most of them are also soft on the more spiritual creative values of conservation, recycling, relaxation, grace, taking your time, and generosity (although many grasp at certain of these as key marketing points they hold up to a gut check).

It seems obvious to me that these movements will continue to flirt and that eventually they will join to create various aspects of a real, mature, fun, grounded, vital, relaxed popular culture that offers something for everyone. (And makes ridiculous money in the richest society ever to grace the planet). In fact, this is what I've been working on for 10 years. (Sorry to get real on ya). So, if you want to turn $7 mil. into $700 mil., and have more fun along the way than making money hand over fist would ever seem to imply, please contact me immediately. Even the Apples and Lexuses of the world will have a hard time producing creative content essential enough to keep up with the superbrands that are immanent.

You heard it here first. More on my web site, if it tickles your fancy: www.ebencarlson.com. (Including the book that will spark/tipping point/sticky start the whole thing: The Love Artist.) Tom, I thank you for again letting me find a place where people give a hootenanny. I tend to use more real estate per post than most but I also think all this conjecture has very real (and radical) ramifications--and at some point it's on us creative, caring, not afraid to yell love in a crowded movie-theatre types to stop trying to get others to make us a better mousetrap and go out and build it ourselves! The ideas want to become manifest--there are literally people dying for it. Let's do it! Lots of love.

Posted by Eben Carlson at March 18, 2005 4:05 PM

I agree with you Wendy, that we women want to know and feel that we are running our own shows. I think the cool thing about Apple is that it lets you take their platform and create your own show. Even if you have to share your ipod, for instance, with someone else, you can still have your own playlist and listen to the music on your own terms. For me the cool thing about their brand, is they know that branding is formed one impression at a time and you can form your own personal brand impression and so can everyone else. Somehow they have figured out how to relate the same hardware and capabilities to all those individual impressions and make it meaningful. Apple ipod helps you activate your own energy. They are on to something.

Posted by Diana at March 18, 2005 7:42 PM

It doesn't have to be tangible - it could be a dream or an idea. But you have to have something consistent otherwise what do your own people work towards?

and, thinking about it, that something has to be easy enough to understand and work with the wide variety of people types in your org (possibly more varied than your customers!)

Posted by PaulH at March 19, 2005 5:11 AM

i love my friends. i know them. i know their personalitiy...

there is a hell lot of consistency in their actions and words - does that mean that i get the same present for birthday and christmas over and over again???

consistency of character is quite s.th different then consistency of surface - to some extend it can be quite the oposite - if i think of the wabi-sabi discussion ....

...

wendy and diana, beautiful insight, love your comments

Posted by jens at March 19, 2005 5:14 AM

and eben, I do not think that i understand you. well probably because I am a simple person, who believes in simple things. humanity rather than super brand power (naomi klein overestimated that one as we know), fashion cycles and free markets.

when the great dictator did his experiment in my home country he neatly designed a logo, uniforms etc. and teamed up with the best architects, filmmakers and most innovative engineers of his time to give the world an unrivalled example of brand-orchestration.
on top of that he was also one of the worst criminals the world had ever seen… and - millions of lives too late – the whole drama came to its historical end.

there is brutality in every kind of dictatorship, there is a brutality in all kinds of exclusive directions – this is the only way, the salvation…
i firmly believe that the world essentially is not this way: especially not in brands, culture, fashion etc.

i firmly believe, that we humans are essentially simple when it comes to shopping, decorating our houses, building our identity...

we want individuality and uniformity at the same time. we want to depart to new shores and arrive at ourselves at the same time.

exploring potential brand-power is much more about exploring the logic in simple things like this and exploring the rhythms of culture than about thinking of construction plans for salvation-machines.

utopia only rules in small cardbox-boxes or in the internet…

and look what has become of the internet utopia – other than we all thought 10 years ago – it now is a very, very simple thing, where certain things work and others not.

Posted by jens at March 19, 2005 7:25 AM

Your comments are fabulous ... all of them. Thanks.

Richard ... yes, harmony is about relationship and resonance ... how things complement and play off of each other. I am a jazz player, and jazz is one of the best business metaphors there is.

Jason ... I guess that what you call consistency, I'm saying is something more ... we see patterns as things resonate and complement each other. (Love your blog ... and I saw the Caine citation. Thanks again for turning me on to their book, and this same concept, when I was writing my book.)

Jens - I know what wabi-sabi is, but I'm intrigued to hear how you're bringing it in here. I sense there might be something cool - so say more!

Felix/Wendy/Diana and everyone else - keep talking!

Posted by Steve Yastrow at March 21, 2005 12:31 AM

hi steve.

in the brand game we have got two different sides: the side of the creators’ and the side of the perceivers’ (or co-creators if you want…) – also in music – with the exception of free-jazz jam sessions where both sides – one could argue –blend into one.
but as i do not see a big free-jazz brand that exists outside of that community – or outside of that very moment of creation - let’s stick to the more conventional picture of the two sides.

so we have got the creators’ side and the perceivers’ side. and for a very good reason you demand “brand harmony” with your book which is addressed to companies/management. “coordinate your outside appearance or you’ll drown! make sure that all the little aspects of your corporation complement one another!”
why is this imperative so very important when addressed to corporations?
because they happen to be incredibly disfunctional when it comes to organizing aesthetics. “please get on top of your advertising, your product design, corporate design and services” you say ”the market demands brand harmony!”
“harmony?!? well, i am looking at my numbers here and we do spend exactly the same amount on advertising as on design and staff-training. i’d damn well call that harmony, young man.”
…
corporate reality – oh too often – is so far behind the communication rules of our modern world, that you have to bang the message in again and again and again: harmony, harmony, harmony – coordinate, coordinate, coordinate – coordinate your outer appearance!!! this is lesson one. do or die!

lesson two – however – is a little bit different, and strictly for advanced learners. - do not tell anybody who has not passed first grade. -
lesson two: too much coordination can be fatal!

and in comes – you asked for it – wabi-sabi…
i once worked for an automotive client who had introduced a revolutionary car-concept under an independent brand to the european market. the sales in the first year were disastrous. this of course had many reasons – far too many to mention here… one reason however also was that the communication was “too perfect”. more or less all kind of brand related matters were outsourced into a highly creative “brand factory” and everything resulted in one flawless picture of corporate design, corporate architecture, corporate behaviour, corporate haircut, a pre-selection of perfumes that incorporate the brand to be worn by sales people… and much, much more
the dawning of a new era. a fresh slate. design rules – and fails.
in spite of all the design-prizes that were won, market-research showed, that the brand-personality was far too focussed, far to narrow, “too perfect” to bring a brand personality to life. and this was not according to the people who had not been ready for the product anyway. this was mainly according to these innovative buyers – the prototypical architect infact who already owned a volvo station wagon and a vintage porsche and had bought this little thing as the third car because he loved the concept so much.
people had bought the idea that they loved in spite of this new corporate brand that they considered far too focussed, too narrow, too perfect in a life-style kind of way…

talking about that: putting together the apple-story and the story of this little car into one case-study would make an excellent example of does and don’ts…
(question: is anybody out there who has got some first hand insight into the apple corporation? my interest clearly lies on “organizing aesthetics” = creating organizations that can act aesthetically (that can act as brands) - what does it need in structures, processes, culture… and what not…)

back to wabi-sabi – that little bit of imperfection – that contrast on the surface – that opens a story and engages the audience – that weird little detail that good style consultants give a born accountant, when he has finally become ceo, to prove that he actually has got character…

back to wabi-sabi – but, before we cut corners here let us bare in mind that some customers want to be fed and others want to be engaged – not everybody that we want to sell our products, brands, services… to – is a brand-connoisseur like us who are discussing the topic here… others just want to eat, in fact we all do at some point.

but the more you get engaged in a brand, may be because you just like it and do not really know why at that point and you start to look for more indicators, to justify your love – or because you are up to a serious investment into a company and you ask yourself: has this company really got the power to still fulfil tomorrows needs – the one thing that you do not want is: definite answers.
as strange as it is. sale viagra for men

what you want to see is: potential.
and “potential” is the same thing as “character”.
only that “character” primarily refers to a perspective that goes back in time – and “potential” refers to a perspective that goes forward in time. potential is the promise of a performance in the future, a performance that – by definition – has not fully come to its realization in today’s world.

“this brand=company is great now – and i feel it has got the potential – the personality behind the story – to answer future needs just as well.”

“character” and “potential” have the same aesthetical pattern: that little bit of contrast, that (slight) irritation on the surface. not all answers given, but new questions provoked.

questions that can lead the way to a new level of engagement.

...
or in short - as you already said it, steve: "Consistent" is for assembly lines. "Complement" is for great brands.

…
if you want, take a look at my – equally long – comment on the “beyond ipod” discussion on wabi-sabi and brand perfection.

Posted by jens at March 21, 2005 10:04 AM

Wabi-sabi is a great symbol ... "imperfections," in the sense of interesting details, give you something to hang on to. Think of Hamlet, one of the most memborable and moving characters in literature, whose quirks and personality nuances catch your attention as he hops from side to side of the razor's edge between cunning and madness. Pierce Brosnan should never play Hamlet - he'd be too perfect ... and too consistent.

Posted by Steve Yastrow at March 21, 2005 10:47 AM

nor should george clooney.

Posted by jens at March 21, 2005 11:40 AM

A few quick responses:

The essence of brand eschews conventional two sidedness. Brands that work--lovemarks-- harmonize the 'sides'they stimulate the co-creation that jens alludes to that is the crux of the matter. They create a new and irresistible vision. Perception is creation.

When I quote Duke Ellington--"it don't mean a thing.."-- what I'm getting at is the feeling. Brands make us tap our toes and maybe even get up and dance. Feel and act. Respond and buy---because it FEELS good.

Posted by Richard Dubin at March 21, 2005 11:59 PM

great discussion.

purchase cheap viagra from usa for some reason i would also love to have wendy's opinion on my comment from march 21st.

wendy, if you are there... just a few words:)

Posted by jens at March 22, 2005 12:40 PM

Hi Jens! Great piece. Here is what I hear you saying.

Corporations that focus on external appearances rather than their internal principles, beliefs, character and clearly defining the question, "What business am I in?" are doomed to launch another pandering driven car concept. I agree.

I appreciate you pointing out to us that corporations are indeed like people, utilizing the metaphor Wabi Sabi led me right to the world of humanity and how true complimentary initiatives start internally ... in the dirt before they grow externally. I think you will find the truth in organizing aesthetic here. Home Depot is doing a good job at this right now. I also am impressed with IKEA and the way they incorporate the consumer in their mission statement.

Two things to leave you with, final riddles. I'm wondering about whether we are collapsing communications into branding. Think how much more there really is to it. Here is a neat idea ... what else would you call marketing? What else would you call branding?

And, why couldn't we have a brand game where there was a free jam session, where both sides blend into one? Why couldn't you start it? Sounds like you might just be the one to do it.

Posted by Wendy at March 22, 2005 7:06 PM

:)

Posted by jens at March 23, 2005 2:51 AM

thanks, coach:)
yes, the free jam session metaphor is quite tempting. but free improvisation needs no conductor/director. i am a design-manager, i would have to quit my job and learn how to play the horn, or sell the tickets and bring the wine… well, we’ll see…

ok.
what you heard me say was somewhat different from what i wanted to say… thanks even more for your comment!!!!: i have to work on this…
do i think that corporations should focus on internal principles rather than on external appearance?
no.
the two things (internal and external) – to my concern - are connected anyway.
… maybe a little yes for corporate coordination-reasons / but in reality i find the internal-principle-and-beliefs-hype quite disturbing. most of the companies today exist for shareholder-value reasons. do you want to tell this to your workforce every morning when they would rather be working for steve jobs, bono, the w.h.o., ideo – what do i know… for a real cause … ? do you want to shout that from your market-stand – “buy this stuff because the rich want to get richer” - when you want to sell your fruits to the customer? … “too much reality for a saturday night” i’d say … so something else is being introduced ..,. vision, mission, brand, seduction… whatever it is … when it is well done it makes you tap your feet, it makes you swing (thanks)
…
AND THIS KIND OF MUSIC CAN HAVE A VALUE IN ITSELF. IS IT THEREFORE THE TRUTH, OR THE HEART OF THE MATTER? NO. BUT IT CAN BE PART OF IT.
…
marketing, design, brand… when it is well done, becomes an interface, a camera obscura, that changes left with right and turns the downside up. and suddenly there is some new kind of sense. and this sense only exists on the projection board, only on the surface, only in the mind of the perceiver. (really a weak metaphor, but the best that i can find at the moment)… and “it makes you swing” (activation). wendy – thanks for asking - that is what i would call marketing (for the moment).
…
i am an mba just like you, wendy.
and for a long time – ever since i was born and witnessed my family’s interests in the fine arts from my baby-stroller – my perception has been trained by contemporary artists.
and: have you ever been so stupid to ask an artist what he wants to say with her/his work? … i did … hundreds of times … until i gave it up. – because what i heard never NEVER matched my expectations.
so i realized that these people are masters of contrasts … i realized that art purely lies in the eyes (brain) of the beholder … stimulated by some geniuses, who sense how to bring across these IRRITATIONS that make you tick…
…
when i was talking about “character” and “potential” i was referring to something that we read into some surface. and this “reading into it” is triggered by irritation (which causes the activation).
…
what more can i say? not much, for now.
-
it is late and the family is waiting for me to come home.
…
one more: to get real: the brands you can find at our house:

apple – because the mini-ipod is the best thing that happened for a long time – and steve jobs is a fighter

dior homme – because hedi slimane is a magician = true designer (i am following his stuff since the ysl-days)

marlboro – because i am a suicidal idiot… and: there very well is a difference in taste

orbit – because i am a smoker

coke-light – no idea – the product is superior – may be somebody can explain to me (theresa buys it too, although she worked for pepsi)

canadian pharmacies viagra dolce-gabbana – theresa’s choice

victoria’s secret – her stuff too

kinder-schokolade - is a wonderful thing

gap – my boxer shorts

falke – my socks

colgate – she worked there and still holds some stock

…

that’s it for the big brands - the rest is random choice or really small and personal stuff
…
oh, I forgot:

google of course… and the euro
…
good night and a very happy easter.

Posted by jens at March 23, 2005 3:31 PM

Jens - Yes, the Euro is a powerful brand. Tell us what it means on the side of the pond? What has it done to inidividual country identities?

Posted by Steve Yastrow at March 23, 2005 6:08 PM

very strong national symbols (e.g. d-mark) were replaced by a weak one.

the euro is a brainchild of technocrats and that is exactly what it feels like: zero identity, 100% anonymity, europe – although with a wonderful logo – is probably the most under-marketed brand in the world: emotions zero.
the euro is anonymous, true money, s.th. that gets you around in a way only a credit-card can. that of course is quite sexy and cool. and the weak dollar makes it even cooler. true money. things are not that bad after all. oh god, I forgot the exports…
never mind…
stronger than the dollar!!!!

the new europe – if it has an identity – has an identity of freedom. it is more about the absence of something than about the presence of something.

do people turn to other symbols of national identity now?
not that i am aware of.

to me personally - i am currently dividing my time between berlin and madrid – it looks like in the new europe national identity will be significantly replaced by regional identity (that is the feeling that you get in germany and spain at least).

with the loss of the symbols the concept of the old nations becomes more and more abstract – the concept of europe will stay pretty abstract for a while. not so abstract are the regions that you can experience in their actual cultures – the autumn in ticino, the early summer in south the of france, the conference in milano… and so on.
… or everyday the smell of the smoke from the steel plants in duisburg-rheinhausen – that is were I was born.

Posted by jens at March 24, 2005 3:25 PM