Comments

Beautiful, TP. Thank you. The well crafted lines provided the perfect image. Our imagination is often better than any photo. The movie, though brilliantly produced, never quite captures the color and images of our own imagination.

This is the difference between reading a book first and seeing the movie afterwards. The movie never quites adds up. Though brilliant, it often does not capture what our imagination has produced.

Great writing creates incredible images. It also has the power to bring about change, to provoke action. I love the connection of "mud season" in Vermont with Brand Yous and the notion that everything, the tiniest thing, matters. Thanks!

Posted by Judith Ellis at April 17, 2008 12:27 PM

Tom

Great story...

There are two really interesting points here for me Tom...

One is you and your imagination made the red pickup truck into a story about 'branding'... The owners of those red pickups never had that story in their minds when they parked their 'brand' in your minds eye... You have given them some extraordinary viral marketing because you (Tom Peters not Joe Blogs who followed you through the car park) notice points of difference - you have trained yourself to do so. Branding is all about points of difference or differentiation in a 'mud filled world' of indifference and similarity....

Second point is 'branding' is always within the eye of the beholder - usually it is a story we tell ourselves and then tell each other about our experiences (yeah Tom I agree our experiences of everything/everywhere)... In the flat world of the internet the 'Chattering Clusters' (what I call the mass of story tellers assembled on the world wide web) tell us about all manner of things - they tell us stories about happenings, they tell us about their experiences, they tell us what they think about airline delays (then they 'brand' that experience with a name like Delta or Southwest or American), they tell us what they trust and what they do not trust in our wonderful world of choice..

These Chattering Clusters are the new conduit for 're-imagining' our work, life, and our own very personal sense of self... They are prolific on the web - they are constantly telling us stories that 'brand' their experiences - they are on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and even on tompeters!

I love your imagination Tom and I love your ability to tell a story... The owners of the red pickups love the fact that you decided that they had a point of difference and therefore that they had a 'brand' story worth sharing with us all out here in cyberland....

Stay well and have fun Tom....

Richard.

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at April 17, 2008 6:31 PM

"I've never lived in a building without my name on it - Ivanka Trump"

That's the best Brand You lesson you could ever be taught.

Posted by K.Sriram at April 17, 2008 9:14 PM

I don't know about that, K. Sriam. That quote, though Ivanka Trump appears to be a very astute and likeable young lady, unlike some of her counterparts, is not the kind of Brand You that I would necessarily want any of my nieces or nephews becoming. This is not to say that she is in any way in agreement with the comment in question.

Isn't it better for young family members to become that which comes out or personal experience and speak of things that they themselves have accomplished? In relation to Brand Yous, I would want them to speak of legacies they will leave. There is also a sense here of Brand Yous as inanimate objects. Brand Yous are after all about you. Your thoughts?

Posted by Judith Ellis at April 17, 2008 10:22 PM

'Brand You' is living our message and walking our talk.

Posted by Trevor Gay at April 18, 2008 4:42 AM

Clean trucks and equipment part of a brand? At least part of the company image. I remember a cartage company that had that image. Large cranes moving things that needed a special touch. The crane would be driven to the site by the crane driver and followed by a pick-up. Both crane and pick-up were shiny black, white lettering announcing the company name, and a red pin-stipe along the length of both. The pick-up was for the crane operator. And while the operator was moving whatever, the crane driver was wiping down the pick-up. That was when I was to young to realize the operator versus driver was probably due to work rules, but the shiny equipment and wiping it down when it looked fine, has stuck with me.

Posted by MikeC at April 18, 2008 6:48 AM

I really hate it when you steal "my" blog posts ;-) Seriously, (duh-oh) everything you do is marketing - and everything is your brand. It's the seemingly "little" things that really make a difference. In this case - bright shiny trucks tell me they take pride in their work and pay attention to detail.

I just drafted a blog ppst about keeping trucks clean (including the inside - even if customer never ride in the truck, they walk by and can see the old Taco Bell bags squished into the carpet) - sloppy truck = sloppy work. And, wear clean shirts and PULL up the pants, fellas.

Then, the other day as I was driving down the street I looked over and saw "Mobile Detailing" on a truck. Great idea, right? Then, you notice the dirt...then the painted motto on the side was "Restoring your car's image." Both "i"s were missing - and there was a big dent right in the middle of the text. Alrighty then - detailing indeed.

P.S. If you're walking through mud in my yard - please take off the shoes before you tramp through the house to get to the plumbing job...I sometimes have to spend more time cleaning up after the "fixers" than I do the problems. NOT a good brand image for the so-called service professionals.

Posted by Mary Schmidt at April 18, 2008 8:51 AM

Love it, Mary!

Posted by Judith Ellis at April 18, 2008 9:00 AM

Thank you, MikeC, for Reminiscences of Things Past.

Posted by Judith Ellis at April 18, 2008 9:06 AM

Well, I can't hold my tongue any longer. The UPS package car (and it is a car, not a truck!), with mud on it had to be well into their delivery day. As many of you know, I began my career at UPS and we washed the cars every single day, rain or shine, inside and out. The planes too! We understood the importance of clean vehicles (and appearance standards for drivers) to brand. It is after all, what can brown do for you? Not what can that mud colored thing do for you! Brown blood runs deep once it gets in you :)

Posted by Mike Neiss at April 18, 2008 2:22 PM

Thanks, Mike Neiss. There is often an "appearance vs. performance" trade-off. Customers know this. Are we paying for car-washing or parcel-delivery? Do we want slow delivery in clean cars, or fast delivery in muddy ones?

Posted by Mike L. at April 18, 2008 4:20 PM

Disagree with the last comment. The magic of UPS, and FedEx, is "do both"--move like lightening and look great in the process. I often marvel at the ability of our (VT) UPS and FX drivers to have time for a social word or two while under productivity pressure. So it's "do all three"--on time delivery, look good, be sociable!

(But in this instance the truck/Car was dirty, what can I say Mike.)

Posted by tom peters at April 18, 2008 5:22 PM

Hi Mike Neiss - You make the salient point about UPS for me... Because I do not live in the US I do not use them for any deliveries but whenever I am in a large US city I always notice the UPS vans and trucks - they do stand out for me because they sparkle... Because I know the UPS reputation for delivery, the fact that their delivery trucks and staff are so 'well presented' never fails to impress me... While walking around a vibrant city scape like New York or San Francisco etc who could imagine that a big brown van could stand out yet that is exactly what they do for me!

You are right Mike, the fact that they are clean makes me think - "gee these folk really do take pride in the way they present themselves to the public and so they probably do an excellent job with everything else too..."

The fact that UPS trucks and vans are as "clean as a whistle" is both 'relevant and remarkable' to me and so I tell my 'Chattering Clusters' about just how impressed I am with them just as Tom told all us about the clean red pickups in the car park....

Richard

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at April 18, 2008 5:44 PM

Bravo, Mike Neiss! But I must say that I love what UPS has done and their expansion in business has been pretty awesome! Loved the brown and mud contrast!

Posted by Judith Ellis at April 18, 2008 5:45 PM

There is something beautiful about these men in shorts in the summer, of course, with crisp shirts, and sparkling clean vehicles. My beloved brother who passed a three years ago was such a one. There there were 5,000+ people at his service and 25 Fed EX trucks lead the procession to the burial site. It was quite a beautiful homage. Hundreds of his fellow employees and senior managers attended from all over the nation as well as many more hundreds of people for whom he delivered packages.

Once I saw his service in action. I took my mom to the doctor's office. As we were waiting in the lobby, in popped my 6'4" beautifully radiant brother who simply loved his job. (Although he owned a successful corporate cleaning company and lawn service, he loved this job.) When he entered the office, he was so surprised and delighted to see his mom and I sitting in the waiting area. We were equally surprised and delighted to see him and to see how well he related with the nurses and adminstrative assistants. He seemed to brighten their day.

I understand well why many thousands attended his service. I think his success had a lot to do with his training, at home and on the job.

Posted by Judith Ellis at April 18, 2008 6:22 PM

OK Tom...I will admit I dirtied a car or two in my time. But I swear it was only on the rural routes with dirt roads...:)

And by the way folks, the clean image was not just for the customer. Our drivers gave their all and deserved a clean, well maintained vehicle. Afterall, it is their office. Much easier to be sociable with the customer when you are given a decent work environment.

Posted by Mike Neiss at April 18, 2008 7:52 PM

Judith...I am touched by your brother's story. Building a strong community in an organization is an oft overlooked but incredible force for excellence. It sounds like your brother was a remarkable man.

Posted by Mike Neiss at April 18, 2008 8:02 PM

He was indeed, Mike. Thank you. Never thought of these vehicles as offices, but this is precisely what they are. As my brother, Pete, valued order and precision, I'm sure he had quite the emaculate office. An office on wheels probably beats a corner cubicle. Ya, think?

Posted by Judith Ellis at April 18, 2008 9:15 PM

Interesting to see this post today. I was at a Toronto Blue Jays game last night. Got thinking about this exact thing.

They are the 'blue' jays. But their uniforms are black and grey. I read somewhere it makes them look 'tougher'. I know it doesn't help me relate to the 'brand'. Didn't help them win either.

The Jays are owned by Rogers Telecom. Rogers branding - everywhere - is red. But the stadium staff - with 'Rogers Center' - written all over them - are in lime green. Yes, from a safety, security point of view they really stand out, but it felt glaringly obvious how poorly they represented their brand.

I agree its always show time, and watching last night it really seemed Rogers/the Jays aren't helping their brands by messing with their colors in such an obvious fashion.

Posted by Jim Crocker at April 19, 2008 5:44 PM

Jim...thank you for that. Being observant pays off, even when it appears that it may not. Being observant has a way of coming around again, if not at that particular time at another.

I am quite observant and find that it's amazing how being so positively affects my creative and innovative abilities as well as my relationship with my clients. I am observant because everyone and everything fascinates me on some level.

Thanks for being observant. Seeing requires receiving beyond ocular images. Many could not see what you saw because they do not have eyes to see. Herein lies one distinction between excellent and mediocre consultants.

Posted by Judith Ellis at April 21, 2008 9:24 AM

What seems to stand out for Bread Loaf Construction is that we do not expect to see clean trucks. Construction is a (literally) dirty business. But clean trucks tell me this is a contractor that minds the details (measure twice, cut once). So maybe if I hire this contractor, the outlet plates are on straight, the hardware isn't all banged up, and the concrete is poured level and finished right.

Ironically, I'd also be happiest to see my architect with a dirty truck!

Posted by Bruce Gerhardt at April 21, 2008 3:54 PM

Tom, soy de Argentina y desde aqui sigo sus enseñanzas. Cada libro suyo me sirve para crecer profesionalmente.
Gracias..

(mi ingles escrito es algo malo todavia, por eso le escribo en mi idioma)

Posted by Ailin Garcia at April 22, 2008 2:12 PM

Hi Tom,

I don't agree with you on this post.
I'm not sure that a glistening truck in the mud of VT communicates the same kind of message that you received.

Brands are, for sure, about setting yourself apart from others. But the others are not your customers, they are your competitors.

Your story reminded me of the book by Richard Bach, the guy who created Johnathan Livingston Seagull, he wrote another called 'Illusions' - going from memory - the story of a reluctant messiah. The hero of the book is a barnstormer. He flies people on joyrides. Meets up with another barnstormer. It transpires that the guy never has bug splatter on his plane.

I wonder if brands in the 21st century are more compelling when they endure the same problems we do. They aren't messianic and remote.

Just a thought.

Posted by David MacGregor at May 2, 2008 6:34 AM