In today’s shared-brand economy, people rule. And it’s about time. The rules of engagement have fundamentally changed. The line between people and brand is blurred now more than ever. The opportunity to be yourself and beyond yourself has arrived.

It’s our world. It’s our time. It’s our experience.

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When discussing new technologies with clients and peers I often hear the importance of not building “technology for technology’s sake”.   I agree that this should be prevented but I prefer to think positively and speak about how we want technology to work instead of how we don’t want it to work.  In doing this, I use the word Sprezzatura.

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“We wanted to be clear about being innovative, about identifying ourselves as a Saas in an old space (telecom expense management), and play up ideas about ease, immediacy, and the freemium experience. Corey helped us identify how to navigate the whole Xigo experience-from offline to online. You gave us our story.” Tim Eckles, Vice President of Marketing, Xigo

Xigo, previously know as Invoice Insight, selected the team of experts at Corey to create a comprehensive rebranding strategy and tactical program to bring the Xigo brand to life. Corey’s team was tasked with helping Xigo broaden its customer base and differentiate itself in the TEM marketplace.

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When I heard that airports were installing full-body scanners that gave TSA workers x-ray vision through clothing, my first thought was, “No one will possibly put up with this.” Then I learned that if a traveler decides not to be subjected to this inspection, they can choose to be subjected to an “enhanced pat-down.” As Tom Keane points out in his recent editorial the Boston Globe, this kind of “unreasonable search“ without “probable cause” is not only demeaning but also in clear violation of the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution.

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Corey partner, Andrea Naddaff, recently wrote an article on branding in “Independent Agent” magazine, a publication whose readers include a national alliance of 300,000 business owners and their employees who offer insurance and financial services products.

Did you know that your brand speaks volumes before you do? Have you stopped to think about what your brand is telling prospects and clients before you even say a word? Does your brand convey the attributes that you sell—trust, caring and responsibility? In today’s world, where people are constantly bombarded with noise, it’s worth stepping back to think about how (and if)… every element of your brand is consistent and clear.

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A key question when developing social media strategy or a website is “Who do we target?”. “Who will be the most effective individuals to reach with our message?” Often these target audiences break down into two groups. Advocates for your organization, people who are invested in you and your offering, and the public, customers or end users – the ultimate recipients of your offering. A typical website design or social media strategy will try to reach these two groups in varying proportions.

But there is a third group, a group as important as either and one that can have a disproportionate effect on reaching end users. We call this group “Messengers.” Unlike your advocates, messengers are an audience that you don’t have direct contact with on a regular basis. They don’t follow your every word but they do share an affinity for your ideas, your topics and your issues. They might already be talking about your issues without mentioning your organization. Sometimes messengers talk about your topic on a regular basis, sometimes more sporadically as events or seasonality dictates.

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Internal applications – intranets, knowledge management sites, workflow management systems, etc. – drive an organization by keeping employees informed, creating quality and consistency across an organization, and positively influencing the bottom line. In this post, I review 4 ways to make these internal workhorses really shine.

Social Tools

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Yes, that’s right, the mighty Businessweek recently called on us to contribute some tips on branding. The tips are being featured in a regular section targeted to small businesses. Three of our tips have been published in the last two months. Tell us what you think. We’d love to hear your two cents or even more.

Tip One: Your Brand is a Verb, Not a Noun

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Chris Klaehn, Partner and Director of Brand Strategy at Corey McPherson Nash (Corey) joined Dave Fish, CEO, IMN, to discuss the role social media plays in branding in this podcast. Klaehn references several thoughtful relevant examples of brands engaging in social media and also offers up tips on developing a social media strategy for your brand. Do you agree or is Chris full of soup?

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Blogging for your company can quickly become a trap. CEOs who agree to blog regularly often run out of time or desire. Or you might delegate blogging to a lower-level marketing person who doesn’t really ‘get’ your company. If you follow a few simple rules, your blog can be on the road to success.

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