BC Business
one brand clapping makes its exitDavid Allison says farewell (for now?) to his One Brand Clapping readers.
It’s been great couple of years, hasn’t it? We’ve strolled hand in hand through the forests of marketing, examining the old growth, taking note of the saplings.
But there is a time to every purpose, and the time has come to lay to rest my weekly rumination on Vancouver branding, One Brand Clapping.
Gap Gets Bullied Out of Its New Logo The people speak, and a big brand backs off
How Not to Name Real Estate Developments Do you really want to live in a building named after a condiment?
Marketing for a Vancouver Future The Vancouver of the year 2050 will be very different than the YVR of today
Douglas Coupland Reimagines Roots A brilliant branding revitalization, by a hometown cultural icon
Air Canada Wastes Branding Opportunity Dropped like a spurned lover, Air Canada demotes best customers without a hug
Lululemon Gets Gold for Guts Cheeky and risky, but hugely successful, LuLu lets loose during the Olympics
Branding Is Art A great painting and a great brand share some key characteristics
I Got Splotchy Service No matter how bad the situation, make the customer feel comfy
This Is Rich American Express Centurion Card for the uber-rich launches in Canada
Suckers for Imperfection Brands would do well to loosen their neckties, and be a bit more human
Worry not: I’m stepping away from centre stage, but I still plan on strolling in from the wings, cameo-style, when an irresistible branding issue arises.
These two years have been a time of tumult in the marketing world. Power has shifted from the boardroom to the street. To wit: Gap, which launched a new logo, reverted to the old one after 36 hours of harsh criticism from far and wide. Or Old Spice, which spun a risky TV ad and genius social media campaign into branding gold. The world has been talking, and I’ve had a riotous good time adding One Brand Clapping’s voice to the din.
Now the next marketing innovation is on the horizon, and true to Braun/Allison form, we’re taking dead aim. It’s no longer enough to be a voice in the crowd. We need to be a voice in the right crowd, in the right way, at the right time.
The evolution from broad to fine is natural. I worked in an advertising agency after university, in the days when graphic designers first used computers. For a time, every completed ad had 100 fonts, all stretched and bolded and mucked with. Why? Because it was possible. Over time, the technology matured.
Maintaining an online voice is similar. Since Braun/Allison works almost exclusively with the real estate developers, it’s better for me to develop my following and my cachet in that specific community. Writing as a multipurpose expert is a delight – the grazing pasture is wonderfully wide – but the enjoyment can come at the cost of focus.
This realignment harmonizes with my final exhortation to readers of One Brand Clapping: No matter your business, join the conversation. It’s taking place, with or without you. Whether a florist or restaurateur, real-estate developer or accountant, you must define your audience of interest. A narrow focus makes you a more influential voice at a smaller cocktail party.
And with that, I offer a fond farewell. I’ve left a parting gift in the sidebar at right: My all-time favourite OBC posts, a walk down memory lane. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Sincerely,
David Allison February 2, 2011
David Allison is co-principal of Braun/Allison Inc., a real estate marketing and branding firm based in Vancouver. He’s the author of two books on current methods to reach and influence real estate buyers in the new economy. He contributes to BCBusiness, his company blog, and the Real Estate News Exchange.