By Bob Wheatley

Photo credit: Sharon Dominik

Forever and a day I’ve seen this concept play out in various categories from beverages to food, travel services to floor care and cleaning products, that 80% of your profits can routinely come from 20% of your customers who constitute the most engaged, heavy users in your business. Call them your best fans.

Yet routinely we focus our efforts, strategies and spending on casting a broad net. We try to be appealing to everyone because we keep telling ourselves that our brand and business not only deserves high household penetration, but “we can’t ignore the volume opportunities.” To be sure, but the 20% that’s mainlining your brand and paying attention to your messaging with a little help and “enabling” can become a more productive core of real-world ambassadors. People who can help spread the word effectively to those who are not as fully invested and who don’t buy as often.

Take cheese and pet food for example. Cheese is one of the most popular food categories in supermarkets. We like cheese, so it’s a big volume business. Yet a closer look reveals that consumers who are more emotionally engaged and devoted to cooking represent a “heavy user” profile that purchases more cheese products, more often and in many cases will go for higher priced items when they feel the value proposition is credible. So paying closer attention to this group of emotionally charged ‘kitchen commanders’ can yield incremental benefits in talk value and word of mouth, once they’re fully embraced, recognized and rewarded by the brands they love.

Or in pet food: a dynamic audience combination we refer to as indulgers and doters consists of a high percentage of higher income households who treat their animals like family members — and will even go as far as cutting back on some of their own discretionary purchases in order to keep Fido in tip top shape by feeding him a super-premium pet food diet. Industry statistics show this group continues to fuel an incredible growth track record in the emerging natural and organic segment – even though the tough economy has weighed in heavily in many segments to compel “trading down” behaviors.

Your call to action…

Think of it this way, your PR communications ROI outcomes will improve when communicating with an audience that’s really, genuinely paying attention. Those who have emotional, personal lifestyle connections to a brand are listening — first at the category level. A brand that works over time to mine relevance with this audience has the opportunity to build a unique relationship and bond. Conversely broad awareness tactics can perform as a “reminder mechanism” for the larger audience segments out there who may buy less often but who have ties to the franchise through their habit behaviors.

1. Consider for a moment the opportunities from investing more fully in courting your heavy users. What would you do differently? What efforts might you undertake to help create a community around these groups and empower them to interact with each other – especially important for home chefs and pet parents who want to share tips, ideas, experiences and insights with each other.

2. What rewards and recognition can you offer to your most devoted followers that surprise and delight – and thus are often the triggers to generating strong, credible and organic word-of-mouth communication.

3. What sponsored experiences can you create and deliver that bring your brand as close as possible to your best fans and allow them to interact with you and each other. In food this could include unique culinary experiences that reward your best customers with an opportunity to learn from the food heroes they respect like celebrity chefs. For pets it could be local dog park events and contests that allow pet parents to engage in shared experiences with their animal and with each other.

But wait there’s more…

Today, excellent blogger and thought leader Sonia Simone has an interesting post at Copyblogger that talks about the personal side of the Pareto Principle and how it impacts you and what you do. Her observations:

“…Which means that 20% of your customers provide 80% of your revenue. 20% of the time you spend behind your computer provides 80% of your best work. And 20% of that great meal you had last night provided 80% of the pleasure. (It was the chocolate mousse cake, wasn’t it?)

Because of the Pareto Principle, there’s always a “20%” you should be spending your time on. And in just about every discipline, it’s known as the fundamentals.”

Have you sat down to think about your day, your activities and to reflect on this idea – that 20% of your efforts will produce 80% of the great results and accomplishments you’re looking for? So what do the fundamentals look like for you? Maybe it’s a good idea to start by putting more energy and investment into courting your biggest fans…

Images can evoke memories and feelings

By Robert Wheatley

In the marketing communications business we’re called upon to help brands build relationships with current users and attract new ones. Clients retain agencies like ours to do this with skill and result. Hence it requires us to understand the difference between effective communication and anything that’s less than that.

What we’ve learned in the age of consumer control is that relevance precedes engagement. Push oriented messaging generally is brands talking about themselves, usually focused on features and benefits. So its important to understand how personal relevance can add power to brand communication. Thus, we work doubly hard to understand consumer interests and needs. It is within our awareness of consumer lifestyle passions that we find ways to build powerful communication.

An example of this thinking at work:

At its core, brand story telling involves some form and combination of words and pictures. These tools are at the center of the emotional relationships people acquire with the brands they care about. Here’s what I mean:

This image was taken during the holiday break looking out the living room window of our weekend home in southwest Michigan. It snowed 15 inches in a 24-hour period and the result was a pristine winter wonderland. Serene, beautiful isn’t it? The poor photography notwithstanding, there’s a visual story this image brings to life in varying degrees for people who attach their own associations and experiences with it.

It’s hard to convey exactly how I feel about this image because there’s so much meaning attached to it that transcends just the picture itself. For me our place in Michigan is a vital retreat that refreshes and revitalizes my attitude and spirit. It’s a transcendent environment that lifts me out of the pressures of agency life and in restorative manner, serves to remind me of what’s important about family, nature and quiet contemplation.

There are three levels of interaction we can associate with the brand communications we come into contact with:

Positive recognition – what we see and hear gains meaning and value based on our current experiences and connection to satisfactory outcomes.

Warm memories – an added layer of value when the communication triggers positive memories and associations that look backward through our life experiences and help us relive those important moments.

Personal relevance – when the communication is fully engaging our happiness, sense of pride, confidence and wellbeing.

We (consumers) are expectation creation machines much more than we are rational processors of facts, figures and analytical arguments. Powerful communication occurs when these associations are brought to life. So it stands to reason the more you know the human you’re trying to reach, the greater the opportunity to build stories in a manner that draws them in.

Too often we think engagement is laddering up the facts of our product features and benefits. Rather it is the associations and values, feelings we have in the presence of brands that gives the brand relationship its substance and longevity.

We are on a relentless quest to build emotional connections that mine the human capacity to shirt-list the brands we care about. Ironically, the ones we care the most about are the ones we feel good about — those that offer an expectation of happiness when we’re in their presence.

What do you think?

$11,000 (per occurrence) consequence if rules not observed

By Robert Wheatley

Over the last few months we’ve been reporting on the FTC’s efforts to refine guidelines on use of celebrity/third party spokespeople and the emergence of bloggers as a new, legitimate channel of media. A channel, by the way, that comes without the built-in rules traditional media organizations observe regarding ethical separation between PR and reporter.

Let’s start with the FTC’s hard news: if outside spokespeople participate in communications activities outside of advertising, such as a talk show interview, they need to disclose the paid relationship if they are going to talk about a brand or business. Similarly, if Bloggers (or other word-of-mouth sources) receive consideration in the form of payment or freebies in return for promoting a product, that also must be disclosed.

The FTC is saying something that only makes sense: consumers have a right to know if the mouthpiece has received payment in return for endorsement. While there may be some tawdry exceptions to this, for the most part, PR people in previous eras have not been in the business of buying favorable editorial coverage. A story has to stand on its merits. But the spokesperson thing was always a grey area in terms of how a relationship between third party and brand is defined or explained.

Now clarity exists on all fronts, and to the benefit of the consuming public — full disclosure of who is working for whom. Celebrity’s must say in an interview, I’m here today on behalf of brand x. And when Bloggers are paid to write, the deal must include requirements for disclosure of the arrangement. The FTC’s goal is to make sure all information is upfront, should any of it have an impact on the consumer’s decision to purchase something based on what they’ve heard or read.

This is a good thing!!!

One of the hallmark’s of effective public relations strategy is building credibility, and that is best served when all aspects of a relationship with media and third parties is out in the open. Honesty supports integrity and trust reigns supreme in relationships between brands and their users.

• Agencies and clients from here on in must abide by these rules of disclosure or risk punitive action

We applaud the FTC and their decision because it supports what we’ve always believed that great products, services and businesses don’t need to employ fakery or illusion to win in the marketplace. This will foster greater need for PR people to choose wisely in selecting outside spokespeople, preferably those who have genuine interest and reasonable, tangible connections to the products they endorse. Scrutiny, as always, is present these days and authenticity will be apparent to all observers. Why? Because in the new media age anything that can be known will be known.

What do you think?

Some say branding is dead; really?

By Bob Wheatley

A recent post by Sonia Simone of Copyblogger posed a question the other day, is branding dead?. The comments that followed quickly descended down the trail to tactics and thus left the real conversation about brand value and moved on to communication.

• Many interpreted the decline in conventional media platforms as evidence that branding is indeed on the respirator in the marketing ER ward. That, I think, entirely misses the point of brands and branding.

Branding by the way is not about logos, Web sites, events, advertising or any other form of outreach. Just for fun let’s play with this a minute. If brand didn’t matter, what would? In marketing, if all products were essentially generic and stood solely on their features then lowest price would be the primary driver of commerce.

We would naturally gravitate to the cheapest car, toilet paper, jeans, beer and shop the cheapest channels, probably dollar stores. Evolution here would be 50-cent stores or perhaps the return of the old Five and Dime idea our prices are so low you have to stoop to pick them up. Segmentation would dry up as the high end falls away. Efficiency, cost effectiveness, frugality and economy would be the lexicon of product communication.

But that’s not going to happen, is it?

Last time I looked we were still human beings and thus are essentially emotional, social creatures. We love, we laugh, we cry and we care. We get mad and get even. Our lives gain greater meaning when we participate in something that’s larger than ourselves.

We have needs for recognition, esteem and personal pride. We feel good about successes and disappointed at times in failures. We want, we desire. We reach and dream. Some of us have aspirations and drive. Others are content to sit inside their comfort zone, hopeful that the status quo and familiar will remain in tact.

Do products and services play any role in our lifestyles, in our human-ness?

At times we literally wear brands because of the statement or cachet they imbue. Certain brands convey meaning that is at once obvious to others such as Mercedes as luxury auto. And might also suggest social and economic status messages, too.

There are brands that matter to us, that deliver meaning and therefore added benefits. Our experience with them ladders up to a form of joy. I can give you a new take, for example, on my iPhone. I love everything about it — the ease-of-use; it’s functionality and design. But when I started to add App-store games my six-year old daughter could play with glee, delight and a smile, suddenly I had a portable amusement center. What fun. Now it’s value to me has accelerated. Thus my attitude towards Apple grows thicker, closer. The extra investment cost is soooo worth it.

I will admit to a personal indulgence: I love Robert Graham shirts. They are unique, well made, stylish and fashionable. I probably have a dozen of them. They are not cheap. Oddly enough, however, when compared to designer name plain dress shirts, the Graham products are a bargain. I feel good when I wear them, sort of a signature thing. I get compliments, people notice the distinctive fabrics, even the little touches like different patterns inside the cuffs and collars

Probably all of us can tell similar stories about things we enjoy, that matter to us, that perform beyond the utility of their ability to provide warmth or sustenance. Organic Valley dairy products are more expensive. But I like their ethos of supporting family farms and the absence of hormones in the milk is something I prefer for my young daughters.

Brands are indeed conveyed by their names. Many of these ideas however require building, investing, communicating to help us fully embrace their worth and meaning. But the thing itself gains equity in our lives because of the emotions we associate with them. Mostly good feelings for the items we care about vs. the commodities we don’t and wish just to purchase cheaply.

Branding is not dead. Branding will never be dead. Unless of course we’re all replaced by robots. The intersection of commerce and humanity guarantees it. While communications techniques and media forms may indeed evolve, the role products and services play in our lives will endure. The emotional fabric that sits between us and the things we like will continue, too.

Our firm is all about brand building. (I love my work). And while what we do in PR communication is increasingly moving to social media platforms, our efforts to help clients better define brand value and positioning is as right as rain, the sun rising and the world turning.

Makes me happy. Especially because brands now grow on the basis of their ability to define, understand and mine consumer lifestyle associations. Said another way to become enablers and facilitators of their consumer’s interests and aspirations. To earn permission for a relationship. Hey, wait a minute. We just might be in the happiness business.

How about you???

Pampers Pulls at Heartstrings…

By Robert Wheatley

For years (wow, has it been that long?) this blog has extolled and showcased the virtues of finding and mining the brands’ higher purpose. A sweet spot that serves as the umbilical chord between a brand and hyper-relevant concerns, issues and passions in the consumer’s life.

And why does this matter? Because anything less than a bond based on this kind of emotionally charged value can lead to commoditization — and the downward spiral of a brand’s core value proposition. So this is a frequent subject here because it is so important to brand building in the digital “consumer-is-in-control” age.

Pampers “pampers” their target’s true needs…

One could assume that Pampers brand is in the business of providing a convenient, absorbent product to help protect baby bottoms. Think of all the investment that must go into diaper materials research to offer comfort while fulfilling the primary dryness mission. Or design engineering to prevent leaks. And what about those closure mechanisms to keep the diaper in place when baby is moving. We can’t forget the cartoon character licenses to dress up the diaper exterior and presumably bring a smile to both baby and mom.

Well the day of feature and benefit selling as we’ve come to know it is over. These things while important are table-stakes. Great design and technology is a given. The competitive formula has evolved and moved on. Successful brands in the years ahead will be those that “matter” to their primary buyers. The brand value proposition is no longer simple math around the analytical facts that ladder up to “superior.”

Emotion precedes logic…

It is vital for brands to determine what their essential meaning can be to users. And that meaning by the way is going to be found beyond simple, analytical distillation of the core product attributes themselves.

Pampers brand has famously arrived at this understanding. What is the core truth for new parents? The awesome, lifelong responsibility they are about to undertake comes with no user manual. Parenting is a big, big transition in life, full of delights, stresses and surprises. Children change everything.

So is Pampers ultimately selling diapers? No. They recognized that the path to “permission” for a brand relationship is tied to how they can best help, assist and support this central parenting mission.

A Parent is Born – what a fantastic statement that simply nails the point. With every first birth a new parent is born, too. The journey Pampers embarks on puts the brand in league with the none-too-trivial concerns their buyers have about caring for their new child.

• There’s simply no end to the extensions and content-deep communications territory this “mission” will yield. To start with they’ve created a documentary series of videos (see them here, here and here) that chronicle the real-life experiences of a brand new family. They are thoughtfully produced with a balance of entertainment value and the transfer of authentic, real parenting experiences.

This platform is perfectly suited to social media channels, such as integration with mommy bloggers for mom-to-mom interaction. Importantly the whole project elevates the brand’s relationship and value to mom and dad. The emotional equity this creates over time is palpable. The unselfishness in the messaging completes the circle of credibility. Nothing comes across as a sales pitch. Because it doesn’t have to!

Stop pitching, start relating…

P&G has determined that treating consumers as objects to sell to isn’t nearly as powerful as treating them as individuals to help, assist and support, and in doing so to earn a valued position on the consumer’s list of brand’s they care about.

It may sound counterintuitive to those who think you must hammer away at benefits. Well, consumers are already better educated and informed than at any other time in human history. The old tell them, tell them again and then tell them what you told them era of selling is done.

So now it’s time to look for the higher purpose for your brand. In doing so you will open the door to a brand related bond. Plus open engagement and conversation with a customer who is actually listening, and that leads to preference. And preference drives sales.

What do you think?

What is the secret of today’s creative leap?

By Robert Wheatley

One of the most endearing qualities of AMC’s Mad Men series is its slavish devotion to authenticity – and not just the period dress and behaviors. The Sterling Cooper milieu is recognize-able for many in the agency business (PR or ad) even now, who can literally live alongside Don Draper in their creative strategy conversations and presentations.

We’ve Been There…

We resonate because of its relevance to our own business lives and experiences. We listen to Don and his minions discuss a client problem and know the thread of the conversation, because we’ve been there so many times before. Sure the work and its final execution exudes the sensibilities and cultural axioms of its era, but the mental activity around solution-building bears similarity to the leaps we work so hard to make – leaps that fall from deeper insight about consumer needs and desires.

Recognizing the Culture of Creativity…

Our organization is built around daily walks down the creative PR path. We dig for insights, we work very hard to unearth ideas that blow past the limitations of product features, to translate benefits in more powerful ways. In Mad Men this happened wonderfully in a dramatic meeting with Kodak and the launch of its eponymous “Carousel” slide projector — a revolutionary idea in its day.

In the show, Kodak reps wax on about the gizmo’s “space-age” technical achievements and capability. Naturally they think these things constitute its chief selling proposition.

Then, along comes Don and his innate ability to make the leap. In the agency’s creative presentation he says: “This is not a spaceship. It’s a time machine. It goes backwards and forwards, and it takes us to a place where we ache to go again.” This statement conveyed while images play of his wife and family in happier times.

It was a moment of vintage leap to be sure. The presentation gently forced the Kodak guys to rethink what they we’re really selling. So, fast-forward. What constitutes the leap in 2009? What is the essential shift in our current world that must drive creativity and ideas?

Relevance in the World of Permission

In Don Draper’s day, you told the consumer what to do. Quite often they did it. Hence the era of mass-vertising, shotgun publicity strategies and their efficiencies propelled by routine effectiveness. Controlled messages were conveyed broadly. Repeatedly. Broad-based publicity efforts drove coverage across large swaths of media territory – millions of impressions racked up in various channels and to great impact on the awareness meter. Clip books were a mile thick.

Now the consumer holds the reigns in the equation, and the marketing world is dominated by unique “tribes” and narrow markets of consumer self-interest. Paid media has lost traction because consumers have tuned out what they perceive to be an interruption. Media itself has splintered into thousands of channels. The strategy is peer-to-peer more than message delivered to gazillions of aggregated eyeballs. It’s about the quality of conversation not quantity of heads exposed to a message.

Brands must now earn permission for a consumer relationship through ideas, acts and programs that “help” consumers realize their personal lifestyle dreams and aspirations. The Leap falls from a new form of understanding: strategy flows from a businesses’ ability to understand the fabric of lifestyle relevance and mine it. The Kodak moment transcends to enabling different, unique communities of shared memory and experience. Kodak should have invented Flickr.

Mad Men is a curious mirror for agency folk. Our work today is in many ways the same: know thy audience. And in many ways different: we don’t dictate, persuade or compel. Instead we invite, converse, help and demonstrate our willingness to earn faith and trust.

What do you think?

Are you ready to rock in digital age?

By Robert Wheatley

With the public relations media strategy game in a state of transition, we expose the new media communications paradigm here. It’s time to consider new techniques and approaches as we examine how editorial media outreach now mingles with direct consumer communication.

Before Social Media (BSM)

Forever and a day, PR media activity has essentially been a “business-to-media” proposition. Whatever the material developed to showcase brand and business messaging, the end game was always to entice, cajole and convince media decision makers to use said material and sources (spokespeople) for a story.

Not unlike two-step distribution in the beverage alcohol business – beer maker to distributor to retailer – the PR chain previously originated with media gatekeepers who in turn re-purposed the material we create in their “media-to-consumer” role. This effectively left the message maker one step back from the final outcome. Message credibility? Yes. Direct input on the final story line? No.

After Social Media (ASM)

Now the audiences for news consumption have exploded to include business-to-consumer, business-to-investor, business-to-employees, and other assorted stakeholders. So the digital media revolution puts brands and businesses on a path to converse not only with editors and citizen journalists — but also directly with the end consumer. Thus bypassing the media gatekeeper and enabling face-to-face interaction with those you’re attempting to reach. Some will say this has always been true and in terms of outcome it is. But the mechanics of what went on in the “BSM” process has been squarely within a business-to-media pathway.

Digital Evolution

Valeria Maltoni, author of Conversation Agent blog is a thought leader on this subject and has contributed much to the conversation about evolving media strategy. As you tear into the implications for how news and information is assembled and distributed, Valeria has a wonderful discussion on the subject of Social Media Releases and how this impacts PR.

A Fictional Pet Food Launch

You can immediately see how the tools that are assembled for a new brand or product launch are shifting gears. Let’s use the introduction of a new pet food diet as a hypothetical example.

Say we’re launching a new seasonal fresh ingredient pet food line from a company we’ll call Natural Bounty Pet Foods. It’s a super-premium food and the brand is aimed at pet parents who see their animals as family members and dote over them. They care, they’re engaged and they’re informed. They want to know what’s in the food they feed Fido and who is behind the brand and its formulation. Credibility is an issue – so confidence in the diet looms large.

Media Message and Story Packaging

In the BSM era publicity efforts in both mainstream and digital media channels would have coalesced around a press kit and some streaming video, distributed online and used as a foundation for contacts with editors, bloggers and producers.

In the ASM world new technology allows content rich micro-site-like platforms to be created and distributed that go much, much further. While the inverted pyramid approach to copywriting may endure (because it’s THE key to good, compelling writing) the style today gets more conversational in tone. Why? Because journalists AND pet parents, employees and other stakeholders are gong to consume the content.

Essentially, for Natural Bounty we’re constructing a digital, interactive repository of information in various forms that ladders up to an immersive experience — and deep dive into the product, its development, experts behind the formulation, how it fits in the framework of innovation pet diets, plus the emotional stories of pets who’ve benefitted from eating it. What’s more, the platform is distributed not only among mainstream media but also in social media channels as well.

We could go on about Natural Bounty launch events, interactive tactics and other strategies to build awareness and preference. But the point here is simply to say there’s strategic, tactical and infrastructure changes in motion right now for PR firms and clients in how and what information is created and packaged for distribution — to inform those who will learn and buy and virally share the message with others.

The story-telling possibilities are made richer by the technology. That it can be aggregated in one location and made available to various channels of on and off-line media and other relevant audiences adjusts the equation of message content and timing. Digital media platforms may indeed inform the future of PR because of the convenience, efficiency and effectiveness they intrinsically deliver. The multi-media options – embedded video, podcasts, links — strengthen message horsepower and bring more dimensions to the story. The built-in interactivity drives real-time feedback as the Natural Bounty launch progresses. Awesome. And message delivered without filter, direct to the pet parent making a decision on pet food.

I’ll leave you with this thought: PR is indeed the new advertising and word of mouth is the new PR. This evolution in media and content strategy is THE enabler.

What do you think?

Industry leaders share their vision and perspective…

You’re working hard. You’ve got a lot on your plate. No day goes by without significant challenges. You try to keep yourself from getting completely mired in the weeds. Some days you do, some you don’t.

You know there’s fresh air and valuable perspective awaiting you when your head is far enough above water to be able to look ahead. You want to take a moment and consider where your business and brand strategies should headed.

We invite you to take just a minute and breathe in some inspirational oxygen. The kind that helps you keep the primary mission always at the front — while the daily business challenges beckon for attention around you.

Major props to Valeria Maltoni for her efforts in assembling this deck — posted this morning at her Conversation Agent blog — a must-read for those who haven’t followed her work.

We normally don’t “echo” other posts but this was an exceptional treatment in our view, and worth sharing in it entirety. Hop you enjoy it.

Looking for clarity in the role of brand participation in a conversational world…

In the bright new realm of “permission” based brand and user relationships, the motivation to engage in conversations with consumers and their trusted influencers is growing. Exponentially. Social media is now a rising star in brand communications plans. That said, we continue to see vexing questions about how best to engage and participate. How do you optimize social media strategy? Read on.

Not surprising it feels foreign, as this media environment does not operate like the old command and control marketing model. There are new rules to understand.

Days of yore:

New world order:

The momentum to get serious about strategic involvement in social media is compelling. A little evidence: Below is a Google Trends chart showing the growth first in Internet searches on key words Social Media, as well as the mounting stack of news articles on the same subject, shown below. Notice the sharp the rise in 2009?

Social media hinges, operates and moves on the passions and interests of people. So rather than look at this as business-to-consumer communication, perhaps it’s best to recast as business-to-people? So how does a brand find its way to a place where conversation works effectively — and yet the effort still contributes to the ultimate goals of commerce and business growth?

Social Strategy Insight: Finding Your Higher Purpose

Brands must identify a sweet spot where the lifestyle interests of their consumers align with some form of authentic value the brand can bring to the party. Jason Baer of Convince & Convert blog fame delivered a terrific presentation for MarketingProfs recently on the subject. His deck showcased a worthy poster-child example of real purpose. Interestingly he chose a case study from one of the most seemingly benign product categories you can imagine – scissors. I’d like to recap his insight and comments here:

Fabulous Fiskars!!

Fiskars makes scissors. Good ones. In fact they may be superior to other brands. Much thought has undoubtedly gone into the design of the blade, the ergonomic shape of the handle, the metal used that retains its sharpness. Yes, you could ladder up a nice feature/benefit statement that flags their scissor superiority.

But then the scissors would remain scissors nonetheless. Instead the brilliant marketers at Fiskars devoted energy to gaining insight about heavy users of scissors. They discovered that hardcore scrapbookers are big users. They determined that scrappers are passionate about what they know. Additionally they like to share their ideas and creativity. Turns out there are many forms, varieties and occasions for scrapping. A lot of this is integral to charting family events, history and milestones.

It is emotionally rich territory to be sure, a powerful zone of human passion and engagement. So the brand works to build a Web based community platform around scrapbook making and invites consumers to become Fiskateers. The brand sets the community stage and helps enable the lifestyle interests of these premier scissor users. And in doing so acquires value and relationship engagement far, far beyond the comprehension of anyone thinking scissors is simply a commodity category.

What’s Your Higher Purpose?

This is not easy to determine. For guidance take a deep, close-up look inside the lives of your best users. What are they into? What are their interests? If you listen hard enough they’ll tell you. Baer has other examples: Volvo determined that safety was an issue to a segment of car buyers. Nordstrom discovered that fanatical customer service was fuel for loyal customer relationships. Pampers discovered that becoming a knowledge broker on parenting advice is more powerful than product driven messages on absorbency.

Finding passion is the starting point. This leads to securing permission for a brand/user relationship, thus opening the door to engagement on product outreach. Once you’ve determined your strategic mission, one that transcends product features and benefits, you can work from there to assemble the proper tools to activate communications successfully in social media. More on that later.

What do you think?

Commodities can be successfully branded…

By Robert Wheatley

Ok, you can stop laughing now. No really. Yes, this is me. I said stop laughing. Anyone hazard a guess on when??

Try 1977. Hopefully that helps explain the hair and stache combo. For those of you not old enough to get the era, the look actually was fairly typical for a guy of my 25 years at the time. This was my first job in PR after a short stint promoting rock concerts. Rocker boy turned farmer? Hardly. The assignment was for the King County government – surrounding the city of Seattle. I was working on a truly innovative project that eventually helped my boss, John Spellman, get elected Governor of the State of Washington.

This newspaper story was about me and what I was up to – sort of a local boy does good treatment. So here I am, standing in a field in front of a tractor, and yes, this farm is in the city. No I did not grow up on a farm and have never milked a cow.

Preserving Urban Agriculture

Not that I’m necessarily the tree-hugging type, but I really thought this project, in its day, was innovative and certainly precedent setting. I had this idea to put a brand identity (King County Fresh) on local produce, honey, and other agricultural products farmed in the urban environs. The t-shirt I’m wearing, a sort of bright Kelly green with reversed out white graphic showcased the Fresh logo, used on POP materials, product stickers and in transit ads to promote the effort. The goal: help create a stronger economic climate that would help keep urban agriculture viable at a time when farmland was disappearing faster than you can say, “Hey, is that a new shopping mall?”

The public policy concept at the time was revolutionary, only Long Island near New York City was also on the same track – to purchase the development rights to farmland, preserving their agricultural use — thus ensuring a steady flow of fresh products into the local market place.

Brands and Value-Added Meaning

I wanted people to know about and be able to recognize locally grown products. The difference in freshness and taste is remarkable. And our research suggested that people (voters) wanted to support local farms and help preserve them. So the King County Fresh campaign was novel in its day –intended to imbue some of the emotional values of branding on commodities like lettuce, corn and melons. The end game: consumers could vote with their pocketbooks to select local products stickered with the Fresh logo or merchandised in a retail section with POP material that showcased the identity.

Media got up for this because statistics revealed local farmland was going the way of the parking lot at an alarming rate. Farmers got excited because they felt it was THEIR brand. Supermarket retailers?? Whole other story because their buying systems had to be interrupted to get local products in the warehouse. Local independent markets were all over it.

It took two trips to the well with the voters, but we eventually succeeded in getting a $65 million bond issue passed to finance the development rights acquisition deal. Spellman, a Republican, got a lot of credit for this and voila, off to the Governor’s mansion, and me off to the agency business with Ogilvy & Mather in 1979.

I have never forgotten the great lesson of the moment, that a profound idea can be captured in an image and then used as a rallying platform to build business and secure fans. In this case, to benefit local farmers and eventually get voters behind an initiative that would keep the fresh cucumbers in those wonderful stalls at Seattle’s unique Pike Place Market.

So are apples, apples? Only if you let them be. Can a head of lettuce stoke emotional bonds? Incredibly, yes. Marketing and communication is such a powerful thing. It’s why I get up in the morning excited to jump into the fray.