'It was early in the morning and I was ready to departure to the Country of the Bears. Again I was going to delve into their forests which goes from the mountains to the sea. It wasn't an unknown land for me, but this time was different. I would know not only new towns, but also more and new bears .

After several hours, I went deeper into the forest and slowly I arrived to the first bear's town. I noticed, when entering the city, that there was few office buildings (in the woods, animals also have this kind of urban areas), on the contrary, what I saw were factories. The first thought that came to my mind was... Bears are so tough, brave, and industrial workers.

That image, that perception, followed me throughout the journey. At a exquisite bar in the center of the town, I met one of the bears that wanted to know. With that bear, we kept a fairly fluid contact via messages in bottles... bottles that we use to find at the 'sea of bottles with messages', where only few of them are worthwhile.

 The meeting was casual, we were animal whith good references. The brave bear was also warm, respectful, friendly ... and yes, with industrial spirit ... and you could smell it in each and every grunt. We visited its village, full of bears (obvious) and open to the rest of animals of the forest... There was room to squirrels, rabbits and other less fierce animals. Even the bears games that they have downtown, which looked like silent monuments, represented their laconic, austere and silent spirit. Fond memories of that meeting will remain in my mind... forever!

I followed my way and got to my second meeting in anther city of bears (of course... this tale speaks of these animals) called "Mydragon". Again, the industrial suburbs, deeper than in my first visit...  a more intense experience.  

I arrived to the cave of bears that were waiting for me ... Anecdotal evidence: some of them wear rings as a bear's symbol and it looks like all of them have their hair cut with the same hairdresser ;-).

They showed their cave, their working environment, which, although creative, still smelt like a factory. I liked it!

With them I took the road to the last of my travel destinations in the Country of the Bears. From the mountain we went down to the sea. Forest trees were behind ... We were at one of its beaches, actually we were at "the beach". We ate, drank, shared experiences, that among animals of diverse species are often different, although none were distant.

The story continues and I remember it fondly...

What I learned from the bears

I believe that the first lesson is that there is a clear difference between emotion and representation. I mean, a meeting may be full of emotions, unique and unrepeatable, however it doesn't need to be expressed and represented with great eloquence.

Bears are tough animals, workers and as the story says, they smell of industry... His character is somewhat dry and in some cases, even distant. But when you are with them, you may recognize their esteem, their closeness and the different way the have of expressing it.

The second lesson is that even this way of being is a differential characteristic. Many times, if not too many, it is thought that what it's around us, to reach the depths of our being it has to touch our souls.  Particularly, to me, a Mercedes Benz does not touch my soul, although I think it would be an exciting experience.

In its hardness, in its brevity, its seriousness, its dry ... bears, using their own way, generate emotions... and that is what makes the difference.

The third learning is that identity is rooted in values of belonging. Bears are proud of their forest and of being bears. For different reasons this is also true for other animals that are over this world, and we can learn from them (the bears I say).

We live talking about self-expression as an issue that is independent of the place where we live and the other animals with whom we share our lifes. Let us be what we are, neither more nor less ... We have to know that each of us is different, live our-own experiences in our-own way... and if there is something that unites us, it would be the feeling of belonging in what was always ours.

Branding is an issue of, for and among animals... and I will be never tired of saying ... New technologies, those that have developed and are eating many humans, can be tools to be better connected, to learn more (although more superficial), to find others of our species in remote places... but are just that, tools...

Things should return to its natural order ... subjects first, objects well behind us!

The country brand experience

The last day I was with the bears, I participated in one of their events (great and for me very grateful, of course). During it, one of the key topic discussed was 'Are bears good sellers? Do we have a clear differential attribute because we live inthe Country of the Bears?'

After a couple of weeks that I was thinking about these issues, let me share some thoughts:

• We buy what the bears produce because of their seriousness, their brave and the smell of industry. Do not try to sell as squirrels because you will create uncertainty, confusion ... The bears are bears and that is their greatest asset. Follow the recipe of your hearts and do not try to imitate others animals... please!
  
•  If the Bears want to sell outside their forest, they must continue (also) being bears ... However, try to create empathy with the other animals to understand and talk with them in their own languages... This goes for any animal that wants to go to sell to other species
• I love and even I have a healthy envy for the pride that the bears show of their forest, the Bear Country. And this is another asset, not to go growling the benefits of the forest, but to put it as a recognized reference that makes them different and unique...
• It's not a question of selling but buying, living our experience, participating and talking... The bears may be harsh and grumpy ... but they are warm, emotional, friendly (when they wish... haha) and participatory.

Last month we organized an online survey asking about masstige brands. The survey was opened during two weeks.

Before results

• We considered only 12 brands that were mentioned as masstige ones (with global presence) in different media
  • We excluded those brand that were, in a certain way, at the top and bottom pricing levels of the masstige category (if we can call it ‘category’). E.g.: Porsche Boxter or Sam Adams beer
  • We considered the following brands: Burberry. Codorníu, Commes des Garçons, Hermes, La Perla, Lladró, Majórica, Manolo Blahnik, Möet & Chandon, Swarovski, Tiffany and Vivienne Westwood. (Please, do not kill the messenger, we only took brands mentioned several times in different magazines, off and online, during the last four months)
• There were 404 completed answers and 915 uncompleted (people left the survey before ending it)
• Participants came from 25 countries
  • 50% of the answers came from Germany, Portugal, Spain, UK and USA
  • 30% of the answers came from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France and Italy
• 90% of the people who answered were between 26 and 55 years old
  • 55% between 26 and 45
  • 35% between 46 and 55

Results

It looks obvious that the main attributes recognized in these brands were: Prestige, luxury and elegance. What was not so obvious was that one out of five people did not know and/or couldn’t say anything about those masstige brands. The brands with high association to those key attributes were: Burberry, Hermes, Manolo Blahnik, Möet & Chandon and Tiffany.

Another interesting point about masstige brands, was that people perceived that they are becoming more massive. Exceptions to this point were: Hermes, La Perla, Manolo Blahnik and Vivienne Westwood.

Half of the participants believed that masstige brands are focused on adults (neither young people, nor grandma & grandpa). However, if we look at Spanish brands and answers coming from Spain, the results are perceptively different… These brands are considered by them for older people. Also, they said that this sort of product is bought mainly as a gift.

Finally, almost 60% of the participants buy this kind of products more than once a year and at the brand store (neither duty free shops, nor department stores, shopping centres and/or multi-brand luxury shops); however, in their decision process, they consider other alternatives out of the masstige category. Actually, one out of four considers tech-products as an alternative (E.g.: Will I buy a Hermes tie or an iPad?).

What can we learn from this:

Results are clear enough; however, allow me to share with you some thoughts:

• Like each and every category, the masstige category has strong brands in it, brands that are telling us that they are strong (although it is not necessarily true), that they are niche brands… The issue is that when we asked about attributes and we proposed some linear simple answers, 20% of the people couldn’t assign any of them… When the sandwich has a lot of bread, you lose the flavour of the ham
• While half of the people believed/perceived that masstige brands continue being what they are, the other half believed that they are becoming more massive or more luxurious, and if they are more luxurious, they begin to be out of range (for purchase purpose)… But this is a perception which in many cases has no relation to what happens in reality… If the sandwich has a lot of ham it will look expensive, even when it's cheap ham
• Masstige brands are competing with other brands (and products) that are beyond the category boundaries… when you want to eat something exquisite, you look for tasty food, not only sandwiches
• Most of the masstige brand companies used to considered duty free shops, multi-brands luxury retails or department stores, their main distribution channel. But people want to enjoy a full experience with those brands, at their own stores… If the ham is so good, don’t sell it at a 7/11, have your own ‘sandwich boutique’

Masstige brands are like the ham of the sandwich… Although we are talking about excellent ham, it is still in the middle of the bread. If the brand belongs to a certain developed category where similar mass market and premium products are thought attractive, the masstige product will be recognized and considered as it should be … If not, it is too much bread for a thin slice of ham…

A final thought or perhaps a question…

Could we consider in the same situation all things that are in the middle? People, neighbours, banks’ affluent clients, countries?...

Politicians are still trying to understand the crisis, some big companies are launching innocuous campaigns, bankers are crying because they didn't deserve this situation... Should I continue the list? Probably I could, but that's not the point.

In this social network we use to talk about branding, about brand experiences... about us!... We could isolate branding issues from our current situation, however, it would look at certain point, something between naïf and unconscious.

Reality, which is neither the Big Brother nor Code Lyoko, is showing us that to overcome the crisis, we do need as individuals certain specific behaviours (remember what Dr. Utterson said when he talked about the online and offline worlds... both are real).

Going back to the first sentence of this post:

• Today's politicians (from the left, center or right) learned how to manage a country as if sea captains had learnt to sail in calm waters
• Some big companies used to be managed under the SYA (Save Your Ass) policies. So, everything coming from them seems to be decaffeinated
• Bankers follow the patterns designed by the Chicago's boys or the ones that are fashionable, and teach how to overcome a crisis produced by others
• ...

All that I mentioned above have something in common.... All the people involved behave as bureaucrats. This is not bad, however, it is not enough to overcome a crisis.

Both bureaucrats as well as employees are needed to make the world work, and probably, they are better prepared to manage stable situations than other kind of people.

Today's crisis is a point of inflection. It cannot be solved with old formulas because, probably, we are not going to go back to same old habits.... And they have no idea of what to do.

What is the connection of this with brand experiences?

During a long period of time I was thinking of differentiating between big brands from those ones that we finally fall in love with (it's a way of saying):

• Big brands belong to big companies, they have deep coverage, and we are aware of their existence. e.g.: GE (one of the brands with highest economic value worldwide)
• Brands that we finally fall in love with could belong to big companies... or not. They are focused on their tribe. We are aware of their existence if we are familiar with the tribe... and we would love them if we live deeply their experience one time after another

And here comes the point... The brands that are loved have another key characteristic: they were created by an entrepreneur and his/her soul is still alive in the company.

Entrepreneurs think about brand positioning because they want to give strategic intention to their promises. However, before that, they bring to the brand experience two other things:

• A call to action idea that is permanent, based on their value agendas and make the difference over time
• They are the story behind the scene that personalizes that brand experience

We can love or hate those people... Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Steve Jobs and/or Ingvar Kamprad (IKEA). But for sure, they do not go unnoticed.

These people are not complaining about limitations, regulations,... They are creating new rules. They rule their way of living!

Still looks that there is no connection... Hmmmm

The message in the bottle

Let's merge both ideas, crisis and entrepreneurs...

• Entrepreneurs are people who have a dream and the ability to make it come true
• Entrepreneurs are not afraid of crisis because they live in an eternal one
• Entreprenuers are inflexible with their ideas and flexible with their implementation
• Entrepreneurs never surrender

• Crisis forces to change habits
• Crisis are solved by braves (a politically correct way of saying 'crazies')
• Crisis requires flexibility and speed
• Crisis usually keeps in our minds (self-fulfilling prophecy)

To overcome this crisis that we are "enjoying" now, we do need to create new kinds of experiences. Those experiences must be aligned with new behaviours, with new value agendas. Brands are not going to be what they were because we are not going to live the way that we were living up to now.

Only somebody with a soul of an entreprenuer (also if he/she is an employee) is able to understand this and do something... Actually, they are doing it!

Finally, perhaps it's time to pay attention to the entrepreneurs and the brand experiences that they are creating because they are the ones who are going to change the world.

Period!

I would like to begin this synthesis with something said by President Clinton, 'It's the economy, idiot...!'. At the end of this short story you will probably understand the reason why I've begun with this.

At the end of January I wrote the first chapter of this affair between trends and branding. Actually, the one who talked was Dr. Utterson, Dr. Jekylls' best friend... the one who knew the truth.

Now, for the end of this season, I've invited Dr. Jekyll (J), Mr. Hyde (H) and Dr. Utterson (U) to discuss with you through their own dialogues.

(U) Trends are showing that people are changing, going back to their roots... Finally, we are talking again!

(J) For us that's good news, we are revitalizing concepts and honestly validating what is around us. Good dialogues produce a better and deeper understanding of our reality

(H) And it's great because we can manipulate people in the way we want, just telling them that we are good friends

(U) My not-so-good-friend Hyde, we, as people, are able to decodify the messages and segregate what looks like misleading

(J) Please, dear Dr. Utterson, don't take him into consideration, he is an idelogical monster

(H) I could be whatever you want, but I'm not alone... my dear 'other side of the coin'!

(U) But trends are something that's happening around the world... And I presume that there are more honest people than monsters like you

(J) The important issue here, I think, is that we are facing a new kind of human momentum, disruptive, empowered, fascinating.

(H) No, no, no... There is a special feeling, I would say you get in extasis, when you know that you are cheating somebody else... Here you are, here I kill you!

(U) Your point is interesting and actually, it could be true, but I believe that it's not going to work on the long-term. We wish to feel good, to avoid nightmares, to see that what's around us reduces our uncertainties

(J) Now is time to observe, to anticipate... to execute... to innovate... to be and feel unique... And this is important for us, for companies, for institutions... I'm sorry to say that your time, Mr. Hyde, is gone

(J) (H) (U) Can't you see it?... It's simple... It's the people, idiot!

To summarize, seriously and responsibly... Among trends and brand experiences, what matters is people... Yes, we are the key!

Time to think, time to talk, time to create, time to use our brains :)

Branding is a question of people... As simple as that!

Things have changed… The traditional definition of luxury is losing content. Luxury will be whatever you want it to be.

Luxury, in a certain way, is related to scarce resources, and they are becoming an individual issue, specially, if the person is desperate to be different and unique. Does this sound like something strange?

Now, there are infinite ways to be unique. The days of better, more expensive, bigger are in the past. So, the concept has changed :)

Trend #7: Luxurious

The key is not to discover what is luxurious now, but to define and/or create it.

It’s a question of paying attention to the way that people in their different tribes are showing their status attributes.

Remembering Trend #1 –Status & Recognition, some triggers could be:

• Green, eco, sustainable…
• Information and experience sharing
• Mastery in something
• Online image

Challenge #7: Create a unique experience

The challenge is simple to describe and difficult to implement (good brains are required): Create, design and launch something different, knowing that you are toasting with champagne on the Titanic's deck.

The present "luxurious level" will descend in the Maslow’s pyramid to the "needs level" for future generations.

Interesting... Financial Times Special Report: Business of Luxury

Arriving to the ‘IAmMyBrand’ trend, I presume that we arrive to a point of real discussion.

As some of you may know, I have a clear opinion regarding personal branding. This is that I’m against that concept:

• Brands and branding was and is developed to objects: We can work on improving certain identity and build its image
• We are subjects: We are what we are and that’s something difficult to change. We can only work on personal image
• To work on subjects cannot follow a pre-defined process: If we all follow a process to improve our image, we will arrive to the same point that companies did when they applied reengineering… A new standard without a clear differentiation between one individual and the others
• Instead that we are gregarious and want to be part of certain tribes, as persons, we are unique and that is part of our identity

However, as everybody is defining the personal image as personal branding, I’ll use those words :(

Trend #6: ‘IAmMyBrand’ Trend

'IAmMyBrand’ trend is about building our own personal brands online.

As it was said on the Trendwatching 2010 report: ‘The online world has unlocked existing needs in entirely new ways. Humans’ deep need to be interesting to others, to be loved, admired, coveted, special, recognized, unique can now be satisfied by building attractive online profiles and presences, which, if successful, will attract friends, followers, if not a proper audience’

The relation with products and services that make us more interesting is based on what they do, say, who they connect to… and help us as a dress to improve our own image. This trend needs you to be:

• An empathetic person
• A person who knows and tell valuable things
• A person who is able to envisage the future (next minute or next century)
• A person who understand the new reciprocity business framework

Challenge #6: Brands are for objects, Image is for subjects

Due to our online presence, brands can pro-actively learn about people preferences. However, there is a huge challenge here and it hasn’t solved yet:

• As individuals we have our own preferences
• Those preferences are based on our own experiences
• Experiences are lived with different brands… Each of us has a unique sort of brand salad (e.g.: we expect that the retail experience that we had in Barnes & Noble, instead that we are in Carrefour… we want that our new car has the same kind of apps that we have in our iPhone…)
• Companies need to understand that the issue is not their competition, is the competitors that we have in our minds (and that would reflect in our online opinions about brand experiences)
• Brands are like prêt-à-porter dresses for our image

Brands and individuals are now managing their images across multiple platforms in this real ‘off and online’ world, with different messages, different images, to different tribes… with the same identity.

What do you think?

One of the deepest changes during this century has been that we have moved from a world split in real and virtual to one that could be described as offline and online... but always real. Now, there is little room for the virtual!

The effect of this new way of understanding our context has produced (also) a modification in our behaviors. In the online real world, the key is not longer to posses, but to allow that things flow. The new leader is not longer the one who has, it's the one who becomes a master managing the flows... (Uoooppsss... I hope you understand this).

Finally, it's relevant to recognize that after the homo-sapiens it came the homo-economicus... That's what we are!... The homo-economicus is a special kind of bipolar individuos who is willing to belong and participate in a community (off & online) and, at the same time, feel unique and different to the rest of the tribe... Like my friend Dr. Jekyll.

Trend #5: Be real, off & online

Right now, almost 2 billion people are 'on', and for sure, almost all the young people are and enjoy their online lifes. And, BTW, the social events are generating more traffic/activity than the porn-sites.

For all of them, being actors or spectators, there isn't a clear boundary between what it's on and what it's offline. For them, everything is real. Period.

In the online world (as well as in the offline) we can find:

• The Godfather: that person that is provoking and generating activities
• The Usual Suspects: those people who, independently of the contents, love to participate
• Guess Who's Coming to Dinner: those that sporadically participate and/or contact directly the authors of the activities and contents 
• The Lord of the Rings: Those who participate in certain events that are driven by people of his/her 'gang'
• Ghost: all that people who is paying attention to what's going on, however, they only gives some evidence of their presence

This trend will evolve. Actually, it's evolving. Each second, there are more people online, however, this situation doesn't imply that there are neither more nor better conversations. Also, it is important to split the ones who are participating as actors in hubs & spokes of ideas.

So, as people are living in a real world, the meaning of this trend is that we are looking for the same kind of 'functionalities' in both online as well as offline experiences.

Challenge #5: brand experiences out of range

Brand experiences have to evolve by observation and anticipation. We, as people, have short scope radars, so, if brands are not close to us offering a dialogue in our 'real' world, they would be out of range.

Experiences will need to understand a new way of living, making thinks simple and forgetting the old paradigms of virtual and real world... It's only real, off and online... but real!

Some brands already understood this shift and have begun to walk a new path:

• Lufthansa offering in-flight WiFi 
• Givenchy launching 'Play' perfume
• Nike offering online 'offline products' customization
• Christies' auction house (founded in 1759) has presence via RSS, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube...
• TruePower UCS understanding that other devises need energy...

Thoughts, comments... Want to talk?

During the last years, we have segmented and studied different tribes. Actually, we have arrived to "almost one member tribes"...

The real issue, behind the scene, is that thinking of this situation we have converted our gray matter in a sort of mashed potato. We have thought a lot... Gray puree!

And some results are as great as interesting... Probably the most important event is that our lifes are becoming disrupted... and so our innovation processes.

Disruptive innovation is not to invent the square wheel, because it would be useless... It's to come with new categories of products/services that are answering a real need (although that this could be a philosophical discussion, I'm assuming that needs exist adn are not created).

Hence, our disruptive lifes should be followed and anticipated (both at the same time) by disruptive innovation.

Trend #4: Disruptive innovation

Disruptive innovation is part of a conversation between people who belong to a tribe and companies that love to give something relevant to that people.

During the last years we have saw companies giving especific answers to:

• Old people (retired)
• Women
• Gays
• Kids
• ...

Also, we have seen that due to the conversation, products and services are becoming the result of a co-design between people of each system (company + providers + clients + customers + strategic partners + ...). As a result of this we envisage three main drivers for innovation disruption:

• Co-creation: People as part of the innovation event
• Convenience: Products come to the market faster than ever... and this is better and more convenient... Dont' you think?
• Customization: Instead that 'generosity' is a trend, we will continue wishing to be unique and that requires personalization of the products and services that we use

Challenge #4: Brand customization

We are disruptives, innovation is disruptive... so, your brand experience should be also disruptive... Don't be afraid, people will thank you!

A great number of brand experiences are changing and innovating. New categories are emerging and giving answers to especific tribes. Some examples:

• Tiffany & Co. is developing customized dinner ware
• Sephora has vending machines for cosmetics
• Barcelona has a bike system for citizens with their correspondant bike stations
• The Satndard Hotel has vending machine with socks and swimwear
• Underwear for left-handed people
• JVC's Youtube camcorder
• ...
• And we can add products fro tribes, from women to baby boomers ;)

In a continous timeline, we are jumping as kids ;)

There are several sites talking about 'phantasy'. Perhaps, the most valuable synthesis about this trend could be found in TrendWatching and The Cool Hunter.

Phantasy is based in two movements that are happening at the same time:

• People are taking distance from mass-media, mass production, mass-advertising, mass-whatever
• People are emphatically showing their opinions and thoughts in a more transparent and conversational mode

Trend #3: The 'Phantasy' of being demode

The observed result is that when people, companies, institution find themselves in a middle of a discussion, they use to answer in a traditional way that could be consider unreal... a 'phantasy'... I know that I'm only showing one of the effects!

The real issue of this unreal situation is that people, giving their opinions, feel comfortable and enjoy this new power that they have obtained. There are no filters and/or obstacles from old institutions and corporations.

Challenge #3: Inclusive brand experiences

Brands need to evolve and their experiences have to be part of the people live experience. To do this, it's simple (which doesn't mean easy). We are talking about:

• Honesty
• Inclusive
• Taboo adverse
• Conversational
• Fun
• Having a real soul

Brand extensions will not be as we saw before. They will be as people want them to be... as a brand that gives something to improve their day-to-day experience.

Also, and this could be considered as ideological, what is false, must be done well... Seriously now, what I'm trying to say is that the story, the product, the promise should be good...

Examples to make this point clear (to see them, click on the images):

• Comme des Garcons released their 'Series 6 Synthetics' line, which is a range of perfumes based on unconventional materials. This Japanese creation is sold in London's Dover St. Market. Actually, these are anti-perfurmes, however, as they have been honest telling people this story, they are a success
• Ticings: they offer decorative edible sheets of icing that quickly add modern design features to cakes, cookies, brownies and cupcakes. The taste of your cake it's your problem... but, for sure, it will look so well :)

Generosity [The Generation G] could be consider a trend in people as well as in companies. This trend probably is based on the tiredness we have regarding greed and its effects on economy.

Generosity emerges as a trend jointly with this online culture that we are experiencing and from the one we are learning.

In this new environment, companies will need to re-focus themselves, from paying attention to their belly buttons, to sharing passion and receiving recognition.

Trend #2: Generosity drivers

• Disgusted people [now we could add crisis]: People are better informed of what it's going on. So, companies that continue with the idea of non-bi-directional communication and interaction will be out of their radar (actually, they already are)
• Companies that take care: As we are more informed, we are not only paying attention of company external behaviors, but also of how is the relation between companies and their employees. Things are more complex and decisions too. The key is generosity, care, empathy and simpathy. We could consider this need of change also for governments and intitutions.
• New ways of talking and sharing: Deep in our behaviors, the issue is not about anger, it's about passion. We are willing (and in same cases, able) to give, share and collaborate

Also, consider that young people do not differentiate offline from online, and online culture is based on generosity. Companies should learn this from people. It's not a 'nice to have?, it's a must be...

• Generous to people
• Generous to customers
• Generous to employees
• Generous to environment
• Generous to social causes
• Generous... Period!

As it was said by Reinier Evers of Trendwatching, "generosity is more about context and timing than out-of-the-blue insights".

Challenge #2: Brands dialogue

Brands will begin to play their game if companies (and marketers) understand that the one-way advertising is over. Brands are not to sell, they are to assist people in relevant ways...And people will buy...because of authenticity, functionallity, exclusivity... because they are able to talk, to dialogue with the brands. Is your brand ready for this challenge?

Brands will become the key to stay relevant to people who live in this collaborative culture. And for God sake, this goes beyond social responsibility or eco-care departments. It's a change in the ways that the companies use to interact... It's not a process, it's a holistic understanding of relations.

Your thoughts, as always, are welcome!

So, getting to the point, this is the first post of several which will talk about trends and branding... connections, implications and challenges... Hope you enjoy them!

Trend #1: Status and recognition

When you interact with other people you will discover (it's not so difficult) that almost everything comes back to the need of recognition.

So, in a certain way and as a relative concept, status is like a brand driver; however, it looks like during the next months/years (perhaps and in certain way due to the crisis) those brands that behaved as traditional status symbols are not going to be the "aspirational desire" that we saw before.

As it was said in TrendWatching 2010, "status is to be attained in many more ways than leading a lifestyle centered on hoarding as many branded, luxury goods as possible"....

In certain societies, financial wealth is becoming something less important... In those cases, luxury goods would lose relevance.

Hence, status could be understood as:

• Green Status: For these people, to drive a Prius would give more status than having a Rolls
• Info Status: For people who have an audience willing to hear what they know... what they have to say
• Experience status: it will be more important the story behind the product than some functional/physical status symbols
• Knowledge status: As more people are becoming masters in the use of the tools, to "know why" will become a status symbol
• Online status: Hmmmm... You know what I'm talking about [however, try to avoid the recipes to build your personal brand]
• And... Traditional status will be seen only in emerging middle class people in countries like the ones that belong to the BRIC [Brazil, Russia, India, China] 

Challenge #1: The brand understanding shift

This will not be to re-invent the wheel... If, at least for a moment, we admit that the trend presented before is true [actually, there is no reason to believe another thing... I'm just telling what it's observed], brands are facing a great inflection point and companies will need to do something:

• More than ever, brands must behave as a holistic experience considering the brand itself, the communication, but also, the product, the value perceived, its usefulness, availability, related services... And other new issues like interactivity, asynchronism and tailor-made
• The ones who are acquiring online, info and knowledge status are becoming prescribers... Brands must make those individuals fall in love with them...
• Luxury brands are facing the end of their golden age. People are beginning to give more weight to issues that are out of the "economy sphere" to achieve their desired recognition

Actually, it seems like the real issue is not in the brand but in a need of a deep company shift in some encysted beliefs. Dont' you think?

Last Tuesday I presented it during a Cosentino's conference (we presented their own social network, Recyecology) at Almería, Spain...

With the participation of more than 1,400 people during the months of December 2009, Allegro 234 conducted the "Coolest & Gaps Branding Survey".

This survey is the first in which the question about the coolest brand has been opened without a predetermined list [spontaneous, not induced].

Through various media and online blogs, the survey has achieved a high participation level

• 1,444 participants [valid answers]; 10% more than in 2008
• Europe 45%, the Americas 45% and Asia 5% [47 countries]
• 85% of participants working in areas related to branding, marketing, communications and PR

Coolest

The five coolest brands are:

1. Apple [with more than double of mentions than the second one]
2. Coca-Cola
3. Nike
4. Starbucks
5. Virgin

A group of brands that follows the top five, includes Amazon, Google, Corona, Lonely Planet and Marriot

Brands like Vueling, Illy, Burton, REI and Patagonia continue being part of the coolest ones at continental and country levels

Even as these are the coolest brands, participants also recognize that there are things to improve:

• Responsibility: Brands are perceived as not enough attentive to social responsibility and environmental issues
• Services: People is failing [not living the values that the brand promises]
• Price: Brand premium price

Finally, two important issues:

• Communication is only part of the experience [Companies in the telecommunications sector and financial institutions have rarely been mentioned, less than 1%]
• Coolest brand Experiences are those which are giving real value

Gaps

On average, it is recognized that all companies, regardless of the sector they belong to, need to work on their brand experience

• Those working in areas related to branding are more pessimistic than the non-related people
• People fail to decode the message [marketing speaks a language that only they understand]
• The aspirational is difficult to achieve and produces frustration [is sensed a lack of authenticity and realism]

Finally, in regard to the internal branding experience, 57% (80% more than in 2008) of participants believed that it is inappropriate and/or partially adequate in their business

You can read/download the full document here

During the last couple of weeks we have read whatever you want regarding the Tiger Woods -TW, Affair... A man who behaved as a depredator tiger, visiting an excesive number of woods :)

What if...

Instead that I do not believe in the "conditional perfect tense" (it's an ontological issue) the question is:

• What would with Exxon have been happened if they had used TW in their old advertising?
• Could TW have been or will be a reference for certain brand extensions? (e.g.: Burberry's)
• What if TW had been the CEO of one of the sponsoring companies?

Are they serious about...

In certain way, all this affair looks bizarre...

• Some sponsors are saying goodbye to TW... Questions:
  
  • Why Accenture's partners did not say anything after some Arthur Andersen affairs?
  • Why Gillette doen't talk about its "daddy" -P&G, dominant position in certain categories and markets?
  • AT&T?.... The list continue... Can anyone cast the first stone?
• TW had a car accident... And due to this accident we all discovered that he has a good number of lovers... LOL! (up today, I did not understand the correlation)
• TW's wife behaved as a naif person who didn't realize that his husband had several (not one!) lovers... And in Xmas thanked him because of his US$ 300m present... LOL again!... This is unbelievable in the US, Spain, Congo or China... For God sake!

It wouldn't be strange that in few week we hear that TW is going to go to the same clinic that Michael Douglas went....

And the basics?

Possibly, the main issue here is that in certain point somebody forgot a simple branding rule (I don't know if inmutable.... I don't think so!)... Try to avoid the relation of your brand with a person... I remeber that we were discussing about this issue some months ago in an Executive Program at UTDT... Here is the answer!

In the case of Accenture, the situation is a good evidence to learn about this issue... They had a great advertising campaign, however, they generated the confusion using the same person (TW) during several years... Did Accenture dilute its identity on behalf of TW ones?

Advertising has the objective of producing incomes in the short term, while branding has the objective of generating longlasting value in the long term... Understand?

The vertical line should have and arrow at its bottom :)

BTW... Where were or how should corporate responsibility be understood in this case?

Gideon would say: "Deleuze in The Logic of Sense: It's a strange position the one that blindly values the depth at the expense of the surface, giving to superficial the mean of lack of draft instead of long dimension".

Two facts that I am paying some attention:

• Increased access to information via the Internet, especially through social networks 
•  We know more, though with less depth (even without actually knowing if what it has been said is true)

More information wherever and whenever we want, tailored to our interests ... More superficial, shallow and therefore no less exciting.

The question is: Do we really take advantage of this situation?

Communicate with meaning | Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo

Without going into the question of whether today's social networks will be successful or not, it is true that the technologies allowed us to socialize at levels hitherto unknown. In a different way than few years ago but no less valuable.

However (there's always a but .... God Dammed!), if we pay attention to what is said we could see several things:

• Many saying the same ... even in some cases, or there are people who read and absorb knowledge very quickly, or they only read the titles 
• A little added value in the flow of information ... Something like "step as it comes" 
• The talks, regardless of how many friends, followers, fans... you have, are almost restricted and are possible to follow for those who hold them 
• Something that began with the virtue of honesty begins to be distorted... without that, much information can be categorized as disinformation...

Do not believe it at first, think about what you see, read or hear, create your own opinion, learn and expand ... Be yourself!

And if you don't want to, be aware, other is the one who is writing the script... :(

Someone is writing the script | The Usual Suspects

If we pay attention to general social networks (Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Tuenti ...), the information not only repeats tirelessly and without additional content, but also those who say something about it are few.

Much of this information, in turn, came from other networks, with people who took it from somewhere else and the story continues...

The point is that someone created that information and in some cases it ends up being, at least, of bizarre nature...

The risk of this is that eventually and with vehement negligence we are allowing few to write the script of our daily agenda...

An example of Spain, today:

• There is talk of a new law proposed by the government affecting the rights of people on the Internet 
• "Someone" opened forums, groups, etc.. in different social networks with a "manifesto" (In basic twiterian it would say #manifesto) against the measure 
• Several people joined the event 
• Today we discover that behind the event there would be some personal intentions 
  
• At least, I got off the list for feeling somewhat cheated, manipulated and poorly represented... And not because of my agreement or disagreement with the contents 
• Today there was a meeting between government and the "usual suspects" ... News: "The government has no intention of listening" 
• I wonder with honestly thought: "Henry, are you really the interlocutor?

We should write our own scripts; we are players in our own play, we could also be actors in plays of others... Basically, no matter if our ideas are great, good or disposable ...

The issue, I think, is to develop and practice the art of thinking by ourselves and this is the basis to do something together in community.

Co-creation starts with having something to give, and what better if what you have is an idea!

Co-creating means sharing | Pulp Fiction

Co-creation could occur in new environments ... although they may not :)

In any case, new technologies, social networks..., at least give us good insights if you wanted to do something with other people... The question is: Did they choose me?

In a world where "to flow is the king", find the "creators" is a complex task, if you do not know them personally.

Instead, not everything is so black ... If you pay attention, if you read slowly, you'll notice things cool, unique, shared... And if you do this for a while, you'll also see that there is a small group of people who generates those thoughts that you like.

Co-create is to discover who, with patience, knowing that you have to give first... It is about peers where the greatest challenge is to exceed our ancestral aspirations of referential status.

In this case, it is not ideological writers, it's about those writers of their own destinies who also invite to be part... and accept to change their ideas because they discover that together can cerate better things.

We move at a slow pace, the rhythm of human beings... seeking for empathy that comes from shared principles and agendas... and this takes time. Hence the patient, hence the feeling of overwhelmed by these new technologies that could help us.

The new technology is beyond us | Matrix

To give a framework to my thoughts: In a world with 6,400 million inhabitants, Internet penetration is 26% and like wealth , it's unevenly distributed.

• Of all those people ... 30% access social networks ... that is, something like 7% of humanity ... 
• 10% actively participate and 2% create content... That means that only 0.1% of humanity is creating content. Are you one of them?

In summary ... Although we are talking about millions, we are "early adopters" of these technologies in a world upside down, most children know more than we do :)

The interesting thing is that as individuals we are still so raw as we were several thousand years ago. The wars, hunger, poverty ... slavery continue there, and our reactions are so "demode", that just thinking about them make us feel shame.

My thoughts at this point (at least one of them) is that the mix between humans, technologies and knowledge is creating a new type of slavery ... And I think we aren't realizing this.

As a society we are beginning to know and learn more about the tools than about the contents:

• We use Excel but we are not able to rationalize the equations giving the response 
• We use Word and believe that its spellchecker works wonders 
• We welcome ideas from others who said this or that, and do not stop to think if what they told has any value, can be improved or even criticized
  
• Forget events to give space to others and do not stop to think about their relationship (eg: Today, Mr. Nobel Peace Prize announced that he will send more troops to war)

We are so preoccupied that we forgot to think. To know does not mean to learn.

A society that becomes expert in tools and ignorant of reasons is taking the decision of self-enslavement. Curiosity by itself is harmless. It should be curiousity that generates action, that moves us, what finally makes us creative, which humanizes us.

Thinking in terms of free society is the challenge for the ones who have ideas.

The challenge of having ideas | Serendipity

Everything goes so fast, so on the surface... Overwhelming!

Dazzled by this "belle epoque" that we are living is real... We are at an exciting time.

The paradigm of inequality continues and has additional aspects that require reflection.

Perhaps if I had to ask for something for this holiday season, would be to return to the roots of our humanity, to exacerbate our creative ability, to take the responsibility (at any level) to think and make others think... A challenge of love of what we always have been and are still learning to be... people!

Please, take care that we aren't cheering with champagne on the deck of the Titanic :)

For a couple of weeks, I was in a rush and only updated my status in Webjam, continue with some conversations here and in LinkedIn, invite people in Facebook to read/re-post old things that I revisited and thought they are still relevant (at least for me)... So, I'm back!

During this period of time I was also thinking (at least for a couple of hours a day) and paying attention to social networks, communities... and specifically, I was looking at our interaction...

To give a framework to my thoughts let me present some figures:

• Brand 3.0 members @Webjam: 500
• Brand 3.0 newsletter subscriptors @Webjam: 200
• Brand 3.0 members @LinkedIn: 4,200
• Brand 3.0 fans @Facebook: 160
• Allegro 234 members @Allegro234: 200
• Allegro 234 fans @Facebook: 160
• Allegro 234 followers @Twitter: 500
• Cristián network @LinkedIn: 1,500
• ... Xing, Inusual, Marketing LATAM, Digerati, Libellus,...

So, I'll talk about interactions between a good number of people (it's not a direct sum.... some people belong to several networks at the same time)... Let say 4,500 approx. Fair?

We use to talk, and this began with Adam and Eve

It's interesting to see two issues:

• The quantity of people in Facebook and Twitter talking about Facebook and Twitter
• The recognition as a new paradigm that we are talking

Adam and Eve talked... Actually they also mantained several dialogues with God, situation that could be considered as the first online virtual dialogue... They also talked with a snake...

The points are that neither them, nor us (in our offline life) use to talk about the tools that we use to be connected... At least in my case, when I use the phone I don't establish dialogues about the terminal that we are using, or when we are drinking a beer with friends we don't talk about our vocal cords... The other point is more complex and perhaps a psychiatrist and/or psycologist is able to explain it better... We were, are and probably will be gregarious; so, by default we are rational dialogical animals (we also smile... which is an unique characteristic of human beings).

Activity generates dialogue, sometimes deaf

As Alberto mentioned in WOW 2.0 and yesterday in the iBGC '09 (Bilbao, Spain), activity is essencial in social networks to produce dialogues. I agree with this, however, in some cases (more than you can imagine) activity generates activity. Period.

Examples:

• LinkedIn group: Somebody begins a discussion. After few days you can see 10 comments, but most of them are not considering the other comments, or even worse, the comment is used as a way for self-promotion, to show how smart is the one who is writing that post... From a dialogue generation to a deaf dialogue
• Facebook wall and Twitter: In a normal day... from 100 Twitts and or FB wall comments, four are related and could be considered as a sort of dialogue, 20 are RTs', other 20 are emoticons... and the rest, God knows what the hell they are

Activity could generate dialogue if it mantains certain relevance. And if this dialogues are generated at corporate level, they should be carefully thought. Dont' you think?

Brand experiences are built on dialogues... Alleluia!

For companies, dialogues help to build their brand experiences... Alleluia!...

This is not new. Actually, almost every experience is based on dialogues. The experience exist because we talk about it. Social networks allow us to tell more people, more easy and more quickly the sort of experiences that we are living.

But, before social networks, we also talk about our experiences... and now, for those companies that still do not have their own social network, people are talking about that experience...

Control is a pre-Methuselah historic illusion. To try to control dialogues is futile; we can only observe and give some intention.

Personal branding in a world where brand are something personal

A side effect of paying attention to social networks has been to see all the efforts to build, sell, promote... personal branding.

We wish to be different, unique, cool... Following an online process to improve our personal brand (I would say "personal brand" because it's understandable, actually, we should say personal image) looks, at least, funny... If we all follow the same process we will become a sort of "Mini-me" of others.

You can build your image online promoting activities that generates good dialogues. And to do that, you have to be honest and show you as you are... and not as the manual suggests that you should be. No? (Canadian question)

'Dialogus interruptus' are unproductive

Yesterday in one of the valuable Twitts that I read, there was one from iBGC '09 so interesting when one of the speakers defined Twitter... He said: "Twitter is a sort of dialogus interruptus".... He was right!

'Whatever interruptus' is unproductive by default... Babies aren't born, ideas don't see the light, dialogues aren't generated.

Experiences are based on dialogues, on fluid dialogues... And fluid means:

• You talk, he/she talks
• You talk and wait (I deleted several people who I began to follow because their comments were like SPAMs)
• The dialogue evolves
• You feel great because something interesting (and perhaps new) is co-created

The day has 24 hours and there is no plan to change it. Neither hours of 120', nor days of 36 hours. Pregnancy takes 9 months (at least till now)...

We have certain time to read, to interact, to talk... certain time to work, to think... certain time to enjoy with our family, friends... Time is a scarce resource... As talent, knowledge, creativeness.

We have  a real limitation to belong to an infinite number of social networks and seriously participate on them.

The message is simple: "Become relevant, create activity, generate dialogues, be passionate... and before all that, please, consider that on the other side of the cable there is another person"... That should be a great experience!

I'm learning this!... It takes time! :)

Place, people and part of the Allegro 234 BA team

This year in the Modena Design of Buenos Aires, Argentina [BTW... a very cool place!], we were talking about people, tribes and behaviours. Almost 70 marketing executives participated of this event... The key points shared during this meeting could be summarized as follow:

• Brands establish a dialogue with people who are sharing values and behaviours
• The brand experiences go beyong communication and the brands themselves
• Companies need (actually, must have) attitude. Those are the ones that trascend their owners and leaders over time
• Loyalty is all that remains when faith is gone

Two weeks ago, we enjoyed our VI Annual Meeting in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain... And we were talking about something which is also related with people and tribes; A new way to understand, build and share a brand experience.

People in Madrid, Allegro 234 HQ team, and Alberto & I

This time with the participaton of Alberto Barreiro from Webjam (Thanks Alberto & al)

The main points were...

• Brands are built around reputation (not products), and reputation is waht people perceive about the brand promise
• People control brands
• Social networks (the corporate ones) allow companies to participate and give intentionality to their brand experiences
• Companies can and must integrate their "brand social presence" (in this case, obviously using Webjam)
• Understand what is going on requires anticipation, observation, execution. A continuos innovation cycle to assure uniqueness
• Our behaviours are going back to the pre-industrial era. We want and need to talk with other people who share values with us
• Interactivity, asynchronism and "a la carte" are new brand experience paradigms
• Planification first!

As Yann Motte, Webjam Co-Founder & CEO wrote some days ago in his last blogpost, "Companies need to make followers aware of the brand, not just the medium"

Finally, companies, at the end, are people sharing a purpose... just that... and actually this is more virtual than the Web!... Think about this :)

In few days, I hope, you'll be able to see the videos of this terrific event... (Hmmmmm... In Spanish, I'm sorry!)

Do you want to become a Guru?... Here are ten basic steps (an incompleted list which welcome your ideas):

1. Your head should look like a billiard ball ... or, you know, Philips Shave
2. However, if you like your hair, then forget the comb
3. You have to talk fast and emphatically
4. Every 5 minutes you have to make a joke
5. The jokes must be accompanied by real images, even ridiculous
6. Look for complicity wiht your audience and make them responsible for something they can forget in almost half an hour  
7. Use phrases like "You can", "This is your moment," "What I ask is simple" ... The sort of phrases used by "Umbanda Pais"
8. Shout whenever is possible and do not forget to exacerbate your histrionism
9. Tell your story with an air of secrecy, moreover, like a new sort of conspiracy
10. And please, avoid saying new things (this must be never done), just say obvious things ... But do it  sexy!

This is why I continue reading and enjoying with what Alberto, Marcus, Paloma, Lucía, Julio (who already acomplish step 1), Bruno, Ed, Patrick, Joan, Antonio, Peré, Azlan, Yann, Cedric, Russell...are saying!... Please, don't stop!

The other story... Some months ago, Javier sent to me this TED video from Seth Godin talking about the tribes we lead... Uoppssss.... He is a Guru!... A marketing one!... He acomplishes steps 1; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9, and 10 (#2 is an alternative to #1)

There are some interesting points he arose (I'm talking seriously):

• Hypnotic ads have dead... We need and want to talk
• We need true believers
• To change something you have to lead a group, not to creat a community
• Being a leader gives carisma

I would say "obvious" (step 10) but interesting...

Also, he was talking about certain points that, I believe, they need a deeper reflexion (also, if you read his book, you'll find exactly the same situation):

• "Twitter, Facebook, LInkedIn,..." are tribes... Hmmmm... I would say, those social networks are the sum of different tribes
• "You can lead the change"... Hmmmm... Aren't there people who enjoy their lifes being followers?
• Why are marketers (Seth included) so surprised that there are a lot of people with many varied interests and they form groups?
• Are we again facing the situation of common sense vs. common practice?
• Do you think that with these thoughts I'd be becomming the "bullet that killed Hitler"?

I would like to thank Tian Gerbach for sending me the link to this video!

Allegro 234 - VI Annual Meeting

WOW 2.0!

Why and how to create a brand experience in Web 2.0

Madrid | 29.09.09 | Hotel Orfila

Barcelona | 30.09.09 | Hotel Claris

Under the name of WOW 2.0! [Why + How = WOW!], Allegro 234 will hold its sixth annual meeting in Madrid and Barcelona on the 29th and 30th, September 2009.

During the event, we will address qestions such as:

• Waht does it mean to create a relevant and unique brand experience in the online world?
• What does Web 2.0 mean for your business? What is it good for?
• What are the differences between a corporate blog from a social network?
• What is important and why?
• What do you obtain?
• Why now?

Presentations

There will be two presentations, which will be headed by Alberto Barreiro, founding partner of Webjam Ltd [London, United Kingdom] and Cristián Saracco, Founding Partner of Allegro 234 [Madrid-Buenos Aires]

Activity is the new Content by Alberto Barreiro

We're seeing a paradigm shift that affects the way they are constructed online identities (individuals, businesses, organizations).

The centralized directional communication is being replaced by a collage of presences that are dynamically created by multi-directional interaction between people.

In this new context, talking about brands or individuals is indifferent, the daily identity is constructed through experiences.

This "connected and shared experience" consists of a universe of conversations, faces, connections, events that occur around the brand (not necessarily through it) and which define a liquid and changing identity.

The identity is expressed by the "activity" that occurs around the brand. The content has been replaced by the conversation.

Social networks exemplify this paradigm shift. The centerpiece of Facebook, Twitter and Webjam is activity. Web information has been replaced by the creation of contexts of conversation among individuals in the community.

In Webjam we try to provide to brands, and through them to their users, an interactive environment that allows them, in an easy way, to generate the activity levels required for the collective construction of their identities.

The dialogue makes the experience unique by Cristián Saracco

With the emergence of social networking, blogging, micro-blogs and what is to come, the rules have changed and will continue changing.

On one hand, it is not what I say to them about me, but what they say about me, and secondly, the ability to establish dialogue with and among the audiences I address.

A unique, relevant and enduring brand experience is generated when people recognize the value, usefulness, availability, disponibility and service I offer, and this recognition is based on dialogues from and between that people, independently if they are internal or external audiences and who is generating the conversation.

Somehow we are back to behaviours prior to the industrial age where what someone, that I trusted, told me was what counted. Of course now, thanks to new technologies, this happens in the global village.

It creates risks and opportunities. More competitors, even offshored, more and better informed audience, infinity of points of contact ... And also, more people interested, they can talk and "prescribe" what I offer, and want to live and share that experience.

And this is it, it's to understand these new dynamics and prepare ourselves for new challenges. This is to observe, anticipate and execute in innovative ways to be unique ... Talking!

At Allegro 234 We are a creative team of consultants specialized in strategic marketing and branding. We can help you to increase revenues and create sustained value, combining creativity, innovation and thoroughness. We have a purpose: " To make things happen."

Place, dates and times

Place

In Madrid

The meeting will be on 29.09.2009 at Hotel Orfila – Orfila, 6

In Barcelona

The meeting will be on 30.09.2009 at Hotel Claris – Pau Claris, 150

In both cases the event will have the same schedule

• 09:15 Accreditation
• 09:30 Activity is the new conte
• 11:00 Break
• 11:15 The dialogue makes the experience unique
• 12:45 Q&A

Important | No costs & RSVP

• Or Allegro 234: +34 91 411 4030
• Or E-Mail to roberta[at]allegro234.net