The Business Artisan » Branding

Apple – Corporate Secrets

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:39:40 +0000

The so called Apple iSlate rumor mill has been busy for over 18 months; calculating how much the press speculation and resulting publicity is worth to Apple is a considerable challenge and one that is probably meaningless anyway. Safe to say it’s worth a lot.

Later today, Apple holds a press conference in San Fransisco where, we are let to believe, they will announce the much anticipated ‘tablet’ device that will extend the user experience domination started by the iPhone.

If nothing else, Apple ought to be congratulated for keeping a lid on the specifics about this device. Corporate secrets are notoriously difficult to maintain because human beings are involved.

People like to talk and even better they like to tell others ‘juicy gossip.’ Doing so serves to elevate the secret teller to a position of power and implies inside knowledge. Paradoxically if discovered it may also lead to that persons corporate demise too.

Competitive advantage is increasingly difficult to achieve and even more difficult to maintain.

Cynics may say the hype is all part of Steve Job’s master PR campaign, either way we’ll find out later.

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Personal Reputation

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:51:53 +0000

Question: What is your reputation and what does it says about you?

Brands spend considerable time and money developing a reputation; individuals do the same, the reality of course is how we feel about the brand or person and how that influences our decisions about them.

My 8 o’clock meeting yesterday morning was with a person I have known for 10 years. Without exception he has been late ever time we’ve met. In light of this I was relaxed at the prospect of 5 minutes late, heavier than expected traffic the cause of my tardiness.

Imagine my surprise when a) he was sitting there waiting for me with b) an almost finished coffee. On the basis of my reputation, he had been 10 minutes early.

Two reputations spectacularly colliding and a reality check for us both.

So, what does your reputation say about you?
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Unwanted publicity

Roger — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:16:12 +0000

It’s been said “there is no such thing as bad publicity” how then would you feel if your brand was directly associated with, today at least, one of the most publicised people on the planet.

The person found guilty of planting a bomb which took the lives of 270 people over Lockerbie in Scotland, was photographed boarding an aeroplane earlier today wearing a Nike baseball cap.

The photograph, most likely broadcast worldwide, is an example of both good and bad publicity and prompts the question, as brand owners, we have autonomy to create the brand and how/where we distribute it; what happens next is beyond our control and influence.

One last thought, was the clothing part of a stage managed event, designed to cause maximum impact in the home market of Nike? Either way, it was noticed.