What a lively discussion we had about branding once again! Thanks to @neilmckenzphoto and @michael_b_moore and @TFSsmallbuz for contributing questions for the discussion. And, many thanks to all brandchatters for their insights, thoughts and resources especially to @bethlapierre who was ON FIRE in Wednesday’s #brandchat!

Here’s the recap…

Q1: Media just connects things, it’s a conduit – it’s not interesting, not even the social kind. Thoughts? (from this article: http://bit.ly/S3NRq )



BaerDesignGroup: @brandchat Social media is just one part of the effort to deliver a brand message. It’s the message not the medium. #brandchat



McCourtRealtor: Q1: It’s a tool I agree. But, I think it has to be able to tell an interesting story + b interesting enuf 4 ppl 2 tune in. #brandchat



neilmckenzphoto: Q1: By itself I agree that SM is not interesting. Its the people and their message that make it interesting or not. #brandchat



apowerpoint: Media is the vehicle by which messages are passed; Social leverages people to do it. #brandchat



pmarckworth: Q1 Story is the compelling part. Social media allows discussion – way beyond letters to the editor – in real time #brandchat



Mikimel: Greetings #brandchat interesting Q’s today. They say “the media is the message” I don’t think brands can ignore this concept.



neilmckenzphoto: Q1: Too many social media experts tell you “how” to do but not “what” to do – lacking on strategy of why to use sm. #brandchat



BaerDesignGroup: Social Media outlets can deliver a human element to a brand in small direct messages, very different than a TV ad. #brandchat



brandingexpert: IMHO, Media – even social media – is a distribution system. Only instead of distributing soap or motor oil, it’s information. #brandchat



brandingexpert: It’s what you send THROUGH the media pipes that makes the difference. #brandchat

























Q2: What would happen if we acted on the implications of social media, rather than just use it as cheap media?

McCourtRealtor: Q2: I believe that ppl do not invest in enuf strategy in SM b/c it’s cheap….big mistake.. HUGE! #brandchat

brandingexpert: Problem I see w/ SM is too many think the media is the message. It’s not. You’re not “cool” b/c you use SM. #brandchat

neilmckenzphoto: Q2: If you use social media as “cheap” media then you will be lost in the big pile of other cheap media. #brandchat

brandingexpert: IMHO. SM is like e-mail used to be: Ppl think it’s free, so they use it. But yelling in the street is free, too. #brandchat

bethlapierre: social media is just what it says- media. like tv, web banners, etc. it is another tool #brandchat

neilmckenzphoto: @brandingexpert Agreed, SM is the message only the instant when you start using it – after that it is the medium. #brandchat

bethlapierre: social media will continue to be the next big thing- first myspace, then facebook, then twitter #brandchat

DavidSandusky: Q2 I like slide 6 from Joosten, P&G innovation. What SM is not shiny object syndrom http://bit.ly/BH4zS (expand) #brandchat

apowerpoint: Cheap media often means ‘remnant’ inventory where you can buy in bulk; social tends not to be ‘bulk’ anything. #brandchat

bethlapierre: if you don’t have an overarching strategy + guidelines for Smedia you’ll be obsolete before you even scratch the surface #brandchat

bethlapierre: social media strategy + guidelines to usage will allow you to take advantage of the next big thing, whatever it is #brandchat

DuetsBlog: @brandchat Q2: You can’t stand out if you don’t have something interesting to say, u get lost in the mix #brandchat

MikeDriehorst: @brandingexpert Media does not=message, you’re right. But the media makes message delivery & content diff than traditional media #brandchat

DavidSandusky: Q2 in marketing, people fail jumping from one tool to another with never realizing WHY they fail #brandchat

mariaduron: #brandchat @DuetsBlog I am agreeing w/U + believe that’s true of ANY MEDIA

brandingexpert: @MikeDriehorst Agreed. The fact that you chose to work w/ SM DOES have an effect, IMHO. #brandchat

TSFsmallbus: @DavidSandusky That’s why you should make sure you know and understand the medium you are using. #brandchat

shopperguy: @brandingexpert I do think the media can enhance the message (i.e., make it cooler) but you’re right that it starts w the message #brandchat

apowerpoint: Every adjective in front of ‘media’ means different ways of doing things and potentially different outcomes. #brandchat

DavidSandusky: Q2 SM like offline connecting. Cool kids adding value sustain, the rest complain #brandchat

bethlapierre: personal brands + sMedia have always existed, it’s personality and communication #brandchat

Q3: What are you thoughts on “brand positioning”? Good, bad, antiquated, thoughts?

DavidKearsley: Q3-in a global economy, lack of brand position relegates to commodity status and value to communicate unique nature of offering #brandchat

bethlapierre: brand positioning: expired #brandchat

bethlapierre: brand narratives are the new brand positioning #brandchat

brandingexpert: “Brand positioning” is still valid, IMHO. But since 1975, there’s been far more to branding, which is why I wrote ROBX. #brandchat

TSFsmallbus: @bethlapierre Doesn’t the team enhance or diminish the value of the brand? #brandchat

McCourtRealtor: @bethlapierre What’s a brand narrative ? #brandchat

BaerDesignGroup: @brandchat Brand positioning is key to your spot in the mrketplce. Without it-your spot will be taken by competition. #brandchat

apowerpoint: Q3 – How do we know what a brand stands for without positioning (or differentiation)? #brandchat

DavidSandusky: Q3 brand positioning is still important. Know the brand and set in motion in the right place #brandchat

bethlapierre: we know what a brand stands for by listening to the story it tells #brandchat

DavidKearsley: Right on! – brand narratives – brand has to have a story… reason for being #brandchat

neilmckenzphoto: Q3:Brand positioning as a term may have expired but the function remains.To come up with something new change its name #brandchat

TSFsmallbus: There’s no such thing as positioning. It’s completely arbitrary and dependent on someone else’s thoughts e.g. Google. #brandchat

BaerDesignGroup: @brandchat Positioning is the relationship with the other brands in the category. Almost impossible to ignore.#brandchat

bethlapierre: positioning takes one key idea and repeats it over and over again. #brandchat

apowerpoint: @DavidSandusky Agree to a point, but is often based on cues/messages offered by the brand. Need to align solutions to needs. #brandchat

TSFsmallbus: You can’t position your branding message, you can only emphasize it to your target client group. #brandchat

DavidSandusky: @McCourtRealtor authentic of course. but saying authentic is mrkt, being authentic is brand #brandchat

brandchat: RT @TSFsmallbus You can’t position your branding message, you can only emphasize it to your target client group. #brandchat

bethlapierre: there is no product that you sell that your customers can’t find elsewhere for about the same price/quality/service #brandchat

DavidSandusky: @apowerpoint yes, but don’t complomise values, EVER. That is what the brand stands or and why so personal #brandchat

TSFsmallbus: For branding to be effective it must tell a continuous story over a period of time. #brandchat

neilmckenzphoto: Q3: @bethlapierre Isn’t the who’s got the best story your biggest point of differentiation? #brandchat

DavidSandusky: Q3 both, brand is strategic and can be creative…or innovative I prefer #brandchat

Q4: Branding is a strategic endeavor, not a creative enterprise. Do you agree?

bethlapierre: RT @brandchat: Branding is a strategic endeavor, not a creative enterprise. Do you agree? Absolutely great question. #brandchat

BaerDesignGroup: @brandchat Positioning gives your brand an exploitable and defendable position in the marketplace. #brandchat

bethlapierre: it’s both actually #brandchat

DavidKearsley: I believe “IF you cant position your brand message, you can only emphsize it to target group…every brand has a “position” #brandchat

bethlapierre: branding is first a strategic endeavor then a creative enterprise #brandchat

TSFsmallbus: Branding is a strategic endeavor executed by a creative enterprise. The strategy comes first. #brandchat

McCourtRealtor: RT @TSFsmallbus Branding is a strategic endeavor executed by a creative enterprise. The strategy comes first. (AGREED!!) #brandchat

neilmckenzphoto: Q4: Branding is a strategic endeavor, a creative enterprise and the result of your strategies, creativity and deliverables. #brandchat

web20empire: @bethlapierre Exactly, so many people are looking to find the “hottest opportunity/product” for success. It’s you that matters #brandchat

apowerpoint: Strategies are ways to achieve an objective; creative focuses on execution and paying off the promise. #brandchat

Mikimel: RT @BaerDesignGroup: Positioning is the relationship with the other brands in the category. Almost impossible to ignore.#brandchat

BaerDesignGroup: @brandchat Branding is both strategic and creative. New strategies are created by new ideas. #brandchat

DuetsBlog: @brandchat Q4: It needs to be a marriage of the two to be successful, though they could stand on their own #brandchat

Q5: (from @TSFsmallbus) what is more important: the brand or the team creating the brand? #brandchat



bethlapierre: Q5: important to who? the audience or the company/product #brandchat



TSFsmallbus: RT @bethlapierre: Q5: important to who? the audience or the company/product – the company #brandchat



bethlapierre: for the company the team is most important, for the audience the brand is most important #brandchat



DavidSandusky: Q5 the brand is started by people…recruiting the right people around those values is #1 #brandchat



BaerDesignGroup: @Brandchat Brand is king. Many minds create the force behind a successful brand. A great brand should go on & on….#brandchat



neilmckenzphoto: Q5: Bus brands will/may/should should trancend the team creating it. For per brands they are the same. Sorry @brandingexpert #brandchat



TSFsmallbus: @DavidSandusky Your team mush have the same values and objectives to be effective. #brandchat



bethlapierre: @DavidSandusky team alignment is crucial #brandchat



mariaduron: @BaerDesignGroup I agree, if fed + nurtured well. if there’s disconnect between message + serv/prod delivery, will discount brand.#brandchat



bethlapierre: what if the brand team is an agency? hard to get them to have the same values. #brandchat



aliciafalcone: #brandchat Q5: Values can attract the right people to the brand – both employees and customers. #brandchat



DavidSandusky: @TSFsmallbus I know that brands succeed or fail because of the people – can you tell I’m exec recruiter trained? #brandchat



DuetsBlog: Q5 How can you have a brand without a team behind it? #brandchat



kathy_moore: Branding is first a strategic endeavor then a creative enterprise; nice way to put it per @bethlapierre #brandchat



bethlapierre: RT @DavidSandusky: @bethlapierre team positioning- branding by committee. ‘the CEO’s wife likes blue, we’re going with blue’ #brandchat



DavidSandusky: Q5 why agency jobs are hard. market the brand, the people might not deliver #brandchat



bethlapierre: RT @DavidSandusky: Q5 totally. they’ve got their $100,000 brand manual on a shelf #brandchat



DavidSandusky: Q5 am I weird because I help small business understand brand via personal brand experience/value? #brandchat



TSFsmallbus: @DavidSandusky Not at all. You are helping your clients to see branding from a personal perspective so they see the value. #brandchat



neilmckenzphoto: Q5: @davidsandusky You are not weird, you are innovative and smart – real smart! #brandchat

















Pitch, Plugs, C2A etc…



bethlapierre: www.fuelyourbranding.com launches july 15th. brand inspiration, movers and shakers, creative, etc. looking for guest authors #brandchat



DavidSandusky: @neilmckenzphoto thanks my man! You are smart too! see you at the next @YourBrandRadio ! #brandchat



DavidSandusky: @Mikimel the good news is we can all come add to convo here: http://bit.ly/g2HU6 (expand) #brandchat



apowerpoint: On the creation myth of garage start-ups http://bit.ly/SQsQT (expand) They start when working someplace else. #entrepreneur, #brandchat



AuthorJMilton: TIP: Those that want to follow Hashtag for Personal Branding, just Tweet “follow #brandchat“