real branding, not drivel

stories and reflections on brand experiences in nyc. thought and written by johanna e. ecker, merely mad about building brilliant brands

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Till later - or see you when I see you

When I started of nycbrandstories.tumblr.com as my personal summer 2013 project, I wanted to share what I love and offer deep reflections on daily seen masterpieces in the fascinating field of real branding.

Now I am utmost grateful for all inspirations, conversations and opportunities that arouse within it. 

As autumn has come and leaves are changing colors I want to say "till later" with a storytelling masterpiece I stumbled over in Berlin the other night. Its a motivational board behind the runway scenes during fashion week put into the new context of Bebel Bar at the legendary Hotel de Rome. 

It's a significant touchpoint and surprising way to tell your brands' conceptions of the desireable. A self-confident place with one of the most literate bartenders I've ever met. And many beautiful souls too.

If you're a curious cat and wanna hear more about my future projects - and I am working intensively on new things to come – just drop a line at [email protected] and I will happily keep you in the loop. 

Enjoy,

♥♥♥

Johanna

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Meaning Warrior

When I walk around and see all the new stores, cafes, places popping up I wonder about their future. Do they offer something new, something more relevant than all the things inplace, do they make the world a more beautiful, better place? 

The answer is to be found in our behavior. We don't return to places if they don't offer something authentic - unless we don't have any option. Which is basically impossible in the world's most diverse and accesible city. 

Dave Hickey put it that way:

  I'll admit: I am a meaning warrior. I want people to pay more for the power of the object. Not only moneywise. 2013's currency is attention and time anyhow.

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3 and a half qualities for bold brand efficacy

Times are terrible? Times are terrific!

Sure, it's fast, it's unpredictable, it's insecure, it's now. 

And it might get even worse now now. 

But it doesn‘t really matter. It's like complaining about the weather.

We can't neglect two weeks of rain or summer heat. But we can try not to get absorbed by it.

Closely observe the outside aka economy, industry, society. And know your fields of impact in the inside aka product innovation, organization mission, communication.

Branding is always about the relationship, the conversation between the outside – the clients, the industry – and the inside – people – of an organization. And how we can improve, deepen and strengthen this connection. 

Brand Efficacy is nothing less than the accuracy of achievement. 

Efficacy doesn't care about your input. But it does care a lot about the boldness in your goals. 

1. 20x your destination with a COMPELLING MISSION

Brand Workers need to have an inspiring end in mind: know who they are and what makes them special as a collective. Now is NOT the time to move fast, quick and hectic. Being busy being busy. Too much money and ressources got wasted like this already. Its all about more joyful movements towards the right direction. Less of those „if only the economy would get better soon“-fantasies. More of "#wtf we like it - let's do it".

2. make CALM MOVEMENTS

Efficacious Branding is the collective intelligence of all brand workers. When outer circumstances are getting crazy its not like a cat chasing a birds nest but an incredibly intelligent swarm of birds who know what to do.

Now is the time where precise, strong, clear movements with an inspiring end in mind are those which count more than ever before. No more buzzing around loosing a lot of energy without any effect. Knowing the efforts of preparation for that status and trust into the process of developing such skills together as a team. 

3. nurture CURIOUS MINDS

It happens that branding teams get bored after a while and therefor think its time to change creative. And most probably they are right – because when the team is bored the outcome is boring too. 

And changing the people on the team or the agency can help. But it also means loosing all the knowledge of the workforce that was built over these sunny and these rainy days (which might be even a more efficacious knowledge than the one only from the bright shiny times). 

Happy teams keep their work full of NOVELTY and trying new media, places and add new spins on old favorites. In fact, those new spins with high current relevancy for people yet repeating the good old brand essence is what keeps brands alive and teams happy for a long time.

3.5 

No, there are no shortcuts. Look-a-likes and wanna-bes are called like that for a reason. Not because it is admired. Earning a great reputation in your audience's gut feeling is hard work. If it was easy - everybody would do it.

A brand who shows a very good relationship with its ecosystem around is DIA:Beacon. 

Not only that they created this amazing place which makes this world a more beautiful place - it clearly shows its mission in every touchpoint, the talks with the nice staff and makes me feel they know exactly where they are going to and whom they want to corporate with in the future. I like their minimalistic sense of humor too:

Stay happy.

jee

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The Authentic Branding Model

We used to say: „A brand is what people say about you.“

Then it sounded more like: „A brand is what google says about you.“ The abundance of digital data and possibilities added a new angle on the behavior of companies. 

Today, it takes real effort to only tell some parts of the truth to your audience. Or neglect the not so swanky spots of your company. People will know. And will talk about it. You can‘t make things look better than they are. You can‘t promise something you don‘t deliver later. Not anymore. Welcome to today. 

NO MORE HALF TRUTHS, FINALLY.

Sure, this isn‘t something new. But amazingly there are still plenty of companies acting as if Yelp, Google and Facebook and the whole digital word of mouth world doesn‘t exist. Which made me think about the concept of brand loyality.

Theoretically - this is the vivid and evermoving circle people experience with people, companies, products and services:

We evaluate our experiences based on the prior expectations which are nothing less than the subjective ideal of each person plus what you‘ve promised in your communications earlier on. 

You obviously can't change each persons individual conceptions of the desireable. But you can use the power of your area of influence. The closer the broadcasted cultural values come along with the communicated story the more credible and impactful any experience with your company will be. And the more touchpoints of such people have, the stronger and clearer their awareness of the brand becomes. 

The full power of authentic branding emerges when we start seeing brands as personalities who‘s „HOW THINGS ARE DONE AROUND HERE“ behavior broadcasts its values „who we are right now“ and who's „WHAT DO WE LIKE TO TELL ABOUT OURSELVES“ messages show the aspirations of „who do want to be“. 

The more congruent behavior and messages, the video and the audio, the walk and the talk are - the stronger the brand becomes. Along this way I see four stages of authentic brands:

#1 SUPERBRAND is ideal, and impossible. The desired status to be at.

#2 WALLFLOWER are very shy, but trusted companies. Those are meant for something bigger. Sometimes called undiscovered. understatement. But please, can you tell someone? There is no value in a "best kept secret" until you play the game of keeping secrets and letting others know you know something they don't know.

Like Coffeeshops or Small Businesses without even businesscards or a website. But more than 400 likes on Facebook. People like these place sbecause it is underneath the digital radar. The music might be a good mood mixture in the range of Dirty Dancings „Stay just a little bit longer“ and Bill Withers „Ain‘t no sunshine“. And all between back to Elvis. Places that need to be experienced from the inside out. The UNBRANDED side of the spectrum.

#3 JEKYLL AND HYDE brands are wasting money. They tell a huge story in all media channels, think about new ways to communicate and have huge budgets with little impact. Their culture exists in a paralell universe. Just imagine the credibilty impact they could create if merging the communication with their culture and creating the future together. You simply can't buy wows.

#4 POTEMKIN BUBBLE – Basically these are not brands at all. Its bubbles. They exists only on the outside. Ridiculously over-marketed, OVERBRANDED. These fancy shiny chocolate packagings who don‘t care about the cow‘s life or doesn‘t say a word about the cacoa plant farmer. The Nineties way of selling side of the spectrum. The one very basic recommended Action: Get substance soon. People want to feel that you are real. Attraction is a aerial thing. 

YOUR MESSAGES SHOW YOUR ASPIRATIONS. YOUR BEHAVIOR BROADCASTS YOUR VALUES.

Your employees broadcast what you care about as an entrepreneur, as a leader. You can‘t buy passion with salaries or media budgets. People need to feel that you truly care about your cause. And mean what you say. Superbrands keep on walking the talk. Daily.

I wrote this on a blue sky day up on the roofgarden of the Metropolitan Museum which basically belongs to NYC like Central Park and Central Station. A NYC fitment with incredible resources of art collections. I am not sure if there is one single New Yorker who had seen it all. For my part the most beautiful exhibit space is the rooftop terrace. Currently they show Imran Qureshi's installation which is filled with hope, forgiveness and the power of renewal. Those who decide to grow always grow.

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in the meaning business

Good branding creates meaning around a function of a product or a service. Both as an a priori reasoning or as an a posteriori reassurement. In either way it offers - if made really well - uncopyable differentiation potentials. 

Sometimes this "reason why" aka "meaning" is already in the genes of an organization, sometimes it got forgotten on the road to success and sometimes it simply changes along with the questions of society.

5 possibilities to understand MEANING [noun] in the branding context:

0. it is certainly not meaningless, pointless, valueless

1. "saying something but meaning something different"

Umberto Eco knows and writes a lot about this. Especially in his wonderful essays of "Misreadings". It's always the incredibly peronsal subjective way of experiencing life in all its subtleties.

2. "don't even think about meaning. it simply is."

This is at least what I get from Milan Kundera's "The unbearable lightness of being".

3. "what something does for you – the emotional aura besides the functional reasoning"

We can buy a simple (mostly cheap) note book at the store next doors or get a (mostly more expensive) Writersblok/Moleskine/you name it for our thoughts. The decision is made up based on the STORY the brand tells us and which motivations drive us: Writersblok for the young, designy and hands-on attitude; Moleskine for the established, classic and more famous spirit. 

4. "how much something means to you"

The level of involvement and engagement we have with a brand.

This quality is mainly caused by the frequency and the intensity of experiences we have with a brand. If you see a J Crew advert in the Vogue, pass by at a store and see Martin Kippenberger's work, stumble over a bag at a friends place, browse through the catalogue at coffee shop or catch an Opinion Leader talking or wearing something are already six little touchpoints you have with the brand. But they didn't let you do anything yet. A perfect state of emotional involvement to get into our "evoked set" of relevant alternatives.

The real magic only happens when J Crew stops behaving like a fashion company and starts thinking about my possible physical interactions with them as an urban platform with a great taste and affinity for art. 

5. something you only think about, when all basic needs are met.

It's a variation of Maslow's pyramid. Just imagine you make the effort of visiting a swanky hotel and the entrance is sloppy, the elevator leaves some uneasy feelings and only a few of all the lightbulbs are workable – you might find it difficult to trust the hotels promise of a pleasant stay. Therefor it is extremely important to do the homework - before even thinking about some promises to be made. You want to have a relaxed and pleased left brain when addressing the right brain of your audience with No. 4 :)

To me, Prince Street Station means a lot. On a functional level it's just like any other subway station. It even offers only two lines. But two things add enough meaning for me to prefer it to other close by stations with more functional value - more trains in this case. 

First of all its her. This lovely lady writes a new message on her board every morning. Two days ago we could read this warm note:

And: It is Janet Zweig and her artwork showing New Yorkers who "carry on" what Prince Street does for me. 

New York City certainly is a place of opportunities. Endless possibilities and access to  places, meet people, spend time and money. The question "how to survive nyc on the long run" made me think of Barry Schwartz and his thoughts on "the paradox of choice". We all have only 24 hours with roughly 15.000 conciously perceived moments in one day. Yes, we not only economize our money, our real currency is attention.

I can see many people who mainly decide to either do "nothing much" in all that dynamic or the "what to do" is basically driven by "how much does it mean to me in comparison to all the aware choices". Which makes it even more fun: the blind spot of things that are going on but we don't even know of them might be bigger than somewhere else in the world. But that's "the city", right?

Have a terrific thursday and carry on.

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digital branding, a daily workout

HOW DIGITAL BRANDING INITIATIVES CHANGE COMPANIES

When was the last time you got into a new sport? Do you remember how it felt like?

How excited you were to start off, how difficult it was to do it the very first time, learn the techniques and maybe rules, overcome fears, understand successfactors and dynamics and realising you are just a bloody beginner. But also knowing that you must not give up. Because you will feel the sweet success when you keep going on. 

Organizations and teams who work on digital products experience similar things:

* excited in the beginning * scared from possibilities of failure * confused with all new rules * happy and changed in the end

And that's all very natural. Even if teams work on websites, apps, blogs, digital product experiences and other media for years. The other day a very bright (digital) mind said to me "We are still guessing in all we do. It's just too big to be in control."  

THREE IDEAS ON HOW TO EMBRACE THE MESSINESS OF THIS CHANGE AND SURRENDER INTO THE GREATNESS OF TECHNOLOGY

1. Your message is relevant and deserves nothing less than the best digital initiatives. 

Its - like any other technology - a tool to connect with people and strengthen relationships, generate opportunities and grow business. But the tool itself is neutral. If you pick up that hammer and decide to use the exciting tools of digitalization – better pick the best people to help you. 

Now you still need someone spreading the message. Someone responding. Someone who has an opinion. Using the digital tools only to use them is like using a hammer without having a picture to hang. Your companies story is precious. Please don't mess around with it. 

2. Any communication takes two. 

The great thing is: you cannot build an app simply showing your logo. You might create a micropage with it only - like an advert in a magazine. But it will not really have any impact.

Even better is the phenomenon that many digital initiatives lead to a whole new awareness of the companies message: What is really special about us? And why should people care?

Engaging people through technology for your cause requires a new set of habits and principles. And rises not only the classic questions of "Whom do we want to engage" "What is our story?" "How do we want to be experienced?" but also wants you to dig deeper into "What do we make people do?" in order to create interactive, compelling experiences.

3. Daily iterations for high relevance

It requires ongoing empathy for your audience and their "real lifes" besides their iphone identity. And an immanent prototype state on a product side to at first get into and then stay in peoples lifes. Nothing worse than shooting star digital branding initiatives. It would be like trying a new sport once and giving it up after the first try. Greatness loves the persistent.

And I love the digital evolution. It really transforms and brings out the best of companies. And it can be an awesome accelerator for business. The incredibly interesting article on Jay Z' money in the New York magazine shows precisely how the real world person Shawn Carter used all new branding tools (and no radio spot) to make people download 1.2 million copies of Magna Carta (for which Samsung paid $5 each) before the albums official release day. 

Thought about the similarity of "how does digital branding change organizations" lately in Williamsburg as I saw the floormanager of the very friendly restaurant "Fat Goose" drawing the fields for hopscotch on the pathway. The second she finished her artwork - people stopped their walk and started jumping ...many failed on field three already. Some tried it again. Only a few (of the adults) tried over and over and finally reached field 35. The best were the kids. Because they had the daily practice.  

Written at home. An analog space with fresh flowers, a friendly fan and a broadcasted live performance of BB King‘s “The thrill is gone“ from 1993. 

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future ahead: daunting from distance. exciting within sight.

You might call them Avant-garde, Boundary Pushers, Crazy Ones. These personalities we love to get involved with when we want to grow, get a glimpse of the future and breath some adventurous air.

If this person, a question, a technology, a brand seems daunting from distance, exciting when it‘s within sight and thrilling as soon as you are there - you might be lucky and have found an avant-garde brand.

They disrupt you in your beliefs, your common ways of looking at this world andchallenge the whole industry again and again. Jack Kerouac put it this way:

Truly innovative personalities are quite rare these days but can easily be detected somewhere inbetween the edges of groundbreaking technology and all facets of art, music and fashion.

It is all about the T, E and D categories of the same-titled think tank-talks. "ahead" is not only one linear direction to go to. ahead is a multi-layered, parallel, diverse field. and it is very likely to find the “new" in the weird combination of two existing things.

When brands take on and play a role in society - this is an amazing indicator for genuine interest in the exploration and creation of our future.

Seek out the ones ahead of you, creating the brands you admire, showing the success you want to have and learn from them. Set yourself and everybody else working on your brand on fire.

Robin Sharma suggests to meet them virtually. I have coffee with Beyoncé, meet Dalai Lama for a cup of tea and Oprah for a glass of Bordeaux. Recently, Peter Block joins me on the train. Audio books and marvelous magazines make this easy. I have to admit I went to bed listening to Robins’ „The leader who had no title“ the other night. Inspiring dreams ahead of me. Thought about it again next morning when I stumpled into Garment District and suddenly stood infront of The NY Times Building. I truly felt excited.

Some future happens on 8th Ave.

Written at the incredibly delightful Café Minerva on W4ST. The barista calls the coffee machine Victoria and says: „She is a pretty delicate lady. If you mess it up she bites you.“ That is the spirit!

[williams-sonoma-deactivated2017]

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We like brands for how they make us feel. 

And not so much for what we can buy from them.

How does your audience feel when they interact with one of your products, speak to your team, see one of your adverts in their favorite magazine? How was their last interaction with you like? 

Therefore never ever hesitate to celebrate with your employees, your clients, your crowd. Because rituals form culture. And a companies culture, broadcasts its values.

Yesterday's Forth of July celebrations and peoples reactions on Macy's massive firework over the Hudson River made me think about the importance to connect with peoples' life besides their needs related to your business offer. Marshall McLuhan called it "be at the fireplaces", "be where your crowd is".

Which are your audience' places, occasions and special moments?

This question allows you to empathetically connect with your brand fans. They are real humans, not target groups. Which reminds me of Steven Covey and his principle of "understand first then seek to be understood". 

Here's to the empathetic brands!

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brand strategist (noun): a ceaseless species fascinated by meanings

„You work as what?“ Eyebrows raised.

In the age of evolving mashed occupations it can be very hard to put your job into a few, simple words. Many of us who are neighter doctors, teachers, accountants, lawyers or chefs know this awkward situation at grill parties.

I‘ve spent all my career in marketing. Basically. But that is not the whole truth. The real journey showed a lot of detours to the ponds of organisational development theories, the valley of systemic consulting interventions, the beautiful beaches of communication psychology and the bays of motives, the gardens of fashion, art and music and the mountain tops of change-managment and self-mastery.

I truly want to serve our species, us brand strategists and futurists, and lay out the field of the „what do you do?“ in this short manifesto:

I thought about this for quite a while and especially in NYC you want to be clear on what you do. And what not. It is not enough to have an advise occasionally.

Brand strategy is about revealing the very best out of each organisation.

Written in the lovely Cantine Parisienne. A pure place with a strong theme of art, french lightness and the perfect amount of audacity to inspire your mind. Nicolas Jaar delivers the soundtrack. Go ahead and pick your chair :)

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on #happybrands

Did you ever wonder about the WHY you‘ve just spent money on this delicate silk blouse, walked 30 minutes (20 blocks) just to spend quality time in your favorite café, why you've decided to go with this slightly more expensive supplier? And why you didn‘t spend your time and budget else-wise? 

Of course we have our very personal, short answers to these whys and whynots. It might be hard to admit - but yes, we share motives with the other folks (not only at this café)?  We all admire greatness, love shown in perfectly executed details, high-quality. 

And it gets even more fascinating: if you dig deep down into human motivations you will find only a few drivers we all act upon:

We aim for places and products that makes us feel more appreciated, have moments of cheerful happiness, buy services where we feel more secure or supported. 

Sure, but how do you know you've built a #happybrand?

To begin with the end in mind, you will notice these things: more laughter around the coffee machine in your office, more clarity on "who do we want to be" amongst the team members, customers can see clearly all your love and passion for what you are doing. 

Happiness is not a decision to be made on Sundays. Or in offsite workshops. Happiness is hard work every day.

Happy brands emerge through passionate design of every single touchpoint people might have with you as a person, your product, your service, your company. 

And no, it‘s not (only) about fun. World-class executed details will certainly be appreciated by every receiver. Seriously. So better be awesome in every little piece. 

Just imagine: Everything at your company is done like a piece of art you would be willing to sign with the sincerest proud.

The flowers at the entrance, the cups you serve coffee in, the words you open Monday morning meetings with, the way your books and magazines are organized.

I truly believe, that its only worth creating brands that bring some kind of joyful moments to the people.

I started off with this writing at the Jivamuktea Cafe on Broadway corner Union Square. They obviously care a lot about the vegan ingredients of all they serve in here. Clearly a lot for the body. My eyes suffer a bit: the interior would need some de-cluttering. And music could improve the resound of the many people in here. Colors are warm in green and violet - giving it a hipster touch. Everybody seems pretty serious. Vibrating place. Just draw an Ace. #luckyme

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the power of the founder

I've visited a handful of classes at Virayoga NYC up to now. Teachers are all powerful radiant women, dedicated and delightful men. Each class is unique and special. Every teacher brings her or his own character into the studio.

No wanna-be-like-the-founder attitude. 

With my brand consulting work I am lucky to meet professional services companies in growth phases. During those periods a firm's work philosophy changes from the "owners life-theme" to the "organisations unique story". Not uncommonly this is more difficult for the owners than the team. 

The perfect balance between individuality and coherence wants to be developed.

The founders need to hand over power and control to their dream team they built around them to fulfill their dream. And let it grow, flourish, develop.

As an observing customer I can tell that founder Elena Brower truly fuels the Virayoga system with her spirit and energy. With giving the team enough room to grow into their best selfs but also acting in the unique and coherent Virayoga style. Which is even more credible in this vivid expression.

Thank you Virayoga for this inspiration. I thought about this during my morning run along Manhattans West side down to Battery Park. Heading off to Yoga now.

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First give. Then receive. The power of gratitude.

We are no islands.

We all need other people. We all live in ecosystems. Sometimes misunderstood as egosystems. Nope, none of us is the center of the universe. We kind of have to accept that.

An organisation‘s community exists of customers, of course. But not only. There are people who believe in a companies‘ cause without even buying from them. Partners, Employees, Door Openers, Prospects, Journalists - just to name a few. A companies ecosystem is much vaster than the simple exchange of products or services and money.

What are you – as a company – giving back to your community?

Many companies are donating at christmas or most care about the sourcing of their paper. That is all great. And a wonderful jumping-off point for daily actions of gratitude. Life is in the same way as Business -  a balance of giving and receiving. Lululemon e.g. offers free yoga classes and runners groups. What could your company offer (besides the best quality products and world-class services) as a sign of gratitude? 

Some - mostly big - corporations call this „Corporate Social Responsibilty“ and put it in charge of an Department. In the worst case - put it close to Marketing & Communications. This can be fine. As long as it is not only the team there who is responsible for it. World-class brands see "giving back" holistically.

And invite everybody to join the cause.

This of course is always a huge test-run for the firm‘s vision: Is it compelling? Do we really mean it? Do all team members understand their unique contribution? Does the companies‘ cause inspire people to take action more than once? 

Companies that live by the value of gratitude can truly create something long-lasting and relevant for the people engaged with them. 

The inspiration for these thoughts came to me during a free yoga class at a lululemon store in SoHo, NYC. Thank you Lululemon. Written in the NoMad Hotel Library, feeling fully passionate on building brands with a view on the world.