I want to introduce you to the Brand Champion’s blog.  Over my 20-year marketing and branding career, I have realized that successful companies and brands succeed because they have a Brand Champion — someone who “champions” the business cause — pushing them to be the very best they can be, ultimately reaching their goals and objectives.

Branding isn’t only about logos, websites or looking cool.  No, it’s about real business results.  I have worked with hundreds of clients over the years and one thing stays consistent:  the top brands have a leader who is committed to driving the company to be the best, being the best, and owning the space in which you do business in.  They also identify and bring on the best people that produce the best results.  I call these leaders Brand Champions.

You don’t have to be the CEO to be a Brand Champion.  You just have to be committed and willing to kick ass and produce real results.  In this blog I will periodically introduce you to all kinds of Brand Champions – those who live for their brand, set the company up for success, and set good examples for brand ambassadors — individuals within the organization who may someday represent the brand and be a Brand Champion.

If you have a Brand Champion within your company that should be recognized for their efforts, let us know and we’ll highlight them.

For the last several months I have seen this building rise up in the south of Denver, in a prime location right next to the freeway and Light Rail line. In the last short while, that building has become a big, branded box – bright blue with touches of yellow. This last week, a huge branded sign finally appeared to announce just what this box/building was.

I have known for a while just what this building was to be. Now branded, everyone who hadn’t previously heard the rumor is finally in the loop. The conspicuous location, the giant sign, and the template-design of the building really signify that the owners of this bright-and-shiny, big, blue, branded box get branding.

Opening a store in a new market has become a science for this company. While specific regulations might vary, the company knows what it needs to do to get approvals for a sign and building of this magnitude. Both of which vastly dwarf other retailers nearby. Check out this clip covering the installation of the massive sign that has now appeared:
http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=189026

Despite complaints from some who are calling it an ‘eye-sore,’ this sign and the big, blue box beneath it definitely get attention. Talk about creating buzz to tease an opening – these guys know how to do it.

And it’s not just the sign. Even before inking the real estate deal, rumors of the company coming to town caused a stir. With its near-cult following, I wouldn’t think it’s a challenge for this company to generate excitement among consumers in any community they come to. In all mediums – underground, word-of-mouth, and traditional – the market-entry process earns the company media every step of the way. Its expansion strategy and branding formula is the mark of success.

I happen to like the idea of an international retailer coming to town. (Another is rumored to be coming to the Pavillions.) Introducing big brands like this helps put Denver on the map. It pulls in consumers from all over, it contributes to the economic growth of our city, and this time, it’s nicely branded in a beautiful, big, blue branded box called IKEA.

What’s Your Favorite Color?

Most of us have a favorite color, all of us know what color our mother thinks looks best on us (and which colors look horrid) and consciously or not we all associate certain feelings with certain colors:

Orange – energetic, excited and hungry (wonder why Weight Watchers used the Orange Monster as a brand character? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49WjrRJ_DLw)

Blue – calm and serene

Red – intense emotions either of love or anger

Yellow – cheerful and happy

Green – free, fresh and natural

Our eyes absorb light, convert it into a form of energy and allow us to see color. The way that people feel or react to certain colors, or why they choose to favor one color over the next, alludes to how it makes them feel. Scientists have studied this energy for years to understand how certain colors affect our moods, health, and thought-process. And it’s a good thing they have because color has the ability to condition an action, for example (and for effect), consumer buying habits. In layman’s terms, the color of a product or a brand can encourage or dissuade a sale.

Let’s do a quick mind test. Think of a brand for each of these colors:

1. Red
2. Yellow
3. Blue
4. Green

Now, think of a color for each of these brands:

1. Pepsi
2. Campbell’s soup
3. McDonalds
4. Gap

I bet that when you pictured each brand you immediately knew how you felt about that brand, if you liked it or not. In some cases, you may have remembered the last time you enjoyed a warm bowl of tomato soup or how you could really go for a cool refreshing soda right about now.

The color of a logo, website, package, etc. is the first impression that is remembered and registered by consumers. It will be the color associated to the brand. If the color sends the right message and invokes the right feeling to a consumer, the company may encourage a sale and a brand ambassador. There’s good reason why brand management is occasionally referred to as the study of science and art. To have a successful, lasting brand, it takes more than listening to the customer, it takes understanding their emotions and how those emotions trigger their purchasing decisions.

So the next time someone asks you what your favorite color is, know that they may actually be reading a little farther into your personality.

East to West

Hello!  My name is Madeline Smith, I go by “Maddie” and recently graduated from the University of Colorado in May of 2010 with a Communication degree.  I grew up south of Boston right on the harbor or “hahbah” as Bostonians would call it…they tend to frown upon the pronunciation of R’s.  I decided to leave Boston for college after witnessing my sister’s lifestyle throughout her four years at CU.  Although, I miss the ocean, I love the never-ending sunny days, mild winters, compared to Bean Town, and of course the fresh powder out west.

During my senior year of college I worked with a natural consumer goods company, Justin’s Nut Butter based out of Boulder, Colorado.  I loved working with a start-up company and was able to dive into many PR, Marketing, and Advertising aspects from a client perspective.  I also loved working in an industry with two of my passions; food and health.  This exposure made me want to get into the agency side of this line of work.  After making the big move from Boulder to Denver I did some contract PR and Marketing work for Scream  Agency.  I realized I wanted to stay in the agency side loving the variety of clientele and day to day work.

I am thrilled to be apart of the Brand Iron team.  I love the diversity of clients, the work we do, and of course the team here at Brand Iron, Patches included.  I am looking forward to baseball season as well….but not The Rockies…Go Red Sox!

We are excited to share BIG news about WorldWide Papa’s, a client of ours who is the exclusive area developer of Papa John’s pizza restaurants in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region of Russia. As of Monday, Feb. 14, WorldWide Papa’s is now a publicly-listed and actively trading company on the Deutsche Böerse – Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE).

After introducing the Papa John’s brand and concept to the St. Petersburg area five years ago, the company is aggressively working to open 40 new restaurant locations over the next four years, and this listing should greatly support those efforts.

This is an exciting time for WorldWide Papa’s as they are being introduced to new investors, raising capital and expanding further into the region. WorldWide Papa’s founder Darrin Stock said, “We believe history is repeating itself, not only in the economic market but in the public sector as well, and we’re at the forefront of the progression in the marketplace.”

WorldWide Papa’s also has full support of Papa John’s, International, who shared: “We congratulate WorldWide Papa’s on its stock market listing,” said Tom Sterrett, Senior Vice President of Papa John’s International division. “As we grow our brand throughout the world, we have identified Russia as a priority market that we believe has the opportunity for significant growth. The first three restaurants opened by Worldwide Papa’s have produced some of the highest sales averages among our international markets.  We look forward to their continued growth in the Papa John’s system.”

Check out a few articles below that have already featured the news about our client

The Moscow Times

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/pizza-shares-more-alluring-than-gold/430892.html

St. Petersburg Times

http://www.times.spb.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=33566

Minus the long hair and leather pants, today seems a little too much like the 80’s if you ask me. It was the time where being rebellious was “cool” along with listening to “the devil’s music” and smoking cigarettes after school. Today’s cigarettes and devil’s music are still around; they’ve just changed a little. Today its racy television shows and gory video games that are making parents cringe. And the more the parents seem to cringe, the more the kids seem to watch, buy, and play.

Advertisers are using this to the fullest extent. The popular video game DeadSpace2 has built its entire advertising platform on the slogan “your mom will hate this”. And television shows are using movie like ratings PG-13 and R as a bragging right instead of a warning. So why the big move towards “rebellious” advertisements? It seems the more outrages the ad or promotion, the more controversy. And controversy means people are talking about your product, service, goods, etc. and that’s exactly what advertisers want.

Check out this Redbull ad which blatantly advertises one-night stands and “hook-ups” with multiple people. Do you think it’s appropriate? Does it make you want to drink a Redbull?

Another TV spot getting some major attention is the MTV show Skins, based off of a British teen show, the new hit is causing quite a stir among parents as it depicts “the life of real American teenagers.” The controversy might have something to do with the fact that these “real” teenagers are drug addicts, alcoholics, party-animals, and law breakers. So would you let your kids watch this? And if you told them they couldn’t do you think they’d find a way to watch it anyways?

The bottom line is it works – this is nothing new, we saw it in the 80’s with rock and roll, we saw it in the 90’s with sex and today is no different. If you tell kids their parents will hate it, or don’t want them to see it, it makes them want it more.

Have a comment? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know what you think about these new ad’s and the impact on kids.

We are excited to announce the addition of two new members to our Brand Iron team. Kassandre Linstroth has joined the firm as brand manager, and Leilani Derr comes on board as graphic designer. Kassie will be charged with creating and implementing powerful brand strategies for our clients while Leilani, who joins the agency’s creative team, will be responsible for providing Brand Iron clients with creative concepting and design for both print and website applications. Kassie joins us after working for advertising/marketing agencies in both Denver and Minneapolis. In June, she earned her MBA from the Daniels College of Business at Denver University focusing on integrated marketing and brand management. Before earning her MBA, Kassie worked with Target Corporation in strategic sourcing, responsible for vendor relations, product management, and the import process across Target distribution centers and import warehouses. Prior to Brand Iron, Leilani served as interface designer for Web Data Software, a web development services company in South Carolina. She is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University where she earned a degree in graphic design. Welcome Kassie and Leilani!

Hi, my name is Kassandre (in short, Kassie) and I am the newest Brand Manager here at Brand Iron. I hail from Madison, Wisconsin and yes, I do like cheese, own a Cheesehead, think brats provide a great source of happiness, and feel any winter day above 20 degrees is a heat wave.

Before trading lakes for mountains, I lived in Europe and South America, experienced my first Heli Ski Trip, and discovered my innate favoring of the right side of my brain. I took my first job out of college with a food marketing and advertising agency in Minneapolis, MN, combining my love of food and creative story telling (about said food).  I got my fill working in production, media relations, traffic management, and account services. With my never-ending quest to learn more, I took my shiny new skills to Target Corporation and learned that there can never be enough training on what to do if pirates take hold of your shipping vessel. I am not lying. While at Target, I worked in strategic sourcing and imports. Right off the bat, Target hit the bullseye and positioned me in the Ready-To-Wear clothing team, and then the shoe team. I oversaw the entire import process from sourcing the vendor, analyzing sales trends, planning and purchasing, to shipping products safely to Target stores without any trace of Captain Morgan.

Deciding not to endure another indescribably cold mid-west winter, I packed my boot-bag and skis (and a few other items) and made my way out-west. I fulfilled a lifelong dream of being a ski bum before rejoining civilization at Daniels College of Business earning an MBA in integrated marketing and brand management. During my two years as a student, I competed and won the Race & Case Competition, consulted with a local marketing firm, and came across a company that believed in the power of branding as strongly as I. Enter, Brand Iron.

I am beyond excited to be a part of this creative bunch of engaging, intelligent people and look forward to telling the gravitating brand stories of our clients!

So if you have not already, stop by, say “Hi!” and bring me some cheddar!

We’re all aware of the power of twitter by now, and if we’re not, maybe this list will convince you. Business Insider reports that “Over the last 12 months, Twitter grew by more than 100 million users, who helped the network pump out more than 25 billion tweets.” So how powerful can 140 characters or less really be? Check out the 5 most powerful tweets of 2010:

#5 @Precidencia_EC Gobierno declara estado de Excepción #Ecuador #30S

When civil unrest in Ecuador increased dramatically after a new law cut benefits for public servants, President Rafael Correa accused opposition and military forces of a coup attempt, and used Twitter to declare a state of emergency in a Tweet. Leaders across Latin America and the world tweeted in response to show their support for the people of Ecuador.

#4 @BPGlobalPR Catastrophe is a strong word, let’s all agree to call it a whoopsie daisy.

It was a parody account, not BP’s official Twitter account, that defined the discussion–spoofing the company’s attempts to improve its public image. “Gulf Oil Spill” was the #1 Trend on Twitter in 2010.

#3 @LeighFazzina I’ve had a serious injury and NEED Help! Can somone please call Winding Trails in Farmington, CT tell them I’m stuck bike crash in woods.

Twitter to the rescue: When she crashed her bike in a forest with no cell phone reception, a gravely injured triathlete saved her own life when she tweeted out a desperate call for help.

#2 @whitehouse Welcome to @twitter President Medvedev! RT @KremlinRussia_E: Hello everyone! I’m on Twitter, and this is my first tweet.

Even the Russian President has joined the Twitter bandwagon. The White House immediately reached out to welcome him to the Twitterverse. Obama’s quote: Red phones no longer required.

#1 @AnnCurry @usairforce find a way to let Doctors without Borders planes land in Haiti: http://bit.ly/8hYZOK THE most effective at this.

After the devastating earthquake, Doctors Without Borders flew in a team of physicians to assist the wounded, but they were unable to get clearance to land the plane. Reporter Ann Curry used Twitter to convince the U.S. Air Force to allow the flight to land. And it worked.

To get the full top ten list read the full article here: http://www.businessinsider.com/twitters-top-tweets-2010-12#

In recent years we find ourselves working more and more with companies who seek additional capital, whether to elevate to a new level, go public or fight through the cash crunch.  Regardless of the reason they are in need of raising capital so they can successfully grow their business.

Businesses in need of operating cash sometimes seem to take a very aimless approach to raising money.  Even the idea of creating and shaping a successful brand is an afterthought until cash is in hand.  The prevailing thought among business entrepreneurs is to raise money first, then build brand second.

But our experience as brand consultants has proven that these efforts must, at the very least, run concurrent.  Below are nine critical steps to fundraising success:

1)     There must be a clear and concise vision in place for the company.

2)     You and everyone else within the company must clearly understand the business goals, both short-term and long-term.

3)     A clearly defined plan must be developed on how the new funds will be utilized.  Have a game plan in place.

4)     Understand how you will demonstrate return on investment (pro formas).

5)     Company leadership should understand and agree on how the company competes in its space, how it is different and better from competitors, and a core understanding of the brand position.

6)     Paint the vision for the team.  This step focuses on creating the internal brand.  Ensure those associated with the company are on board.

7)     As your brand starts to evolve, focus on how to make it sexy and how you will “package it” for success.  It is here that the brand comes alive.

8)     Champion the Brand!  A key to growth and raising business capital is employing a leadership style that demonstrates a contagious passion.  One that quickly spreads to others within the organization.

9)     Sell it!

By considering these points, you and your company will be in a much better position to cultivate the growth capital as well as understand what your brand is and how and why you’re better than anyone else so you can get to the next level.