| The message is determined by analyzing the brand | | | | promises to its consumers and keeping them |
| being marketed, and doing | | | | consistently since the company's |
| so with clear vision and self-knowledge. Too many | | | | inception. Anything that bears the Disney name has |
| marketing executives rely | | | | a special trust, a covenant |
| on their own concept of the brand's identity, and | | | | with the consumer, and Disney lives up to that |
| never bother to discover what | | | | covenant every single time.It's easy to ridicule the |
| attributes the public has assigned to a product. Just | | | | seemingly fanatical insistence Disney has on referring |
| because you've decided | | | | to its employees as cast members, in considering |
| that you want to project a certain image doesn't | | | | the consequences of every |
| mean that's the image you're | | | | word spoken on every program its networks air, in |
| projecting. Extremely high-profile marketing | | | | not allowing its male |
| campaigns have failed because | | | | employees to grow beards, or in its sanitized image |
| not enough market research and communication | | | | that seems unrealistic in |
| with the consuming public | | | | modern society. But it would be foolish to attack the |
| were done.For example:When AT&T Wireless | | | | surface of the Disney |
| decided to consolidate its wireless phone, pager, and | | | | brand and overlook the unprecedented success it |
| Internet technology into something called mlife, it | | | | has enjoyed for a number of |
| gave the public examples of | | | | decades. The company continues to grow, but |
| what the company meant. Unfortunately, the public | | | | never for a moment does it take |
| still doesn't understand, | | | | its covenant,the promises it makes to its audience |
| and has no idea what the m stands for (it is | | | | for granted.Go to the Disney Web site at and you'll |
| messaging).United Airlines has long invited the public | | | | see the company's |
| to "fly the friendly skies of United." | | | | dedication to its core philosophy at work with every |
| The public has noticed that the experience on the | | | | click. Want to discuss a |
| plane is not terribly friendly, | | | | vacation at Walt Disney World in Florida? You can |
| and is now distrustful of all airlines' claims.The criteria | | | | book your vacation, including |
| for effective public relations messages should be: (1) | | | | airfare, car rental, hotel, and theme park tickets, |
| is it true? (2) | | | | through Disney online. If you |
| Is it unusual? (3) Is it interesting?On the other hand, | | | | need personal assistance, phone numbers are always |
| if a company already exists in the marketplace, a | | | | available. News about |
| new | | | | upcoming movies from the Disney studios can be |
| message will have to be identified. For retail | | | | found, including coming |
| companies, the addition of a new | | | | attractions trailers. Games are available for children |
| product category or a price reduction are always | | | | and adults. Want to buy |
| effective messages.Sales promotions, particularly | | | | some Disney merchandise? The Disney Store has an |
| very public or extremely unusual ones, make | | | | online catalog. There is |
| good messages. Anything out of the ordinary being | | | | always the option of speaking to a Disney |
| done by the company in | | | | representative with any question or |
| the name of public service or community aid is a | | | | concern you might have. And the Disney Web site is |
| legitimate message.In order for the message to be | | | | careful not to provide links |
| even rudimentarily effective, it absolutely must | | | | to ABC, Touchstone, or Miramax, because those |
| be true. Remember, the message is being | | | | companies deal in material |
| disseminated by the legitimate news | | | | that, although affiliated with the parent company, |
| media; a false message will be discovered and | | | | does not conform to the |
| exposed, and win immediately | | | | Disney brand. They are separate brands and are |
| brand the company negatively. It will do more | | | | treated separately. They have |
| damage than having no message | | | | their own Web sites.While the philosophy is not |
| at all, and such situations must be avoided at all | | | | directly presented to the consumer in words, it is |
| costs.Unique messages are going to be more | | | | not in the least difficult to discern or understand. |
| noticeable and more attractive to the | | | | Disney will provide you with |
| gatekeepers who determine which stories are told | | | | high-quality, attentive customer service and a |
| and which are not. So an | | | | dedication to family. It's there |
| unusual message--something a company is doing that | | | | on the Web site, in the theme parks, and in the |
| no one else has | | | | entertainment provided by the |
| considered or been creative enough to conceive-will | | | | company under its own name. Under no |
| be considerably more | | | | circumstances does the Disney |
| successful than one that seems tired or old simply | | | | Company ever renege on those promises, and it |
| because it has been seen | | | | holds firm to them in every |
| before.It goes without saying that the message | | | | aspect of its branded business.On those occasions |
| must be interesting. If it is unique, | | | | when there is even the suggestion of a break with |
| unusual, and true, but without any interest to the | | | | the |
| general public, the message | | | | covenant, Disney works swiftly to correct the |
| being delivered will most likely never find the light of | | | | situation. When some video |
| day. If it does, it will | | | | copies of its animated film The Little Mermaid were |
| undoubtedly be ignored, or worse, ridiculed. Many | | | | rumored to have an off- |
| companies make the | | | | color visual joke in three frames (1/8 of a second), |
| mistake of assuming that if a message seems | | | | the company made sure the |
| unusual and interesting to them, | | | | rumors were dispelled, and the offending three |
| it will be those things for the general consuming | | | | frames, although they really |
| public. People in business | | | | didn't contain what the rumors said they did, were |
| tend to find their business fascinating; it is the thing | | | | cut from subsequent copies. |
| they spend most of their | | | | Disney takes its covenant very seriously.BRANDING |
| time thinking about, so they are more | | | | IS ESSENTIALEverything impacts on Branding--the |
| knowledgeable about and concerned | | | | smell of the bathroom, the signs in the |
| with their business than any casual observer or | | | | window, the product being sold in the store, the |
| consumer would be. That is | | | | things people say. One of the |
| only natural and proper. But it is far too easy to | | | | most powerful things that impacts all people's |
| make the miscalculation that a | | | | perceptions is what they read, |
| message that might be fascinating to an industry | | | | see, or hear about in the media, because it carries |
| insider-for example, "Ours is | | | | with it the imprimatur of the |
| the only paper bag made with 100 percent maple | | | | media outlet.To illustrate: If a garage band pays to |
| fibers"-will also be of interest | | | | produce its own CD and sends out fliers |
| to a casual user of the product. In almost every | | | | to every record store in the country saying the |
| case, that assumption will be | | | | album is a breakthrough |
| proven untrue.So, commununication with the | | | | collection, it won't carry a fraction of the impact |
| consuming public is an essential component to | | | | that same CD win have if |
| any successful Branding venture. Discovering from | | | | someone on MTV uses the exact same words, |
| the public what its true | | | | because now the brand of the |
| feelings are about the brand identity being | | | | garage band has been enhanced with the brand |
| contemplated, as well as any | | | | MTV.The old saying, "There is no such thing as bad |
| changes being discussed concerning an existing brand | | | | publicity" is absolutely |
| identity, can help a wise | | | | incorrect, however. Having a brand's name |
| marketer avoid miscalculations that can prove | | | | mentioned in the media is a very |
| disastrously costly and possibly | | | | strong influencer, and it can cut both ways. Should a |
| fatal to the brand, the product, or the company.This | | | | media outlet say |
| is not to imply that the public must be allowed to | | | | something negative about a brand-even if the |
| dictate all Branding | | | | information is proven to be |
| decisions, however. What's more important is for | | | | totally inaccurate-the negative repercussions on the |
| anyone involved in Branding | | | | brand identity can be |
| to have a clear-eyed view of their brand identity. | | | | devastating. It can take a lot of damage control, in |
| Wal-Mart remains a wildly | | | | the form of advertisement, |
| successful brand by not trying to be Tiffany's. | | | | retractions from media outlets, and strong |
| McDonald's, although it has | | | | statements from the brand itself, to |
| slipped precipitously as a trusted brand in recent | | | | undo one misplaced comment from a credible media |
| years, still has the good | | | | outlet. Sometimes the |
| sense not to hire Wolfgang Puck to rethink its | | | | damage can't be controlled or undone.When public |
| hamburger recipe.When a Branding professional loses | | | | relations is done properly, an item of information is |
| sight of the original mission-that is, the | | | | disseminated |
| brand identity-and tries to be all things to all people, | | | | to media gatekeepers, who then decide to report |
| the results are almost | | | | the information either directly |
| always calamitous. The archetypal example of New | | | | or indirectly. Reportage is done, research is |
| Coke works as a warning | | | | accumulated, interviews are |
| about so many different Branding errors that it | | | | performed. Eventually the information item becomes |
| seems clichéd to mention it, but | | | | a media report, and it is |
| consider: The fundamental miscalculation being made | | | | at that moment that the public relations professional |
| was the level of loyalty | | | | can no longer control it |
| the average Coca-Cola drinker had for what was, | | | | entirely. Media outlets-particularly the most desirable, |
| and remains, unquestionably | | | | most credible ones- |
| the most well-known, best-loved brand identity on | | | | operate autonomously, reporting the information |
| this planet. To think it was | | | | they deem necessary or |
| a good idea to remove this beloved product-in favor | | | | interesting and excluding all else. Time constraints, |
| of a formula that | | | | space limitations, and the |
| emulated the competition and was bound to alienate | | | | realities of economics play as prominent a role in the |
| Coca-Cola loyalists who | | | | decision-making process |
| had stuck with the brand, in some cases, for | | | | as the newsworthiness of the information being |
| decades-is astonishing.A FEW BASIC PROMISESPublic | | | | considered.If a company is launching a new brand, the |
| relations can operate effectively only when a clear, | | | | temptation will exist to try to |
| realistic brand | | | | saturate the market with information on that brand. |
| identity has been conceived. Certainly, PR, | | | | Often, when my company |
| professionals can be part of the | | | | is contacted about the creation of a new brand or a |
| team that establishes that identity, but it must be, | | | | new product, the request |
| above all else, a true | | | | will be, "Get us as much exposure as you can." That |
| identity. That means it must have specific attributes, | | | | is absolutely the wrong |
| specific philosophical | | | | thing to request at that time, because it is not a |
| tenets, and, most important, a few basic promises | | | | strategic position.Such a company should be |
| made to the consumer that | | | | requesting a strategic plan that is consistent with |
| will never, ever be broken.These promises, which | | | | their short-, middle-, and long-term goals. (Short-term |
| should be written down in the simplest language | | | | is defined as 6 |
| possible and distributed on a regular basis to every | | | | months, mid-term as 18 months, and long-term as |
| employee of the company, | | | | 36 months.) It's very |
| are a covenant made with the public. They define | | | | important to define those goals before seeking |
| the brand identity; they | | | | media exposure, because the |
| provide reasons to patronize the brand; and they | | | | lack of a goal is the lack of a plan, and that will |
| offer, at the most basic level, | | | | obliterate any hope of Branding |
| differentiation from all competing brands. They are | | | | before it ever has the opportunity to begin.In Lewis |
| never to be taken lightly by | | | | Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, there is a |
| any employee, and under no circumstances are they | | | | marvelous |
| ever to be broken for any | | | | moment in which Alice, trying to find her way |
| reason.If your business is a store that sells items | | | | through the maze that is |
| that cost $1 apiece, you must never | | | | Wonderland, asks the Cheshire Cat for direction. The |
| charge $1.05 for anything. If your restaurant prides | | | | cat asks, quite logically, |
| itself on cleanliness, the | | | | where Alice's destination might be, and she replies |
| rest rooms have to be absolutely spotless anytime | | | | that she doesn't care where |
| anyone walks in. If your | | | | she ends up, but needs to know which road to take. |
| promise is that every customer will be served within | | | | Told that Alice doesn't |
| 30 seconds of entering, | | | | care where she's going, the Cat replies, "Then it |
| you'd better have a stopwatch on every employee's | | | | doesn't matter which way you |
| wrist and be sure it's | | | | go."Companies that want to create brands but don't |
| operating accurately.The promises your business | | | | know what their specific goals |
| makes are the central core of that business. If | | | | are for the next 6, 18, or 36 months can't possibly |
| you've promised to provide the longest hot dogs in | | | | be expected to define their |
| town, and you provide | | | | brand identity or the proper kind of media coverage |
| them, no reasonable person is going to complain that | | | | they need to best exploit |
| you don't have the best | | | | their brand's possibilities.A good percentage of |
| crêpes suzettes as well-unless you've promised | | | | Americans believe that Elvis is still alive; there's no |
| that too.It's extremely important that the promises | | | | accounting for what people might think. But the |
| you make flow from your brand | | | | reality is that a Branding |
| identity. Understand what you are to the public and | | | | campaign, fueled by public relations efforts, will fail |
| what is expected of you, | | | | miserably if it doesn't have |
| and you can make bold but realistic promises. Try to | | | | specific, well-defined goals in place for various points |
| provide every solution to | | | | in the future before it |
| every problem, and you win end up providing | | | | begins.How do the elite Branding experts determine |
| nothing that is the least bit | | | | their goals ahead of time and |
| effective.Consider, for example, the Disney brand. | | | | pass that information on to public relations |
| Here is a company whose name and | | | | professionals? It helps to be first in |
| logo are recognized in every country on the planet, | | | | your field. Those companies that came to the |
| whose message is received | | | | marketplace before anyone else - |
| and understood everywhere from Beverly Hills to | | | | Wal-Mart, Johnson & Johnson, Kleenex, Coca-Cola, |
| Beirut. It was once estimated | | | | Disney, McDonald's-had an |
| that Mickey Mouse was the most recognized figure | | | | advantage before they generated their first media |
| anywhere on Earth, more | | | | placement. Nobody was |
| than the president of the United States, more than | | | | ahead of them, and they knew precisely what they |
| Tom Cruise, actually more | | | | intended to do.Keep in mind that most of those |
| than Santa Claus (who is famous in only about | | | | brands established themselves very early with |
| one-third of the world's | | | | very little (in many cases, close to no) advertising |
| countries).On the surface, Disney might appear to | | | | budget to work with. They |
| offer all things to all people. Besides | | | | managed to create an impression in the minds of |
| its movies and television programs under the Walt | | | | consumers without spending |
| Disney name, it also | | | | millions in magazines and newspapers or on radio or |
| produces entertainment under the Touchstone and | | | | television (in those cases |
| Hollywood Pictures | | | | when radio and television existed at the brand's |
| banners. Disney has a network television show on a | | | | inception).They did it almost exclusively with public |
| network it owns (ABC), and | | | | relations. These companies had a |
| also provides programming on cable TV via the | | | | plan, a course of action, long before they had a |
| Disney Channel and ABC | | | | brand name or a brand |
| Family. The company owns theme parks in California, | | | | identity. They projected the possible sales for their |
| Florida, Japan, and | | | | products and services and |
| France. It also owns ESPN, publishing companies, | | | | had realistic goals for the coming six months, the |
| video distribution companies, | | | | coming year, the coming |
| real estate, and retail stores. Disney logos appear on | | | | three years. In many cases, those goals were far |
| merchandise ranging | | | | exceeded, due in large part to |
| from souvenir Mickey Mouse ears to fashions | | | | the brilliant public relations campaigns that had been |
| created by respected designers, | | | | launched and executed |
| electronics, calendars, furniture, musical instruments, | | | | to establish and support the brand. Without those |
| sound recordings, and | | | | plans, goals, and |
| timepieces. Disney produces Broadway shows. It | | | | projections, there would have been no road |
| even owns a town in Florida.But no matter how | | | | map-and, as the Cheshire Cat |
| widely it casts its net, Disney always promises its | | | | would say, there would be no point in choosing one |
| customers the same things: high quality, fanatical | | | | road over another, since it |
| customer service, and a | | | | wouldn't matter where you ended up anyway.It is |
| dedication to the family. It might produce some | | | | extremely important, then, to set realistic goals. In |
| R-rated movies under its | | | | order to do that, the |
| Touchstone, Miramax, or Hollywood Pictures | | | | smart Branding practitioner needs to have a |
| umbrella, but never with the | | | | clear-eyed view of his or her own |
| Disney name. It will provide scary thrill rides in its | | | | product and company. Only with that can a true |
| theme parks, but you'd | | | | brand identity be created, one |
| better believe the streets in that park will be clean | | | | that will capture the imagination of the targeted |
| and the "cast members" who | | | | consumer and differentiate the |
| work there will find a way to solve virtually any | | | | new brand from whatever competition currently |
| problem a guest might have | | | | exists or will exist in the |
| during the stay. Guests at Walt Disney World are | | | | future. Keep in mind that even those who were first |
| never told, "We can't do that"; | | | | ended up dealing with |
| they are always given at least an alternative solution. | | | | competition. Kleenex may be the most famous |
| Maybe the ABC network | | | | brand of tissue available today, |
| will broadcast NYPD Blue, which offers controversial | | | | but it is far from the only one on the market.Michael |
| language and partial | | | | Levine is the founder of the prominent public relations |
| nudity, but the Disney Channel won't ever consider | | | | firm Levine |
| such a thing. If Disney | | | | Communications Office, based in Los Angeles. He is |
| produces a show on Broadway, you can rest | | | | the author of Guerrilla PR, |
| assured that children will be | | | | 7 Life Lessons from Noah's Ark: How to Survive a |
| admitted and the content will not offend their | | | | Flood in Your Own Life.GuerrillaPR.net is a resource |
| parents.Disney has become the tremendous | | | | for people that want to get famous in the media, |
| conglomerate it is today by making | | | | without going broke. |