Brand Central Station

My partner, Liz, and I were in Krakow, Poland last week, attending a conference hosted by the ECCO International Public Relations Network.

While at the conference, we had an opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones. There is a common bond between us – we’re all pr and marcomms practitioners and we all own and operate our own companies. The similarities cut accross geographic and political boundaries easily. But underneath it all, there was a foundation of trust and understanding.

That trust and understanding has taken almost a decade to create and underscores how difficult it is to create and manage brands that can be shared between people of different nationalities and cultures. We refer to the discipline (as Americans tend to view it) as “cross-cultural branding” and have adopted it as one of the unique services B&LPR can bring to our clients who want to market their products in other countries. (more…)

My partner, Liz, and I had lunch the other day with a prospective client. We were talking about what we did and how our approach to public relations and, more specifically our approach to “message management” was different from what most ad agencies and PR firms try to do for their clients.

At that point, the term “branding” came up.

I can’t remember who brought it up to be honest. I don’t think either Liz or I did. You see, we spend most of our time trying to understand what our clients are thinking (or more precisely, what’s on their mind). Clearly, branding was on the mind of the client this day. (more…)

There are, from time to time, those projects you work on that you just know are breaking old rules … thanks to Erik Hauser and the folks at Swivel Media, we’ve had that opportunity here at B&LPR (not bad for having been around all of 10 weeks).

Now, as much as I’d like to claim we had something to do with this idea, we didn’t. Erik and his team worked with the folks at Wells Fargo to develop Stagecoach Island as a part of an educational program targeting young adults (18-24 year olds). Swivel, best known for its ability to pull off incredible, street-level marketing programs, added an educational component and local events with this idea for an online game to capture and hold the attention of what Erik politely refers to as “The Teflon Generation.”

Working with their client and the programmers at Linden Lab, Swivel quarterbacked the project and then asked us to help tell people about it. It’s a small part to play, but we’re glad to do it.

Congratulations to Erik, Gina Fung and Tim Collins from Wells Fargo and the rest of the team for a noteworthy marketing program. It’s been a pleasure to work on it with you.

I had an interesting phone conversation the other day.

I answered a phone call from a young guy who was ready to start his own consulting practice … or so he thought. He sounded full of confidence and very sure of both his area of expertise and the need for it in the marketplace. He was calling me because he needed someone to “do some marketing” for him.

His confidence started to fade when I asked him to be more specific. Clearly, he wasn’t expecting that kind of response. “What kind of marketing support do you need?” I asked. You could hear the air escape from him as he deflated right there on the call. (more…)

I was on the phone with an erstwhile colleague this past week and something popped out of my mouth that actually had some value. (That happens from time to time and is, I think, what keeps me in this crazy business.)

“Mike,” I said, “the difference between strong brands and irrelevant ones is that the strong ones know how to finish. They’re able to close the loop with the customer.”

I wrote it down at the time, somewhat amused with myself. But I didn’t realize how many times I would refer back to that concept while in conversations with clients, vendors and new business prospects. (more…)

After months of recovery from personal injury, computer meltdowns (at home, work and with my faithful, old laptop), financial trials and new business tribulations, I’m finally back at the wheel and blogging.

In the few months I’ve been away, I’ve managed to drag a new partner into this venture. Liz Lareau, a long-time friend and some-time professional colleague has agreed to give up a significant part of her life and join me as we launch a new, PR venture: Bawden & Lareau Public Relations.

It’s a new experience, this having a full-time partner. Not like the full-time, marriage partner I have (my wife, Caroline). I’m sure Liz would tell you the same thing – I’m not a thing like her husband, Hector.

Instead, we laugh, cajole and joke around the office. But we expect something different in this relationship than the ones we have at home. We challenge each other to think smarter and act on our ideas. To think bolder thoughts. To make the tough calls with clients and the media.

In short, we make each other better.

I’m looking forward to where this new venture takes us and will post our insights, thoughts, observations and ruminations here.