Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Evan Carmichael Top Header
Share for a Cause









Branding Unbound

Written by: Andy Marken

Article Overview: Book Review -- The future of advertising, sales and the brand experience in the wireless age

Free Download - Macworld/iWorld -- It's The Event, Not the Tradeshow By Andy Marken
Name: Email:

Branding Unbound

Branding Unbound – The future of advertising, sales and the brand experience in the wireless age – Rick Mathieson; AMACOM, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 1019; www.amacombooks.org; ISBN 0814472877; 244 pages, July 15, 2005; $24.95

Reviewed by: G.A. “Andy” Marken, president, Marken Communications Inc, andy@markencom.com

The combination of cellphones and digital cameras, Wi-Fi hotspots and mobile gaming solutions have grown rapidly in the last two years. Hardware and software producers as well as content and service providers have already seen tremendous increases in sales and it is only just beginning. Untethered, it represents the ability for people to be constantly in contact with each other and their content – audio and video. It also represents the breathless opportunity for PR people to reach, inform, help and abuse not only members of the press but also the consumer on a direct and personal basis.

Rick’s Branding Unbounded opens the door for both good and evil in our opinion. It will deliver good if people read the entire book and understand the pros and cons as well as the dos and don’ts. But the book has a stronger potential for evil because it has been our experience that too many people only retain that information they want to keep that will help them reach people in a broadcast manner rather than 1:1. Filtering messages and audiences takes work and creativity. That’s often a needless waste of time for many so they take the author’s information and hurt the relationships for the rest of us.

The wireless “opportunities” have already captured the attention of the pornography industry which is making it difficult for legitimate businesses to effectively implement the applications to strengthen the 1:1 brand relationships for the rest of us.

But “that business” has been around since the beginning of communications and we’ve survived.

When the concept of short message services first arose in late 2000 it garnered very little attention. It took more than nine months for individuals and organizations to realize the value of sending short, sometimes cryptic alphanumeric messages. Today people men, women and youths routinely put their cellphones on “stun” in meetings, classes and other activities where answering the phone would be disruptive and prohibited. They are still able to communicate stay in touch and as we say all too frequently, multitask.

Wireless technology has improved dramatically for businesses and consumers today helping to shorten the business supply chain, track product and consumer habits and increasingly reach people at the right time and right place. In slightly more than 200 pages, Mathieson has done an excellent job of explaining the broad wireless arena that impacts every segment of business and industry.

More importantly and uniquely he has tailored the technology in terms that public relations people can understand. A great part of the credit for the clarification has to be in his approach of involving marketing and communications experts into the book who understand the technologies. We found the Q&A sections of the book with Seth Godin, Don Peppers, Christopher Locke, Gary Hamel and Howard Rheingold to extremely meaningful in helping PR people get a good grasp on how the technology can be used in a practical and progressive marketing effort for firms large and small.

While the concept of always on, always available is growing rapidly, it has already gained its unfair share of detractors. Consumer groups and governmental agencies in a number of countries are closely examining how the control:
- the recipient from being “trapped” into receiving promotional messages he or she has no interest in receiving just because they activated their mobile device
- the recipient who chooses to opt-in for the free or promotional supported service only receives a certain “class” of messages and is not forced to endure undesirable messages
- that the mobile user only receives a specific level of short message ads based on his or her device usage patterns and volumes
- widespread distribution of short messaging activities without prior agreement from the mobile user


The challenge for public relations people as Branding Unbound clearly emphasizes is to implement the messaging technology based on a well thought-out and staged complete communications program. Widespread and poorly strategized implementation will only cause a pushback by consumer groups, corporations, governmental agencies and consumers that can have direct and immediate repercussions for the initiator of the unnecessary, unrequested and undesirable intrusion.

As Mathieson points out, all of this information and technology are already available to organizations and some firms like McDonald’s, Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Apple and P&G are using it very effectively to strengthen their brands and brand relationships.

Anyone who is developing programs and strategies should read Branding Unbounded at least two to three times before they map out their tactics. If they don’t carry out their effort in a planned and controlled manner the backlash will be more than they even want to think about. Some people will read the book and skip over some important discussion points like measured program roll-outs of programs so that they can show management immediate and impressive results. While restrained implementation may be difficult we’re pretty certain that if the effort isn’t well thought out and executed it may appear in a form and shape do the organization – and more importantly its PR people – more brand damage than they want to endure.

Fortunately, Mathieson has done much of the research for us and does a very good job of understanding how you can put the wireless technologies to work as a part of the overall public relations effort.

The path selection is ours to take!!!!

######################

Related Articles
  The definition of branding
  Building A Better Brand in the New Year
  Personal Branding Tip
  Home Based Business Branding To Identify Your Opportunity
  Strategic Branding Questions

Home > Marketing > Andy Marken > Branding Unbound
Article Tags:

About the Author: Andy Marken
RSS for Andy's articles - Visit Andy's website

G. A. "Andy" Marken President Marken Communications, Inc. Santa Clara, CA Andy has worked in front of and behind the TV camera and radio mike. Unlike most PR people he listens to and understands the consumer’s perspective on the actual use of products. He has written more than 100 articles in the business and trade press. During this time he has also addressed industry issues and technologies not as corporate wishlists but how they can be used by normal people. He has been a marketing and communications consultant for more than 30 years involved in the wild early days of the Internet/Web, heyday of the videogame industry and the maturing professional and consumer video industries. His experience includes years with Internet pioneer CERFnet, TCG and AT&T. Andy has worked in the software, Web 2.0, video and storage industry with Panasonic, Philips, Dazzle, Atari, NTI, ADS Tech, Pinnacle Systems, CyberLink, InterVideo, Ulead and Verbatim.

Click here to visit Andy's website
Dashed Line

More from Andy Marken
Collaboration
Outdoor Advertising
Why Doesnt the Press Call
COOP ADVERTISING
Online Videos The Move to Entertain Educate Sell


Related Forum Posts
Re: What is your Business? Re: What is your Business? - We are running a Online Marketing Firm and we have some good clients to which we are offering a complete Digital Marketing strategy like Search, Mobile Marketing, Branding and Design. I think in Online Marketing company online presence can be a wining factor for the success of the company.
New Small Business Topic New Small Business Topic - Hello everyone, I'm on the lookout for new topics to add to my site. We just launched a Franchising section and are planning Human Resources section. Do you have any thoughts for a new section? Here's a list of what we currently have: Angel Investors Branding Bank Loans Business Coaching Business Plan Franchises (New) Insurance Legal Marketing Public Relations Sales Small Biz Loans Venture Capital
Re: Direct Mail Postcards Re: Direct Mail Postcards - [quote="jvprosperity":2r71nzqq]Kevin, your situation is very common. Get's me wondering if advertisers are just being lazy and "blanket" areas with advertising hoping that some will stick and get people to respond. mathew1 used the word "targeted" alot but I think that's what most advertisers are either not doing or not going deep enough in their targeting. I disagree that direct mail is more important to small business. Yes, it get's done more often within small businesses but that's 'cos of a small budget and them being forced to utilize it to it's fullest. Big Business focus so much more on Branding and Image Management since they have larger budgets but they also do a fair bit of direct mail and other methods.[/quote:2r71nzqq] Hi Andy, I'd say "naive" is a better word. In fact, "blanketing" areas with unwanted solicitation/ads is costly and will only hurt small businesses in the eyes of consumers (who will resent it).
Re: Direct Mail Postcards Re: Direct Mail Postcards - [quote="Kevin":k7jhujz8]But how do you prevent people from just throwing out your direct mail as unwanted solicitation? Anytime I get direct mail, I toss it out. I've noticed solicitors using cheap tricks like printing the message in "hand writing" to make the letter seem more personal. Who are they trying to fool?[/quote:k7jhujz8] Kevin, your situation is very common. Get's me wondering if advertisers are just being lazy and "blanket" areas with advertising hoping that some will stick and get people to respond. mathew1 used the word "targeted" alot but I think that's what most advertisers are either not doing or not going deep enough in their targeting. I disagree that direct mail is more important to small business. Yes, it get's done more often within small businesses but that's 'cos of a small budget and them being forced to utilize it to it's fullest. Big Business focus so much more on Branding and Image Management since they have larger budgets but they also do a fair bit of direct mail and other methods.
Del Castienne - International Business and Project Brokers Del Castienne - International Business and Project Brokers - In addition to the above, Del Castienne is an international brokerage firm specializing in various entrepreneural services. Del Castienne is more than just a brokerage, as we facilitate Private International Venture Capital for Business and Projects from Commodity Speculation Transactions, MBO, MBI, M&A, Bridging Finance, Patents, Branding, JV, Corporate Advisory Services, Business Plan Development, etc.. Del Castienne is linked to 1200 private international Venture Capital consortiums and Funding Syndicates with a funding capacity of $ 115 billion and 5000 international Investment Bankers and Business & Project Brokers. This in itself should provide you with a gateway to the best source of funding in the world. Through Del Castienne any entrepreneur can have up to a potential success rate of 25% (conditions apply) with absolutely no up front costs. Del Castienne charges a maximum of 5% commission which is far below the international standard of 10% - 12% on project value. If you are tired of running back and forth with countless dissappointments, please give us an opportunity to assist you. Our minimum Venture Capital amount is $1 million and we a Commitment Letter can be provided with in 30 days after formalities are in place and your information was received.


Recommended Article for You close

  The definition of branding

Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.



Featured Article


Bottom Footer
Share for a Cause












Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Popular Articles

Remind Me...

How to Ask for a Flexible Work Arrangement

Good News Travels Fast

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.