 CHANGE!
Community as a Metaphor for Brand Transformation
by Ran Mullins
Traveling in Scotland in 1998 I was amazed at the similarities between some of the small towns and villages to Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. The history and the people were so rich in their cultural heritage and the architecture seemed to tell a story all its own. The landscape was breathtaking and it set the stage for romance as well as adventure. We were actually researching ancient stone sites, but I would often annoy my travel companion by wanting to visit every castle we passed. It was an escape simply because it was so different from our everyday world.
On the main tourist route to the Isle of Skye, at the meeting point of three sea lochs on the west coast of Scotland, Eilean Donan Castle is situated by the picturesque village of Dornie. Driving through the mountains of the Five Sisters of Kintail we could feel the remoteness of our location. Upon arriving in the town we were immediately taken with the profound sense of community. To me, it is places such as these that community can be most evidently experienced. The fact that these people have been working together in this remote location that has been a fortified site for over 800 years.
The Dictionary.com Web site defines the word "community" as, "sharing, participation, and fellowship." Too often we treat our brand communities as audiences without expecting participation or fellowship. This is the direct result of living in a "push" mentality society. We are performing for an audience and they are the passive spectators.
When I speak of community as a metaphor for brand transformation I am really describing the paradigm shift to a "pull" mentality. By welcoming our audience members to become part of our brand community we are engaging them as willful participants. This simple interaction provides us with a significant opportunity to turn these passive onlookers into valuable ambassadors for our brand.
Interaction is the key to this necessary transformation. This goes beyond the Web, but the interaction is exactly why we will continue to see the Internet, and technologies in general, become increasingly important in our lives. Steve Jobs once said, "Let's make a dent in the universe." Technology has certainly achieved this goal by bringing us all together. As a collective body we have made the earth into one brain through the use of technology. This connectedness is growing a stronger bond every day through our additions to the Internet. We are becoming a global community of one mind. But who is in charge? Where is our leader?
At the turn of the century the global economy was the leader. Money was at the top of everyone's mind. (Certainly beyond the realm of common sense.) The new economy bust didn't wake us up by itself. People are now referring to 9/11 as the wake up call, but in reality this was not the date of economic downfall. The economy had already gone sour by that time. As Americans, our loss at that time was a poignant exclamation point for the loss that had already occurred; the selling of our souls. It just didn't register until that point.
We found that we were in many ways unfulfilled and we were filling that void with money. The money ultimately did not provide satisfaction, because the money wasn't what we were after. Although wealth became the goal that drove many an ill-fated start-up what we, as a collective, have truly been chasing is possibility.
What can technology do for us? Every time that question is answered the money follows. Technology has acquired a cool and sexy profile because it represents our wants and needs. Whether it is a cell phone that does everything or the cure for cancer it is technology that holds the answer. This isn't a revelation, but it still begs additional examination.
In his new book, Tom Peters is telling us to Re-imagine and that is exactly what we need to do. We must recapture our imagination and in doing so be willing to change. Our society has reached a low point in the psychology of our global consciousness. We must change in order to survive, but we must change together, as one community. This change will sweep over us like a wave. As thousands upon thousands of faces turn in one direction, as thousands upon thousands of voices begin to sing a single note, and as we begin to look around us we will discover that we were never so different all along. Then again, maybe not?
So how do you transform a brand? How do you change what has always been? The first step is to remember why your brand exists. Whether we are discussing a company, product, service or cause it all comes down to purpose. If there is no purpose there is no brand. If your company was gone tomorrow would anyone care or would the void be filled? If your answer surprises you then you've likely gotten too far off track. Change for you could simply be getting back on track.
The second step is to listen to your brand community. They are regularly telling you exactly what they want. Their engagement should be your purpose. Take all of your demographic and ethnographic data, memorize it, and then set it aside. Once you have a clear picture in your head of what a profile of a community member looks like then you can begin to hear their voices. You can begin to get in their skin. You can begin to see their actions from a different perspective. You can begin to feel their wants and needs as if they were your own. Are you truly satisfying those needs? Are you willing to change to meet those needs? Are those needs realistic?
Part of this change will require using old tools in new and different ways. "Pull" doesn't replace "push." It isn't one or the other. It's one and the other. That doesn't mean that the old tool no longer works the way that it used to, but that it works in a new way as well, or even better. As people we are changing every day. Our bodies, our minds, and our hearts are being subjected to change regularly. Much of this change is brought about by other people that we experience in the midst of their own levels of transformation.
These experiences of change become part of our character. This character regularly impacts our purpose and can even distract us from our mission. Change for the sake of change doesn't necessarily equal success, just as art for art's sake doesn't necessarily communicate. But one thing is for certain; if we do not change we will fail. Change is risk. Change is reward. As human beings we feel a need to be productive members of our community. Whatever role we are destined to play can be changed at the drop of a hat with or without our consent. Our purpose is to move our community forward.
Metaphor Studio has experienced a great deal of change in past twelve months. We have added three new individuals to the community of our team, we have welcomed a number of new companies into our community of clients, and we have physically changed by moving our studio into our new building. Our new studio is in a converted warehouse that dates back to 1880. We intend to become an integral part of the historic Pendleton community in Cincinnati's Arts District of Over-the-Rhine. So much history, so much life, so many changes.
As Gandhi said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
ABOUT THE ARTICLE:
You can read additional CeD articles in the executive white paper "Community Experience Development™: Empowering Sharing, Participation and Fellowship Among a Body Politic" by Ran Mullins
BusinessWeek featured a story on Metaphor Studio in 2003 entitled Giving New Meaning to "Branding." In the article Smart Marketing columnist Karen E. Klein and Chicago marketing executive Meg Goodman interview Metaphor Studio CEO Ran Mullins, and describe how he responded to bigger rivals by going back to basics and giving clients the how, when, and why of what CeD can do for them. Much of the content of the article refers to the Community Experience Development™ (CeD) executive white paper. Read More>>>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ran Mullins is the founder and CEO of Metaphor Studio. He is a consultant and advisor on branding and Web site strategy integration to corporations and community organizations. In addition to being an artist and entrepreneur, he is a resident, business owner, and community advocate in Cincinnati's historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.
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CeD, Q1 2004, Volume 2, Issue 1
Past Issues:
2004
Q1 2004 - CHANGE!
Q2 2004 - Branding Personality
2003
Q1 2003 - Cultivate
Q2 2003 - Fascinate
Q3 2003 - Illuminate
Q4 2003 - Celebrate
CeD is a quarterly publication designed to provide insights into Metaphor Studio's
Community Experience Development™ process of consulting. Metaphor Studio is an advertising and technology agency in Cincinnati's historic Over-the-Rhine providing branding, interactive, and advertising strategy.
About CeD:
Community Experience Development™ (CeD) is a business philosophy that focuses on the proprietary consulting strategy of Metaphor Studio, LLC, utilizing Internet methods for revolutionizing brand communities. CeD includes cultivating, fascinating, and illuminating the target audience through personalized and non-personalized membership communities. The core CeD principles involve leveraging intellectual properties to position each community creator as the leader and expert in their given community. Achievement of CeD objectives results in the evolution of the brand community as the destination point for the given topic both online and offline. Download the complete executive whitepaper.
About Metaphor Studio:
Metaphor Studio is an advertising and technology agency providing Branding, Interactive, and Advertising Strategy since 1997. At Metaphor Studio we are experts in identity and interactive experience management. Specializing in Community Experience Development by providing strategies for sharing, participation and fellowship among brand communities. We define and develop communities that empower epic change by Cultivating members and clients through expert targeting, Fascinating the target audience through highly sophisticated and high-quality touch and using Illumination to assure lasting results by teaching community members about new and forthcoming offerings. Communities that understand your industry, your business or research goals, and can ultimately enhance your ability to effectively dominate your industry. Learn more at MetaphorStudio.com |
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