Mental Playlist: Jane Says

Sswwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

As I was getting ready to craft another riveting piece, Jane (our cat), tired of being ignored, walked across the keyboard, leaving you the message above. Sswwwerrrrr (radio edit), could be something. I Sswwwerrrr, you better pay attention to me or you'll be sorry. Could be the same message your Brand would type to you, given the opportunity (and assuming you let it on the furniture).

If you are lucky enough to be a new Brand, you have the world at your feet. It is yours to lose ... frightening and exhilarating. You can be anything. You have no baggage. First impressions are key. Every move you make, every promise given, everything that comes through the speakers will be scrutinized. Are you here for the long haul? Are you worth my time? Are you who you say you are? Listeners won't give you a pass on a product that is not ready. They have no history with you. They are looking for a reason to leave. They just want to make sure you aren't better than what they already have. Tired music, stale creative, bored or boring jocks, sloppy board work and false promises, give them the out. Like your mom always said, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Don't screw it up. You can't live in our house forever."

If you are lucky enough to be a heritage Brand, a Brand that people have known and used for years, a Brand that is a part of their personal history, you have the world at your feet. You have credibility, you go back, they are yours to lose. You have the opportunity to try new things, and you better try them or you are going to become outdated and irrelevant. You are comfortable, but you can't be boring. Their lives are constantly changing and you have to keep up! What about new ears? How do you bond with those coming up behind them? Are you resting on your past or are you planning your future?

Great Brands are in a constant state of evolution; they are at the same time familiar and new. Are you paying enough attention to yours? Do you Sswwwerrrrr?