Musings about Fear

Last week I finished reading Michelle Shephard's book, 'Decade of Fear'. While the principle concern of this writer is illuminating terrorism and the terrorists who operated in this 'grey world' during the decade since 9/11, the book caused me to examine my thoughts about fear itself.

It is certain that 9/11 plunged us all into a sea of mistrust and uncertainty, it is also true that fear was used by governments in the free world to eliminate or at least bracket aspects of the freedoms we as individuals had formerly enjoyed. Military spending, the commitment of troops and other resources as well as the development of new weapons and defense systems couldn't have happened during this decade without an investment of capital and the realignment of resources that was driven by 'fear'.

Tonight I listened as the President of the United States outlined a plan to re-examine gun laws in that country.  Of course, he is responding to the widespread emotion and fear generated by the killings in 'Newtown, Connecticut'.  The fear of such an event occurring again is very useful in this case. It may purchase a new era and culture for guns and gun controls in America.

Around the world since 2008, the unintended consequences of greed, deregulation and failed economic policy has created fears that undermine confidence, the underpinning of thriving economic conditions.  Tonight the evening news brings the story of UPS, a Swiss bank, who among others it seems, have manipulated interest and exchange rates for their own benefit. So do we now mistrust and fear the very banks who must enjoy our confidence to maintain operations? What is likely to be this cost and who will pay? I fear it may be us the depositor and consumer of bank services.

Turning to marketing and brands, my area of expertise, fear has often been used by marketing to sell services that mitigate loss or to maintain brand loyalty. However, in this domain fear is now a less useful strategy because of social media and the ability of the modern influencer to distribute sentiment that will mitigate the fears a consumer may have of an inferior product, a higher price or a lack of after sale service and support.

Finally, looking to personal matters, the use of fear (the fear of eternal damnation) has been useful to assist  religious organizations in their work of redemption. Which brings me toward a final fear (the fear associated with death). Several years ago I spent time with a dying cousin who talked to me about his fears just weeks before he left us. It may surprise you to know, he didn't fear death.  In fact, his only concern was that he might die well. Upon further reflection and dialogue I came to understand this final fear. He feared losing his ability to maintain a consistent faith, to handle the pain that might come his way and to continue to merit the trust and affection of his wife and children. In fact, I suspect  this last element of fear kept him alive until conditions prevailed for him to die well.

Taking all of this into consideration I wonder if we should understand fear as a currency. A currency that while it may purchase less today than it did before the decade past. A currency that is can be created using a real or imagined protagonist. A currency that is invested in the activities of those who use fear (terrorism, risk mitigation, etc.) as well as ultimately by those who defend the lifestyle, freedoms and values we fear to lose.

Many thanks Michelle, for good writing and for autographing this book. Much thanks Mike Dover, for being a friend and for thinking  I would benefit from the read. I am afraid my musings may have taken thoughts about fear to a different place than you imagined.

Untethered - 40 Years of 'Wired' Comes to an End

Wow! It's hard not to feel a little exposed now that we have terminated ThunderRidge wire line services from Telus. We've been putting this off for several years even though the termination saves us almost $4,500 per annum.  Perhaps this is because we're both 'digital immigrants' and couldn't imagine ourselves without a wired phone.  Or may be its because the toll free line (1.800.268.5569) helped us build virtually every business since we were married.

I'm kind of sad to see the services and the grey phones go, but that's just nostalgia. What finally drove us to make the move was the realization that we had far too many mail boxes/phone numbers to manage and we were almost never near the wire line when people tried to contact us. Janice and I, both use our Samsung Galaxies (August, 2012) to do almost everything. I guess you could say that we are both finally 'Untethered.

The times, they are a' changing!

Remembrance Day, Warriors and Politicians

I want to pass along a poem I received yesterday, but first some personal context. 

Last week gave much pause for thought. The US election dominated the news and as this campaign was coming to a close I found myself compelled to complete my reading of The Three Musketeers.  This story provides historical perspective on the life of a King's musketeer in mid 1600, leading up to the French Revolution. I found this window on royalty, religion and the rule of law to be quite illuminating. It turned my thinking toward our understanding of 'peace' and 'freedom'. Since these terms are not the same, one needs to consider the substantial difference between a warrior fighting for 'freedom' and those who uphold 'peace'.

On Wednesday morning, we learned my mother-in-law had a devastating stroke. Though not expected to survive, at this moment she is still clinging to life. Within 12 hours of the event, we managed to fly Janice to be with her mom. Somewhere along the tour that day, my youngest son called to say his dream to make Sergeant in the US National Guard had been realized.

With all this, I came upon Remembrance Day somewhat more reflective than usual about warriors and the warrior culture that surrounds them. Yesterday, my mother passed me this poem, penned in 1987 by Lawrence Vaincourt. 

Now that my son is a sergeant, I desire perspective on the warrior's place in our world. With due respect to elected officials, perhaps this poem on this Remembrance Day will stimulate us to review the things we value.  Otherwise, things haven't changed very much from the 17th century.

Just a Common Soldier (A Soldier Died Today)

He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past.
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.

And tho' sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer, for a soldier died today.

He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won't note his passing, though a soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?

A politician's stipend and the style in which he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.

It's so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?

He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor while he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,
Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.

© 1987 A. Lawrence Vaincourt

Industry - CRTC Hearing on Wireless Services Code - 11FEB2013

In Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2012-557-1, the CRTC has announced revisions to the proceeding to establish a mandatory code for mobile wireless services announced on October 11, 2012. Revisions in Notice, among others, include: the Public Hearing will take place on February 11, 2013 in Gatineau, Quebec; the deadline for submission of interventions/comments has been extended until December 4, 2012; additional details about the online consultation; and prior to the public hearing, the Commission will issue a “draft code” document prepared by Commission staff, based on the interventions and replies, as a way to stimulate debate and focus submissions at the public hearing.

Full text of the Notice 

Icing on ThunderRidge

Strategy - Task Shifting to Improve Service Delivery

Recently we provided the PetLynx HHOP scrum with a discussion of the role of simplicity in the delivery of  modern business and social communication. In his new book, 'Insanely Simple' Ken Segall suggests simplicity is the most powerful force in business and is the central element that gave Apple its competitive advantage.

'To most people, it’s obvious why Apple has become a global phenomenon: it makes amazing things amazingly simple. What’s less obvious is the reason why Apple is so good at it. Thanks to Steve Jobs’ obsession, simplicity is the guideline for everything it does: innovating, organizing, selling and communicating.'

Vikram Patel, found an insanely simple way to change the service delivery model for mental health care in developing countries.  Shifting tasks to lay people who are trained for specific purposes reduces the cost and has improved the rate of interventions in countries around the world. Furthermore, his development of a Service Delivery model called SUNDAR has applications everywhere in a social-centric world.  

Simplify the message/communication
UNpack the treatment/service
Deliver it where people are
Affordable and available human resources
Reallocate specialists to train and supervise

SUNDAR  means attractive in Hindi. Vikram Patel used this acronym to improve a model of service delivery for mental health while increasing capacity and empowering people. With modern technology and social communication, this is an idea with global significance.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Branducation:

In point form, identify one example of how this concept could be used to simplify and improve a service your organization delivers. Reveal the primary benefits you would expect to generate for the organization, the clients and the industry?

Personal Development - Thinking about death can clarify life

In July, Senior TED Fellow, Candy Chang shared how the death of a close personal friend helped her conceive a project that has now spanned the globe. She discovered an amazing outpouring of sentiment about the things people want to do before they die.

We know in business it is important to consider the 'end game' so this clarity is brought to planning and execution. Candy discovered this to be true in life as well.  I encourage you to spend 5 minutes to watch her recent TED Talk in Edinburgh, Scotland and then take a moment to complete the sentence

'Before I Die, I want to'


WATCH THE VIDEO

Strategy - A Billion New Customers by 2025

Our world is changing.  Market access is broadening.  The Internet has made everything available anytime anywhere. In June, a McKinsey Global Institute report identified the emergence of more than one billion new consumers during the next 12 years.

Furthermore, this increase in consumers is likely to shift the world's economic centre of gravity.  Take a moment to identify and write down 10 of the world's new economic hotspots and where you think the world's economic centre of gravity will be 2025 before looking at this report.   

View the Slide Show

Access the Article

What will these developments mean and what strategies should be adopted for your organization and brand?

Trends - President's Choice Looks at Kids and Mobile Devices

A survey conducted by Leger Marketing for President's Choice Services shows trends and opinions related to the use of cell phones by children.  The survey covered the responsible use of mobile devices including, manners, rules, security and leading by example.  Here are some response highlights:

• 48% of Canadian children 11 and older carry cell phones
• 52% felt kids shouldn't have a phone until 13-16 years of age
• 31% felt teens 17 or older could better handle the responsibility
• 10% cited 9 to 12 as the right age for a phone
• 1% felt children aged 6 to 8 should have their own mobile device
• 26% of respondents did not take any steps to teach their children mobile safety
• 8% use GPS options to track the whereabouts of family members
• 57% complained about, but 32% admitted to texting or talking and not paying attention to their surroundings

ACCESS THE SURVEY

Brand - Authentic Citizens Develop a Brand and Create a City

It's common to trash talk politicians or communities for the lack of authenticity, but it's time to give praise to a community that really delivers an authentic brand experience!

Over the weekend, Janice and I attended a unique festival in the little community of Morden, Manitoba. We were the guests of Art Petkau, Reeve (Mayor) of the Rural Municipality of Stanley, which surrounds both Morden and Winkler. Art has been inviting Janice and I to attend this event for 20 years.  We finally accepted the invitation.

The Corn and Apple Days festival is a 46 year old tradition carried on by the citizens of Morden and Stanley. We expected a small local event, but by the time we had picked up our car from Avis in Winnipeg, we knew this must be different. Both young ladies behind the counter, knew of Corn and Apple Days and were hoping to get down to Morden for the concerts on Friday and Saturday. Talk about a strong brand!  We didn't encounter anyone during our meetings in Winnipeg who hadn't heard of the event and most everyone we met had attended even though Morden is over an hour away from Winnipeg.

The home grown brand and the accompanying message promises that Morden will deliver a wholesome family event everyone can afford to attend and enjoy. Key messages include:  FREE Admission; FREE Hot Buttered Corn-on-the-Cob; FREE Ice Cold Apple Cider; FREE Bus Tours; FREE Shuttle Bus Service; and FREE Live Entertainment at two different stages.

What we encountered was a well oiled, volunteer driven machine, that delivered truckload after truckload of corn and cider.  Meanwhile vendors, artists, buskers, entertainers, food and midway services ply their trade for the benefit of visitors along the length of Morden's main and side streets.  The citizens were friendly and accommodating.  The environment was inviting and satisfying. 

A typical Mennonite approach to innovation and invention married a classic, fully restored, wood burning Case steam engine from the local museum to a converted milk cooler which uses the steam to cook up a new batch of corn-on-the-cob every 7.5 minutes.  With support from an original mechanical corn husker and two hour shifts of volunteers from local service clubs, hockey teams, professionals, associations and area companies, this production system backs up the Corn and Apple brand with more than 22,000 cobs of high quality product over the three days.

So what has this brand and authentic experience delivered for Morden? It swells the community of 7,800 by tens of thousands of people during the event. It introduces these visitors to a community that has maintained small town values while achieving city status and amenities. It has created an area that is now the fastest growing municipality in Canada with one of the lowest unemployment rates. Our observation shows the Morden/Stanely area as a great place to live, to raise a family, to work and to retire.

It was an honor to be in Morden for the official announcement of their achievement of city status on Friday evening. Having a chance to meet local politicians, volunteers and business people was also of immense pleasure to both of us.

Art PetKau and his corn cooking volunteers have given 'riding for the brand' new meaning!  The team deserves an award for 'Authenticity' even though I am a little skeptical about the liquid butter. 

Janice and I give the citizens of Morden and the Rural Municipality of Stanley, four thumbs up!  

Maybe another year we'll bring the horses along for the Saturday parade!

Strategy - Is Social Media worth Billions or Just Another Bubble?

On Friday, 17 August 2012, Facebook shares hit a low in the area of $19 which is about half of the IPO price. Since the Facebook IPO, millions of words have been written about social media and the economic value of this channel.  

Rita McGrath is a professor at Columbia Business School who studies innovation, corporate venturing, and entrepreneurship.  While she sees the role of social media as profoundly changing the business landscape she observes that pertinent questions need to be answered about how value will be derived.

"The algorithm we don't yet have is the one that translates time spent on a site into economic returns for the company hosting the experience. Unlike a membership or subscription organization, Facebook and its kin depend on users either buying from advertisers or spending money on other activities, like games, to generate income. The fact is that these dependencies are based largely on untested assumptions about user behavior — specifically, whether user behavior will eventually become buyer behavior."

Rita has also been writing about the need for companies to create a complete 'consumption chain" in order for their products and services to be successful. What she means by consumption chain is the total set of activities a customer goes through in order to have their needs met or a job completed. 

Take a look at Rita's blog

Answer the pertinent questions she raises about value as you think of your social comm strategy. Move away from hype into the reality of a good social comm strategy and reveal the greatest illumination you received.

Strategy - McKinsey on Being Strategic

You live in a time when disruption is accelerating.  Things seem volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) more than ever before. You're a 'digital immigrant' surrounded by 'digital natives' and you struggle to understand their language, culture and customs. The need to discern between danger and opportunity is great. As you contemplate your career and the future, you wonder - Where in our company does strategy live?

Whether you manage a business area, a brand or direct the entire company, you can be forgiven if you are sometimes consumed by thoughts like these.  As a long time member of the McKinsey Institute I participate in survey's and read articles that speak to some of these issues.  Recently McKinsey published an article with three tips I believe will help you to become strategic, equipped and comfortable to deal with the environment in which you live:

• Understand what strategy means in your business.
• Identify potential disrupters.
• Develop communications that can break through.

Review the article then reveal how you intend to become strategic in your activities as well as develop an initial thought in each of these three areas.

Education - Smartphones are Invaluable for Students

Mobilicity survey finds smartphones are playing a big role for education both in and out of the classroom.

The Mobile Student 2.0 Survey found:

• 66% of Canadians would use a mobile phone to conduct online research anywhere, anytime 
• 56% of Canadians think that mobile phones are an invaluable tool for students
• 46% would download mobile apps to stay organized
• 42% would coordinate school and social activities 
• 41% would record lectures and tutorial sessions
• Biggest Illumination:  Back channel use - tweeting insights and conducting polls during lectures - is increasing student engagement and enhancing the classroom experience

Take a moment to read the whole Mobilicity Student Survey then reveal the changes you see coming for the way brand education will be served up in your environment.

Events - Delivering a Compelling Summit Experience

Two years ago, Karen Dawson from Create Now and I discussed delivering a more unique and compelling 'experience' for PetLynx clients in the Summit program. She suggested we use lessons/ideas from Theater and Improv to create this client experience and that started me on a journey to discover just what 'experience' PetLynx clients desired and how this could be delivered.

Along the way, I discovered a resource that turned out to be very useful - Joe Pine's book 'The Experience Economy'. In this book Joe suggests using theatrical methodology to deliver a compelling client experience and he provides examples from a host of providers including Disney.

For PetLynx Corporation, this made perfect sense.  In February 2012, management set up two streams of activity to bring about the new alignment: Weekly scrums were re-factored to incorporate 'rehearsal', 'performance' and other nomenclature that would remind each 'actor' of the need to deliver client experiences; and, A new management structure for the Summit program incorporating titles and responsibilities you would expect to find in a theater or on a movie set was outlined. Here's what the management structure for the 2012 International Summit in Lake Louise looks like:

Executive Producer:  Sets the creative objective and vision for the Summit program and has the final determination of cast and management positions.  The executive producer is responsible to deliver the delegate (client) experience within budget.

Production Manager:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and is responsible to supervise the physical aspects of the production including technology, production personnel, scheduling, equipment rental, infrastructure  and other needs of the talent.

Director:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and is responsible to deliver the Summit vision through the content and staging of the Summit production. The Director brings talent to stage, manages thematic continuity and delivers an environment that encourages the best performance talent can deliver. All of this adds up to an experience that inspires delegates and creates a level of trust that facilitates Summit conversations.

Scrum/Stunt Coordinator:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and is responsible to facilitate real-time polls (Stunts) and Scrums that make up the Open Space aspects of the Summit program.

Screenwriter/Communications Manager:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and is responsible to develop content used in the Summit production as well as the Social Comm program that maintains contact with the broader industry audience.

Script Supervisor: Reports directly to the Executive Producer and is responsible for developing the briefing document for the Summit program that prepares delegates (clients) for their active role in the Summit production.

Casting Director:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and assists with the selection and management of talent for the Summit Program.  During the  Summit Production the Casting Director transfers the talent to the Director together with the briefing notes he requires to stage the production.

Archivist/Analyst/Production Assistant:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer/Director and manages the nominating process as well as the academy style awards routines to select the winners of the Summit Awards.  This assistant is also the goto person for historical items, data and analysis that is required to support the production.

Legal/System Administrator:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and administers the contracts and production agreements for the Summit production. 

Accountant:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and administers the financial aspects of the Summit production.

Illustrator:  Reports directly to the Screenwriter/Communications Manager and assists the S/CM and Script Supervisor as required with graphics and illustrations.

Various individuals from both inside and outside the companion animal industry will participate. Those with a passion for delivering 'experience' in the areas identified above are invited to contact the Executive Producer of the 2012 Summit, Larry Evans.

Strategy - Don't force - Let the play develop

Early in my career, I had the good fortune to work with Bob Thetford and Pat O'Sullivan of Maxon Electronics, in Kansas City. These gentlemen were connected in a previous life with John Madden and the Oakland Raiders. Since John hated flying, as a sportscaster he crisscrossed North America by rail or bus, and occasionally it worked out that he would drop by Kansas City for a visit which I was privileged to attend.  

I learned things from these sessions that influenced my thinking about social comm and brand development.  One of John's favorite sayings was "Don't force - Let the play develop", and he backed it up with lots of great 'real game' stories.

The idea of 'letting the industry set the pace' or 'letting consensus develop' is more important today then ever before.  Why is this the case?  Because a desire for 'authentic experience' is what is driving virtually every decision in our economy today. Joseph Pine was the first person I heard identify the move from a 'service' to an 'experience' based economy.

In 2011, PetLynx provided Summit Alumni with a copy of Joe's updated book, 'The Experience Economy' and presented Tom Trifaux as the keynote speaker on 'abundance' versus 'scarcity'.

The 2012 Summit will provide alumni with Bob Johansen's book, 'Leaders make the Future'. The Summit will also feature really important and strategic conversations that can move the companion animal industry along. I have encouraged conversation leaders to be authentic, patient and to let consensus develop. How we as leaders make the future today has a lot more to do with letting the play develop and understanding where opportunities will come from then ever before.

Take an opportunity to refresh your memory on the experience economy from Joeseph Pine's TED Talk in 2004 and then reveal the areas where you think the industry is forcing behavior instead of waiting to 'let the play develop'.

Brand - Stepping to the Music

Over the past few weeks we have looked at brand influence and tried to understand how social media brings consumers toward a brand. We have observed a natural inclination to be 'instep' but we also recognized that being in step doesn't always achieve a positive result if the influencer plan doesn't correctly contemplate reaction and consumer experience.

Many of you know of our Percheron draft horses here at Paradigm Corporation. As I was preparing these essays I realized our horses are yet another example of how we generate a behavioral response and influence animals to be in step.  

Watch in this clip from 2011, as local drover Brian Coleman, takes the 2011 World Champion, Jackson Forks Six Horse Hitch for a victory drive around the arena at the Calgary Stampede.  You will see the horses pick up the beat of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and 'step to the music'. The path generating this response to rhythm is, Conductor to Orchestra, Orchestra to the Six beautiful Percheron mares in this hitch.

Watch the Video

For your convenience I have noted a number of the effects we have talked about here below:

• Collective Consensus
• Rhythm
• Social, Emotional, Cultural, Behavioral responses
• Trone Brand Energy and their Firefly effect

Strategy - A. G. Lafley Talks About his Run at Procter and Gamble

A. G. Lafley presided over one of the most prolific periods of growth in Procter and Gamble history.  Early last year he made himself available to the students of the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas in Austin.  What followed was a candid interview that provides perspective on Lafley the man as well as the strategy he believes made success possible.

In the VUCA world we live in good strategy is essential. These are highlights that resonated with me:

• Build an organization that is AGILE, open and transparent
• Recognize that change will be constant (companies obliterated, natural disasters, economic uncertainty and social/political conflict)
• Establish a culture of courage
• Recognize failures as learning experiences (keep score)
• Terminate relationships with issues of performance or integrity
• Constantly infuse management with younger talent
• Business succeeds where demographics and economies are growing
• Global markets are key
• Habits and practices differ but needs and wants are similar around the world
• Grow from core products, services and market strengths
• Accelerate in emerging markets

WATCH THE VIDEO

As Lafley says in this interview, there were key elements at work in the organization he took over.  Procter and Gamble was a family owned business that was purpose and values driven. The company's well known role was to make life better.  They enjoyed a high level of trust with their employees, their clients and vendors. Every employee was an owner with a portion of compensation in shares and an eye on long term company performance. This made for a decades long approach to strategy, not a near term objective for the next quarter or next annual report. From this base, Lafley and his colleagues changed acquisition successes from 30- 60% and innovation successes from 10-50% and this turned out to be a primary contributor to growth and profitability.

Please take a moment to reveal what you found as the most influential take-away from this interview.

Brand - Is it Always Positive When Things Synchronize?

In an earlier blog we considered the 'firefly effect' identified by Trone Brand Energy.  This phenomenon can bring male fireflies into synchronous effect so the light of many male fireflies attracts greater numbers of  females to mate with them.

As brand developers and designers, we are interested to influence large groups of consumers.  With new technologies this seems to be more possible and affordable then ever before.  But are the things we use to create synchronous behaviors always positive or do we create experiences that are less than positive for the consumers we seek to influence.

Steven Strogatz explores synchronous behavior in nature and finds four rules that seem to apply in biological systems as well as some situations that have not created a positive experience.  Enjoy Steven in this TED Video and then add your comment on a positive or negative experience that has resulted from a 'brand influencer program' you were involved in.

Brand - P&G Building Relationships for Gillette

On Friday evening just as the Olympic Opening Ceremony ended P&G wished US athletes connected with their Gillette brand good luck!  If you watched the opening ceremony you also saw how P&G maintained their brand relationships with Moms for Tide and many other brands.

This relationship building is textbook online support for an important client base.  Have a look at the Gillette video and identify the elements you find most appealing in the comments area.

VIEW THE VIDEO

Brand - Fireflies and Trone Brand Energy

When I was a young boy, a favorite early summer past time was to chase fireflies over the pasture as the sun slid away and darkness descended. Even when I grew older, fireflies still had the power to amaze me as I began to learn biology and understand how the same chemical principles that lit up these little creatures were used to light my watch. These days, with all the light pollution and chemicals in our environment the firefly seems to be in limited supply.

I still remember an evening more than a decade ago at ThunderRidge Ranch, when my wife and I were driving up through the marsh towards home when something caught my eye.  I quickly stopped, lowered the window and turned off the engine. There, just below the house, accompanied by the symphony of crickets and frogs and were literally thousands of little flashing lights. We watched the spectacle for a few moments before I realized this was something none of my children had every seen.  Eventually, four bleery-eyed kids watched this performance from our balcony and experienced the same amazement that fireflies had provided me so many years before.

Trone Brand Energy recently provided a key note at an industry event in the US and introduced their branding ideas for social media.  Fireflies amazed me yet again.  Take a look, identify the elements of this  approach and provide a comment on the how you can incorporate these ideas.

Brand - What Causes You to Change Behavior?

Thanks to our colleague Susan Dankert, Communications Coordinator of PIJAC Canada for sending this along.  The 'SMOKING KID' video shows very clearly we don't always practice what we preach.  Talking the talk needs something more - Walking the Walk.


Thanks to Ogilvy Thailand for this clear evidence.  Take a look around your world and find an example of people in the know that need to act now.  


What evidence would you fashion into a video to illuminate the problem you identified and the action required?

Watch 'SMOKING KID' Video

Future - PwC Report Shows Consumers Reign Supreme

The PwC report on Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2012-2016 provides an interesting perspective for those in the world of brand.  Here are three highlights and a quote:

• By 2014 Internet ads will beat out TV ads and by 2016 spending on Internet ads will be 23% larger than on TV ads
• In 2012 video games will overtake spending on consumer and educational books, and by 2016 spending on games will be 20% larger than spending on books
• Over the five year period ended 2016 it is expected that total US and Canadian spending on advertising overall will grow from US$184 billion to US$245 billion but it will be directed more and more at internet advertising

Michael Paterson, Partner, Price Waterhouse Cooper's Canadian Entertainment & Media practice has a challenge for those of us in brand management:

"The challenge for entertainment & media companies rests not only in monetizing great content, but the growing fact that consumers are now "king" and their desire for customised experiences and getting content on their terms will require transformation on the part of companies to keep up,” says Paterson. “Location-based-marketing, mobile technology and social media are and will continue to be the driving forces behind revenue growth"

View the PwC Release and InfoGraphic

Finance - Determining the Future Value of Brand Assets

On June 19, it was my privilege to present the Audited Financial Statements for Fiscal 2011 to the Shareholders of PetLynx Corporation. The achievement of positive net cash from operations was a highlight of this report.


However, I wonder if the financial information presented was able to adequately show the potential value of an online utility such as PetLynx. The general public notices the sudden marginalization of offerings from companies like Blackberry or the failure of analyst forecasts to show the potential value of online start-ups for their Initial Public Offering's (IPOs).


Perhaps we do not have tools to reliably report/disclose the value of companies in the new online economy. While we have come to trust the reported value of  'energy company reserves' or 'commercial company bricks and mortar' or 'financial company instruments' (not), I think we now understand it isn't simple to value a company with 'big data' or 'developing web services' or 'robust market penetration and brand'.


So what's this got to do with brand and brand value. Just this. Brand value is directly related to that which drives client experience.  Capital is directly related to brand value because it is the primary requirement for building technology, collecting data and delivering client experience. 


The current balance sheet only accounts in a very limited fashion for the Intellectual Assets from which brand value is derived. Revenues derived from these assets or the value of technology is disclosed, but only after the completion of a transaction. Because the future value of brand is hard to ascertain and disclosure is not transparent, many emerging companies like PetLynx are forced to 'bootstrap' their way along the development path to their eventual emergence as the leading brand. 


While a complete discussion of intellectual assets is beyond the scope of this article, I believe 'Tacit or Intuitive Knowledge' is the asset that must be considered when valuing a web brand. Tacit knowledge is the accumulated experience, education, training and intuition stored in the employee/actors of each enterprise. It is likely the richest and most valuable brand asset an organization possesses. Yet it remains intangible and is not reliably measured.


Organizations use best practices and stored processes in an attempt to convert tacit knowledge to something more tangible. But when it comes to forecasting the value or real potential of the online brand we are still inclined to give way to the empirical knowledge of past performance with its limited ability to show a future value.


Our research is showing consumers wish to have personalized experiences. So far, only the online enterprise has been able to serve up this kind of mass  customization using a client-centric, borderless, intuitive approach supported by real-time data. For this reason, intuitive knowledge is the most valuable and cost effective resource associated with the success of the modern web utility.


Perhaps in the future, sociologists, ethnographers and philosophers may have as much to contribute to our understanding of future brand value as the accountants and securities experts who now rule over the public disclosure of value. Now, I'm just a farm boy, but I find that provocative.

AGILE - Implications for the Enterprise

In my last blog we looked at being AGILE in a VUCA world and ended with a link to a grid that would help identify people who could function and succeed in an environment that required agility. I hope you took the opportunity to place yourself and colleagues on this grid. The PetLynx team had an interesting discussion as they reported outcomes to the HHOP scrum we have every week. One observation was that self confidence plays into being agile and being a performer.


So what does all this have to do with 'BRAND'. As we move along I am intentionally building the case for how corporate brands are but an aggregation of the personal brands who 'ACT' for the company. Especially in a day and age where the lines are blurring between consumers and those who market to them, it is important to understand how the enterprise employee/actors are going to effect branding and brand values. 


In this blog, I want to illuminate implications for the brand enterprise. My observation is that most enterprises need a new paradigm. I call it the 3 R's of a new enterprise that attracts top performing agile employee/actors who can move the enterprise successfully into this new world:

• Relinquish (hand over/give up) control and structure in order to obtain agility as well as best performance, engagement and responsibility.
• Relax (ease up) on conformation and other enterprise thresholds allowing 'actors' to express their true nature so they adopt the shortest path to value for the enterprise.
• Re-purpose digital assets and information resources so they can be used by employees, clients, vendors and other stakeholders to assemble a truly personal experience/solution.

We will visit this paradigm from time to time but let's keep it in mind as we explore something really interesting - the concept of 'selfsumerization'.  In his recent leadership paper, Dr. David Jacobson, Director, Emerging Technologies, for PwC introduces and explains “selfsumerization”.  As Gen Y and Digital Natives arrive to the work force in numbers, Dr. Jacobson predicts selfsumerization will lead to many implications for the enterprise.  

Access the article

Why is this important - because of his prediction on timing - Dr. Jacobson suggests the enterprise will need to modify structure and understanding in the next 2 to 5 years.

Exercise:  Use the three R's to pick one thing that will move the enterprise toward this new paradigm.  Share the idea in the comments section so the rest of us benefit from your thinking!

AGILE - Dealing with a VUCA world

Thanks to Louis McCann, Executive Director of PIJAC Canada for thinking of me.


Louis heard Bob Johansen speak at the Top2Top Summit in California a few weeks ago and actually phoned me from the conference to tell me I needed to review Bob's approach to forecasting in a VUCA world. A few days later an unexpected parcel arrived from Louis with Bob Johansen's 'Leaders Make the Future' which I have now read. Wow!  I certainly found this a compelling read and a great contribution to my understanding of the role of leaders in 'future'.


My first contact with, and understanding of, a world which is volatile (V), uncertain (U), complex (C) and ambiguous (A) - a VUCA world, came to me from my son who is in the military.  In Aaron's situation/field training, he encountered this acronym and a military model for dealing with survival, sustainability and even success under these conditions. I'll write more of that in a future blog because I think there are things that may be helpful. But first a little about AGILE.


AGILE as a methodology was first developed to manage software development where it is still widely used today. I was first introduced to AGILE by Lori Dencsak who led the PetLynx development team in 2003. My exposure to AGILE convinced me that it was a methodology for execution that could be applied to any kind of business project. We have customized and made AGILE a methodology we use with PetLynx to execute virtually every element of the business plan. In my view, AGILE has important principles that will assist a small team of passionate people to achieve unexpected success in a VUCA world.


What has been missing, in my experience, is the ability to recognize and evaluate which human resources will excel in this environment. Not all people will do well. I have found the transparency required in communication and the focus on execution is a challenge to many. For me, Bob's book fills in some of the blanks as to the qualities leaders must possess. At the back of the book he has provided an important self-assessment tool that leaders and  potential leaders can use to understand the areas where they need growth.


Today, I noticed an article from Karl Moore and Brian McGowan in Forbes magazine that provides another important resource. Take a look at this article  and in particular, the relationship they see between agile leaders and a VUCA world.  The evaluation matrix they include, by Nick Horney and Tom O’Shea provides a really valuable overview to assess people who will be successful in this environment. I encourage you to place yourself and each member of your leadership team within the squares of this evaluation matrix. I think it will provide you with a better understanding of their 'leadership quotient'.


Why is this important?  The road into the future will be littered with brands and companies that aren't agile or don't have leaders who bring these qualities to every aspect of the organization. 


I'm just a farm boy but you can quote me on that!

SMARTPHONE YEAR-OVER-YEAR GROWTH 45%

According to a study commissioned by CWTA, about half of all mobile users in Canada now own smartphones. Moreover, among 18 to 34 year-olds, that number jumps to almost 70%. 
Tablet owners are also on the rise. In 2011, Canadian consumers purchased tablets at four times the rate from 2010 – from 5% to 20%. The survey reinforces reported industry trends of rapidly increasing data consumption, with almost half of all cell phone users now having a data plan for their device. 
The study also reveals that apps continue to be widely used by Canadians, with significant growth from 58% to 70% of users over last year. Cell phone users who download apps have an average of 12 apps on their device, and typically two of those were purchased while the rest were downloaded for free. 
Furthermore, the survey also examined trends in mobile giving, and found that 90% of those who donated to a charity via a text message would do so again.


Why is this important?  Because the pace of change in communications is much more rapid than many expected. Brand 'influencer' and 'loyalty' programs as well as the programs that non-profits are using to raise funds will need to move quickly to this new paradigm or put the brand and organization at risk.



Access the 2012 Cell Phone Consumer Attitudes Study

Relationships - The Core of Brand Trust

I loved my early childhood on Grandma Evans' farm. My world, though it seemed large was really quite small. Most everything we needed was obtained 'locally'. Places more than 5 or ten miles away seemed distant to me.


Occasionally, 'travellers' came by the farm with things that weren't available  locally. They were regarded carefully until a relationship was 'proved up'. But as a kid, I always thought it was exciting when the Fullerbrush or Rawleigh's man came round. Not because of the products they brought, but because they often stayed for a meal and told exciting stories from their travels. On these occasions, I learned about a world that lay over the horizon. One that I would eventually explore as a marketer and 'traveller' myself.  


When our Fullerbrush man retired, he brought around a replacement for us all to meet.  At the time, I didn't realize that he was doing something very important - passing to the 'new traveller' a relationship he had earned over years of service to Grandma and our family.


We all know that relationships are the core of brand trust. Perhaps you  wonder if the internet is spoiling the deeper relationships you count on for brand success. In an earlier blog, I proposed that we need to establish conversations with those who 'serve' our brands to a network of trusted friends. As the barriers to social interaction come down, the 'digital maven' deserves our attention.


Stefana Broadbent is an ethnographer who studies the way our social habits and relationships function and mutate in the digital age. I think you will find her 2009 TED talk useful in understanding how digital is opening up the network of people we communicate with and why it is breaking down barriers to social interaction that were erected over the past 150 years.


Please feel free to share the examples from your experience.

Even Marketing Can See Why HTML5 is Important

Remember the promises of IT.  Less paper, a seamless approach to marketing on all platforms, agility in program development and etc.


Well it may finally be coming true with a new technology that allows the internet browser to become the place where desktop and mobile environments merge and where an intuitive consumer experience is finally delivered.


Why is this so important to understand?  Because marketing has been held hostage far too long by development and developer dependencies.


Recently I had the opportunity to see HTML5 in action and to see the simplified design requirements proposed for developing a new application.  It looks to me like we finally have a really useful tool in the arsenal of our market development toolbox. One that we won't even see if it works properly!


Early in May, Ian Hardy of the BBC wrote a useful article on HTML5 that will help you grasp the significance of this development.


In the meantime, we are taking a look at the PetLynx application to see where re-factoring this technology will give pet families and the pet industry a more complete experience.


Please add your experiences with HTML5 in the comments area. 

Experience - The start of every good relationship

Several weeks ago in the H-HOP Scrum I produce for the PetLynx team, Sheena, told the story of her experience with the corner garage in her neighborhood. She didn't have time to go to Canadian Tire or Walmart, but needed to have her winter tires removed and her summer tires installed. I'll let her tell the rest of the story.


"The garage called me just a few hours after I dropped my car off, to tell me the car was ready. I was surprised by the call, but walked over to the garage, paid my bill and drove my car home. Upon further inspection I noticed they had cleaned not only the tires they removed but also washed the whole car. I was amazed, but even more so when they called several days later to ask if everything was okay and wondered if I would come by so they could check the wheel nuts.  I don't think I have every had such a positive experience as this since I first owned a car."


The start of every relationship is an experience.  Yet many of those involved in the marketing haven't really examined the experience they are providing their clients or the ways they can add that experience to their 'resume of goodwill'. What a shame.  There are so many ways online technology can be leveraged to create a pleasing experience and extend the conversations that will build client relationships.


Imagine if Sheena had the opportunity to tell her story online so other clients and prospective clients could develop a feeling of goodwill toward this garage. Online testimonials are important ways that brand managers can build trust for their brand and let clients become the 'mavens' for their products and services.


How could you add testimonials to your online presence using existing technologies like emails, your blog, Facebook or Twitter?

Mobile Environs and the Pace of Change

There is a a high degree of speculation about how 'mobile' is going to affect the current installed base of tethered applications and computers.  Reading in the area, one discovers predictions about a 'dead or dying Dell', concerns about a complex and troubled HP, and speculation about how long Google and Facebook can survive if they don't move to a true 'mobile' environment.


Un-tethering computing, web services and applications from a desktop environment seems to be the top priority of those with a secure future. New developments like HTML5 will likely allow service providers to become code agnostic.  A recent BBC article stated "If HTML5 does its job properly, no-one outside the web development community will ever know about it!"  However, the thing that should concern observers is the pace at which change to a mobile platform is occurring.


Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., in his earning report for Q1 put the pace of change in perspective.  Apple sold 67 million iPads in the first quarter of 2012 (within 2 years of selling the first iPad).  It took Apple 24 years to sell that many Macs, 5 years for that many iPods and over 3 years for that many iPhones. Seeing as Apple was extremely happy with the trajectory  of those earlier products, it is not hard to understand why Tim Cook now thinks iPad is a profound and paradigm shifting product.


Access the Q1 Apple Earnings Report


Why is this important to those who manage Brands?  It is irrefutable evidence that you must prepare for an environment where most products, services and brand value are  accessed/delivered on a personal mobile device.