A brand old saying

I’ve never agreed with the saying “Any publicity is good publicity.”

That’s nonsense.

Stewards of corporate and product brands must recognize the incredible risk they assume should they give the saying credence.

Do you think BP subscribes to this tenet? No. They are in image repair mode and are spending tens of billions of dollars to mend the damage to their corporate brand. Beyond the cleanup and research funds and damages they’ve paid to States and businesses affected by their oil spill, BP is advertising on behalf of the tourism industry to restore public faith in the safety and cleanliness of the beaches and seafood products from the Gulf. They’ve also developed a low-key publicity campaign touting their efforts. They are tastefully done and seem to be generating positive publicity.

Do you think Carnival Corporation is thrilled with the publicity surrounding the Costa Concordia disaster? Of course not. They will probably be following BP’s playbook (if they are wise) to navigate this catastrophe and hopefully become stronger in the long term.

Clearly these are extreme examples, but when you make a blanket and sweeping statement, there are no exceptions.

Consistency is key

Brand managers need to stick with what got them there, so to speak. There’s no reason to change course. In an increasingly transparent world, where everything a company does is vetted by a cynical public and everything its executives utter is dissected, analyzed and critiqued by experts and fools alike, remaining consistent and true to your core values will be rewarded.

"Your brand is created out of customer contact and the experience your customers have of you."  - Scott Talgo, Brand Strategist

Consumer loyalty is based on a series of consistent interactions. We take comfort in being associated with a particular brand that represents a set of values that line up with ours. Brands that stray from the norm and indulge in something that isn’t congruent with their reputation risk a backlash. A loss in consumer confidence weakens the link that binds a customer.

Stay the course

Why open the door to the competition? You know they are watching your every move and your every spoken word. They will exploit any misstep. Don’t give them the opportunity.

A better saying

If you need to adhere to a saying as a guide, I suggest “Be true to your school.” Any questions?

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