Comments on: Is social media the new corporate star-maker? http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/ Marketing. Social Media. Humanity. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:22:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: How personal should branding get? « Budding Heads PR http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/#comment-1273 How personal should branding get? « Budding Heads PR Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:52:08 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=759#comment-1273 [...] not saying Sharpie should drop its popular Sharpie Susan because there is a slight chance she might go to rehab for marker-sniffing or announce she favors [...] [...] not saying Sharpie should drop its popular Sharpie Susan because there is a slight chance she might go to rehab for marker-sniffing or announce she favors [...]

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]]> By: David Rosen, Makovsky + Company http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/#comment-895 David Rosen, Makovsky + Company Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:51:04 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=759#comment-895 @Mark Yep, it's going to happen sometimes when a talented spokesperson really shines through. But I'm thinking more along the lines of how a brand is expressed through its culture, and picking employees/spokespersons who exemplify it. Like when you walk into an Apple store. The genius bar folks are different people, and have different personalities, but they all fit within a certain Apple-like zone in their point of view. They're a reliable expression of the brand's personality, but also quite authentic. Of course there is that one guy who helped me that one time and I feel loyal to him... :) @Mark Yep, it’s going to happen sometimes when a talented spokesperson really shines through. But I’m thinking more along the lines of how a brand is expressed through its culture, and picking employees/spokespersons who exemplify it. Like when you walk into an Apple store. The genius bar folks are different people, and have different personalities, but they all fit within a certain Apple-like zone in their point of view. They’re a reliable expression of the brand’s personality, but also quite authentic. Of course there is that one guy who helped me that one time and I feel loyal to him… :)

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]]> By: Sharpie Whit http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/#comment-894 Sharpie Whit Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:23:02 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=759#comment-894 Lindsay, great feedback! Very inciteful. I'm really enjoying this conversation. This is a great forum because while many of us would like to think of ourselves to some extent as "social media experts," we really are all still learning! We learn from each other and from our mistakes; we see what works and what doesn't and grow (no pun intended) from there. Mark, thanks for this post, I'll be sure to stick around. Thank you to everyone participating too! Lindsay, great feedback! Very inciteful.
I’m really enjoying this conversation.
This is a great forum because while many of us would like to think of ourselves to some extent as “social media experts,” we really are all still learning! We learn from each other and from our mistakes; we see what works and what doesn’t and grow (no pun intended) from there.
Mark, thanks for this post, I’ll be sure to stick around. Thank you to everyone participating too!

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]]> By: Mark http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/#comment-893 Mark Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:56:21 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=759#comment-893 @Lindsay -- Wow, what a great post! This is truly a unique perspective. I just had this conversation with a colleague yesterday -- discussing the INTERNAL work that has to occur to be successful, fighting the political battles that we never see, trying to become accepted in a culture that doesn't understand social media. Really great commentary. Thanks! @Lindsay — Wow, what a great post! This is truly a unique perspective.

I just had this conversation with a colleague yesterday — discussing the INTERNAL work that has to occur to be successful, fighting the political battles that we never see, trying to become accepted in a culture that doesn’t understand social media.

Really great commentary. Thanks!

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]]> By: Lindsay Lebresco (Converseon) http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/#comment-882 Lindsay Lebresco (Converseon) Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:11:31 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=759#comment-882 1st Darren here... (great analogy). There was a day when I was rockin' the Graco social media efforts (under the Newell Rubbermaid umbrella- sister co. to Sharpie/Sanford) and I thought to myself, "how will Graco make this transition without me?" (Graco moved to Atlanta and left me Bewitched in Pennsylvania:) Actually I decided not to make the move down south) I had established such good relationships with parenting bloggers that I felt, for a time, I was irreplaceable. Well that's like living in Twitterville- not reality. The fact of the matter is that people loved my brand way before I became the face of it. It was nice that they got to interact with someone they liked and respected and that I worked hard to build relationships with them, but I still represented a company, a brand that they were more interested in getting to know then the most recent blogger/twitterer/facebooker. Having someone awesome (like Susan cause' she is way, way cool) representing your brand is like icing on the cake- but it's not the whole cake. One of the points not being made is rocking corporate social media isn't just about the face you show to consumers, it's so much about what goes on behind the scenes. It's about being a social media champion to stakeholders inside the company. It's about socializing your business from the inside and breaking down the walls that exist between corporate and consumers. Not just being the voice of the brand out to the world, but bringing the voice of the consumer inside to build a better brand from the inside-out. It's when rockstars do this, that we get to see them shine their brightest. Susan has worked her tail off to bring about change at the corporate level and so much of what she does (and so many others) goes beyond their [hilarious in this case] comments on Twitter. After all, people come and go, and if those people that come and go do their jobs right and well, they build brands that will live beyond them. That's the point anyway, isn't it? 1st Darren here… (great analogy). There was a day when I was rockin’ the Graco social media efforts (under the Newell Rubbermaid umbrella- sister co. to Sharpie/Sanford) and I thought to myself, “how will Graco make this transition without me?” (Graco moved to Atlanta and left me Bewitched in Pennsylvania:) Actually I decided not to make the move down south) I had established such good relationships with parenting bloggers that I felt, for a time, I was irreplaceable. Well that’s like living in Twitterville- not reality.

The fact of the matter is that people loved my brand way before I became the face of it. It was nice that they got to interact with someone they liked and respected and that I worked hard to build relationships with them, but I still represented a company, a brand that they were more interested in getting to know then the most recent blogger/twitterer/facebooker. Having someone awesome (like Susan cause’ she is way, way cool) representing your brand is like icing on the cake- but it’s not the whole cake.

One of the points not being made is rocking corporate social media isn’t just about the face you show to consumers, it’s so much about what goes on behind the scenes. It’s about being a social media champion to stakeholders inside the company. It’s about socializing your business from the inside and breaking down the walls that exist between corporate and consumers. Not just being the voice of the brand out to the world, but bringing the voice of the consumer inside to build a better brand from the inside-out. It’s when rockstars do this, that we get to see them shine their brightest. Susan has worked her tail off to bring about change at the corporate level and so much of what she does (and so many others) goes beyond their [hilarious in this case] comments on Twitter.

After all, people come and go, and if those people that come and go do their jobs right and well, they build brands that will live beyond them. That’s the point anyway, isn’t it?

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]]> By: Mark http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/#comment-878 Mark Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:17:10 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=759#comment-878 @Whit, thanks for stopping by. Sue has a lot of fans through my blog, so you better start getting in here and mixing it up with the audience here at {grow}! @Whit, thanks for stopping by. Sue has a lot of fans through my blog, so you better start getting in here and mixing it up with the audience here at {grow}!

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]]> By: Mark http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/#comment-877 Mark Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:11:00 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=759#comment-877 @David I've played around with the idea of a "scripted" brand preence with one customer, but it is TOUGH to maintain a brand "character" consistently, especially when the market responds to authenticity. The character is bound to evolve to the real person's personality over time. I'm sure this will be a solution for some companies, though. @David I’ve played around with the idea of a “scripted” brand preence with one customer, but it is TOUGH to maintain a brand “character” consistently, especially when the market responds to authenticity. The character is bound to evolve to the real person’s personality over time. I’m sure this will be a solution for some companies, though.

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]]> By: Is there a risk in having a Social Media ‘Star’? http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/#comment-857 Is there a risk in having a Social Media ‘Star’? Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:15:30 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=759#comment-857 [...] fascinating discussion is happening over on Mark Schaefer’s BusinessesGrow blog, asking ‘What risk is there if the person who blogs or twitters for you becomes bigger than [...] [...] fascinating discussion is happening over on Mark Schaefer’s BusinessesGrow blog, asking ‘What risk is there if the person who blogs or twitters for you becomes bigger than [...]

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]]> By: Sharpie Whit http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/#comment-856 Sharpie Whit Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:01:07 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=759#comment-856 Where is this talk coming from about Susan leaving?! Where do you think she's going (Susan, are you hiding something from me!) I 100% feel that she is irreplaceable. Confident, smart and witty, Susan brings something fresh to the table every day. I've known her for few years now and fully agree with Bert DuMars' (@bwdumars)statement: "We sincerely hope she stays with us for a very long time…she is a passionate brand advocate for Sharpie and our other Office Products brands including Expo Markers, Uni-Ball, Prismacolor and Paper Mate to name but a few." The purpose of my presence (@SharpieWhit) is not intended to replace anyone. Rather, I am just another voice, a person with a personality all my own. I'm here to listen to the customer, help out @SharpieSusan, share my thoughts, write about topics that are interesting & relavent and build some friendships along the way. As for this "understudy" role...I promise to not rig up any booby-traps in an effort to step into the limelight and steal some of Susan's star power. That being said, it's all on her is she gets the H1N1 virus :D Where is this talk coming from about Susan leaving?! Where do you think she’s going (Susan, are you hiding something from me!) I 100% feel that she is irreplaceable. Confident, smart and witty, Susan brings something fresh to the table every day. I’ve known her for few years now and fully agree with Bert DuMars’ (@bwdumars)statement: “We sincerely hope she stays with us for a very long time…she is a passionate brand advocate for Sharpie and our other Office Products brands including Expo Markers, Uni-Ball, Prismacolor and Paper Mate to name but a few.”
The purpose of my presence (@SharpieWhit) is not intended to replace anyone. Rather, I am just another voice, a person with a personality all my own. I’m here to listen to the customer, help out @SharpieSusan, share my thoughts, write about topics that are interesting & relavent and build some friendships along the way.
As for this “understudy” role…I promise to not rig up any booby-traps in an effort to step into the limelight and steal some of Susan’s star power. That being said, it’s all on her is she gets the H1N1 virus :D

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]]> By: David Rosen, Makovsky + Company http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/09/30/is-social-media-the-new-corporate-star-maker/#comment-853 David Rosen, Makovsky + Company Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:13:26 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=759#comment-853 I'm with Greg Morris on the "bench" strategy, but that still leaves the problem of possibly disjointed personalities on the channel. To fix that, I'd suggest figuring out first what the BRAND's personality is, and then find a handful of spokespersons who can naturally exemplify it. That way the company gets all the benefits of a personal tone, and the costs of an eventual departure is lowered. I’m with Greg Morris on the “bench” strategy, but that still leaves the problem of possibly disjointed personalities on the channel. To fix that, I’d suggest figuring out first what the BRAND’s personality is, and then find a handful of spokespersons who can naturally exemplify it. That way the company gets all the benefits of a personal tone, and the costs of an eventual departure is lowered.

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