Comments on: Why Our Website Doesn’t Suck, But Yours Might

By: David Schoenecker

David Schoenecker — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:23:47 +0000

Allow me to dive a bit deeper into Amanda’s thoughts. The ridicule, so to speak, that she received regarding her brand is what I call a huge success.

WTF? How could someone picking you apart and questioning your positioning be a success?

Because you STAND OUT. Sometimes standing out in a bad way isn’t all that bad. Sure, there are times when we cross the tasteless brand that creates nothing but nausea and therefore the “bad” part is no bueno. However, Amanda Vega Consulting’s brand clearly has a level of due diligence taken into account to ensure that the brand was created as a genuine extension of their brand values. The fact that the brand stuck out in the eyes of a few folks only means that they aren’t her target market. This is great news! their lack of connectedness with her brand only helped narrow her funnel and created a stronger position in the eyes of her TARGET market.

“Appealing to everyone is Compelling to no one” (author unknown)

If you want to build a brand that people give a damn about, then push the edges. Do something that has never been done before and by god do something that makes someone uncomfortable. I preach this mantra all the time and almost everyone nods in agreement, but fear pushes them back into the heard. moo.

Create something authentic. So many brands are pre-fabbed, regurgitated crap with no grit. We do not live in a time where you can afford to fit in. You must create a brand with personality and if the values of your brand offend Jack or Jill then so be it. At least your values are backed with integrity.

As for my dealings with Amanda Vega and her team, I can say that their brand identity rings very true to everything from the tweets from Amanda to the execution of their service offering. Job well done AVC.

By: Amanda Vega

Amanda Vega — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:21:58 +0000

Actually, yes, we have been providing managed social media services for our clients since before it was called “social media.” In addition, I was on the original development and marketing team for AOL Instant Messenger and the Chat Room development team, which was in fact the very first implementation of social media – Twitter is basically a reincarnation of those same behaviors and tools in many ways. We have been handling social media for companies in older formats such as blogs, podcasts, and reputation management process for over 12 years – so that coupled with the fact that me and my team helped develop many of the tools that people are just now, or still using, to be social online for business – makes us the oldest firm.

By: Shailesh Ghimire

Shailesh Ghimire — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:16:39 +0000

“since we are the oldest social media agency in the world” – seriously?

By: Jan

Jan — Sun, 31 May 2009 04:20:29 +0000

So true. But I think this is a totally American thing. It always amazed me, but I’ve long written if off as one of these things everyone says but never means. Just like when you great someone in the morning with ‘How are you?’ – no-one really wants to know how are you. It’s just a very well rehearsed ping-pong of ‘How are you? – Good, and you? – Good’. In fact if you diverge from the script you really startle folks.

The same is true with the American ‘we are the best in’ or the ‘my most favorite movies’ – isn’t that an overlooked grammar mistake anyway. There is only one most favorite, yet most people use it in a plural sense. And we drive big giant Hummers on the road. Everything has to be super-sized, or we feel we’re not measuring up.

I think as a society we have to become a whole lot more honest on many levels. Branding has to be honest, but it won’t be more effective unless the underlying interactions as a society are equally honest and less window dressing.

Jan