Online, Offline, No Inline

Modern media consumption no longer bears any kind of resemblance to the world we once knew.

So it’s fantastic that PR agency Weber Shandwick has taken the bold step of creating a new media position that breaks away from the standard online/offline model.

It’s called Inline, and recognises the fact that the audiences we want to reach consume multiple media at once, and the worlds constantly overlap.

Inline communications tell a consistent story across the full spectrum of media and help support campaigns that are focused, measurable and effective.

It’s a great piece of work, and I’m looking forward to see the impact it has on how people take their messages to market.

What Does Your Brand Stand For?

Recently I was asked to talk to a Future Leaders Academy event for Weber Shandwick.
I decided to put them, slightly unfairly, on the spot by asking each of them what was unique about their personal brand.
Some responded instantly, others took their time.
All of them realised that the point was about the power of the personal brand.
All the leaders and senior figures in our lives stand for something unique, even if it’s not necessarily something that we like.
Your true value to a company isn’t just doing your job, that’s what you get paid for.
If you are thinking “If I do what I’m told, I’ll always be valuable.”
Then you are mistaken.
That viewpoint only commoditises what you do and there is not real value in that, because in reality, all you’re doing is filling a hole.
The key to getting ahead is finding the thing (or things) you can bring to the business that no-one else can.
That’s what’s irreplaceable, that is where you create value for the company and yourself.
So what’s your brand?

Make It Memorable

My mate Scott Wilson, MD of Weber Shandwick’s Consumer Division, tells a great story about Antigua.
He was once in the fortunate position of having to promote the Caribbean paradise as a holiday destination, and was trying to find a hook. “We’ve got lots of beaches” they said.
But so what?
So Scott counted them, (OK I’m sure he didn’t actually count them but he found something out)
It turned out that Antigua had exactly 365 beaches.
And you know what that means – one for every day of the year.
Now, you can bet your flip-flops that everyone that read Scott headline, or hears that line about Antigua (including you) will never forget that little nugget about its abundant beachiness.
There’s always something – a hook, snippet or phrase – that you can leave people with.
It means that you’ll stay front-of-mind with them and give them a reason to recall your last meeting.
In fact, if it’s a good one, I can promise that they’ll even mention it the next time you speak.