Does your brand have a spray tan?

by Carolyn Kiser
As I was gearing up for a black tie New Year’s party, I did something I have never done before. I got a spray tan. For those unfamiliar, it is like getting your body spray- painted and can make some people look more like an oompa loompa from Charlie’s chocolate factory than someone from South Beach.

Anyway, I was fortunate enough not to look like a person painted orange. However, it was sprayed on and therefore, not permanent. As my color faded over the following days, my true semi-pasty color returned. This slight transformation reminded me of branding.

Let me explain.

In most all cases, successful brands are not just a result of fancy advertising and marketing, rather they are successful because they are true to their core. They have a 360-degree brand; their external brand (what they communicate to their customers) aligns with their internal brand (how they operate and run their day-to-day business).

Think of brands that you like and why you like them. My personal favorites are Zappos, Nordstrom, Whole Foods, and Chick-Fil-A. And not just because I love shoes and food, but because the brand and customer experience is authentic. I get a consistent experience from what the brand promises in their ads and their external messages as I do when I interact with the brand. Whether it is a customer service call to Zappos or a shopping trip to Whole Foods, the brand is successfully reinforced at every consumer touch point.

So how does branding relate to my spray tan experience? Well, unfortunately, many companies approach branding like a spray tan. They try to be something they are not. And the problem is, eventually the façade will disappear and the pale underbelly is exposed.

So ask yourself, are you OK with your customers seeing your underbelly? If not, you may need to look at your brand, starting from the inside and working out.

Lessons learned from the airline industry

by Thomas Becher, APR

In my previous corporate career I served as media spokesman for Northwest Airlines – the same airline that carried the alleged attempted bomber (and coincidentally is finalizing its merger with Delta Air Lines).

My first thought upon hearing about the Christmas Day incident was that I was thankful this was wasn’t a disaster. But the global media onslaught that followed also reminded me of the public relations lessons the high-profile airline industry can impart on other businesses:

• A crisis can happen anytime. Bad news does not take a holiday – nor does a situation have to be your fault for you to be affected.



• A crisis can percolate before you even know about it. Passengers on that Northwest flight were taking photos and video and making phone calls even before airline management was fully informed. In this age of technology, there’s no time to wait to react.



• Embrace social media as a crisis tool. In a society of instant communication, a simple message on Twitter can help calm fears.



• Communicate early, communicate often. Recovering from a crisis requires constant communication to all your stakeholders.



• Have a communications plan. Determine what can go wrong and how you will communicate during a crisis.