“The reactions I’ve experienced confirm
that it is a part of my personal brand.”

A Scent of Brand

Patchouli is my signature fragrance, it’s been my personal aromatherapy since I was a teenager. Visceral, exotic…not sure I can explain the magic it plays on me when I wear it. Of all the essential oil concoctions I’ve invented over the years, this distinctive scent is, at its base, ME. Ask anyone who knows me to shut their eyes, sniff an open vial of patchouli oil and say what comes to mind; I guarantee my name comes up every time.

There are some interesting studies on the science of smell and its link to memory, and I have first-hand experience proving the theories. More times than I could possibly count, a total stranger has stood next to me and asked, “Are you wearing patchouli?” The question isn’t as amusing as the way in which it is often asked, posed in a dreamy voice extending the last two syllables like this: “…patCH- OUUUUUU-LIII? [insert long sigh].”

A Brand Ascent

Sometimes their eyes will close while they smile and breathe deeply as they conjure up a wonderful memory of the scent. These strangers are often compelled to tell me exactly what their remembered visions entail. All ages approach me, yet boomers are usually the dreamiest, reminiscing of old loves, music, and recreational activities from days gone by. It takes a strong emotional connection to share memories—conjured from just a scent—with a complete stranger.

Run down a list of memory-evoked sensory experiences—songs, visual images, flavors—our sense of smell is the strongest link to memory. I never set out to draw attention with my fragrance, but the uniqueness it provides and the reactions I’ve experienced confirm that it is a part of my personal brand.

It all boils down to what “important stuff” echoes back about your personal or organization’s brand. It takes talent and creativity to pull together a branding strategy that gives you an identity worth remembering. Rarely is it as easy as finding a fragrance you enjoy.

Image: Divyanshs

More than 30 percent of households with a TV now have a DVR device

Impressions Less Control

At more than double the price tag, CBS has very few 30-second Super Bowl spots left while NBC is struggling to sell 2010 Winter Olympic ads.

Yes, the Super Bowl has a prestigious reputation for the most watched and talked about commercials, but the Olympics start just one week after Super Bowl Sunday. Advertisers invest so much in creating the commercials, why not rerun the same 30-second spots at half the price?

Impressions Remotely Controlled

More than 30 percent of households with a TV now have a DVR device. If most people are like me, they’ll record the Olympics to watch at a more convenient time, and scan through to parts they’re most interested in. We’ll speed up the process and not take the time to view every commercial.

Have DVR, Tivo and YouTube viewers changed the way traditional TV is being watched so much so that advertisers are looking for alternative ways to reach their target market, even during widely viewed, mainstream television events?

Impressions User Controlled

There are certainly options to target more specifically and less expensively, and whether you advertise on the Super Bowl or through an alternate media there’s always the chance your ad will go viral, extending your reach even further—for free.

Image: Tsmall

“Because we think harder.”

My daughter and her friend Fouzan dropped in for a short-lived fall break from college last weekend. Fouzan was raised overseas and therefore largely unfamiliar with American holiday traditions, so we decided to visit a pumpkin patch and introduce him to pumpkin carving.

A Side Trip

On the way back from the pumpkin farm my daughter suggested we drop by Brainstorm and give Fouzan a quick tour of our offices.

Fouzan was immediately taken by Brainstorm’s logo design - fascinated by the simple elements and concepts it symbolized: A power outlet, a thought or dialog bubble, a head, a user interface, a monitor or television, a brain, a spark, an idea… a brainstorm. He remarked about it several times, seeing the tie-in to what Brainstorm does as well as the potential brand and service talking points the mark might inspire.

“Because we think harder,” he mouthed, noting our tagline.

Seeing Symbolism in Tradition

Afterward we returned home and retired to my kitchen to butcher the pumpkins. Almost at once everyone became engrossed with their respective pumpkins - particularly Fouzan.

Fouzan’s pumpkin carving and the Brainstorm icon

A gEEk’s Carving

At last Fouzan unveiled his carving. He smiled broadly as he turned his pumpkin toward me. And there it was, an interpretive work - the Brainstorm icon. “Not bad for an electrical engineer,” I said. “There are double “EE’s” in gEEk for a reason - and that’s a gEEk carving,” I joked, impressed.

He had planned to take his creation back to college then offered it to me instead, encouraging me to place it outside prominently on Halloween night where it would get more brand exposure than the stoop at his college abode.

Engineer? I think Fouzan may have a nose for business and a natural brand agent sensibility.

U.S. Treasury Acquisitions

Our latest list of inane musings from the Brainstorm office white board:

Top 20 Products Billy Mays Should Advertise?

1. Wahl clippers on Wahl’s Facebook wall
2. The Ron Popeil Pocket Fisherman Bass Competition
3. A UFC ShamWow Sponsored Cage Match Between Ron Popeil and That ShamWow Guy
4. U.S. Treasury Acquisitions
5. Columbia School of Broadcasting
6. Lexus
7. Royal Palms Resort & Spa
8. NYSE
9. Godiva Chocolates
10. Colon Cleansing Agents
11. Miracle Ear
12. Apple Computer
13. Zymbalta (Cymbalta)
14. Ice-Cold Beer at Any Sporting Venue
15. Mr. Microphone
16. Vince Offer
17. Björk
18. Bjerk
19. iWörk
20. Indianapolis Raceway Park

See the entire board

Because we believe we can add value
for users and, at the same time, help drive innovation on the web.

-Google on their new browser, Chrome

Open Source

Google launches Chrome, its open source web browser, today. News of the release, initially leaked in comic book form then later confirmed on The Official Google Blog, has the Internet abuzz with talk about the demise of Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Chrome is a natural addition—an integrated mechanism to deliver the search giant’s extensive suite of free, albeit ad-driven tools and services.

Open Season

Chrome bolsters Google’s efforts to prevent Microsoft from leveraging Internet Explorer to wrest Google’s position in the search market space.

But whether users adopt Google’s latest development en masse, or not, marketers in every sector will benefit from a viable communication partner offering an integrated delivery vehicle.

[image: ndanger]