"What's the beef?"

The Most Valuable U.S Retail Brands of 2010

Reblogged hashdoc:

This presentation explains why strong brands are stronger, it also provides you with the profiles of the top 50 brands.

Source: Interbrand Design Forum

My response: “10 Mistakes Brands make on Facebook in the Middle East”

Undeniably, social media, Facebook included, has reshaped how we connect with our audience.

Whilst incredibly powerful and exciting, it’s important to remember, social media plays but a part within a wider brand communications touch-point strategy. Whilst the potential benefits and rewards are attractive, strategising social media’s role and purpose within your business, if it is to succeed, must be a well-considered and executed initiative — working in complete harmony with your brand.

Where the most effective strategies have succeeded in connecting, both internally and externally, has been when social media has been integrated in to a holistic brand communications plan. Respecting all of the existing components of an organisation’s Brand Platform, i.e. its culture, personality, values, which in-turn informs its look-and-feel and tone-of-voice.

So, whether your product or service is young, fresh and fun, or conservative, composed and prudent, the results are the same — your Facebook page should reinforce the characteristics of your brand.

This will help determine how best to communicate with your stakeholders, reducing the likelihood of fragmentation and risk of implementing a platform that will undermine and ultimately devalue your brand. [DD]

— Original Post: “10 Mistakes Brands make on Facebook in the Middle East” / Innovations Digital

519. The best way to ruin an apology is with an explanation.

(Source: rulesformyunbornson)