The last brandbuilder post of 2007

Published 20071231 by Olivier Blanchard | E-mail this post

As we turn the page on yet another year, I just want to say thank you to everyone who reads this blog regularly. I would post to it quasi-daily even if a handful of you bothered to check by every few weeks or so, but it's nice to have so many of you swing by here daily. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You make my day. :)

I wondered how I would end the year - maybe with a Top 10 list or some kind of recap of some of the stuff that happened this year (maybe a Brand "Celebutante" writeup, or a Bonehead CEO roundup, or even a tribute to all of the great branding blunders and successes of the year,) but you know, I would much rather open up a bottle of bubbly, put on a silly hat, and watch the calendar roll back to Jan 1 with colleagues and friends. (Especially since I actually have to work today. Yes, all day.)

Have a safe and fun New Year's Eve, and we'll see you next year!!! (err... tomorrow.)

Update: Doh! Virginia Miracle - formerly of local identity company Brains On Fire - wrote a pretty sweet list of things she learned while at BoF that I thought was good enough to share with you guys:

From the home office in Greenville, South Carolina, here are
the Top 10 Things I Learned (at Brains on Fire) …

10. Blogging is a Muscle - the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets.
9. Meetings should be used strategically & sparingly.
8. No one will die if you leave your laptop at the office.
7. Nurture long term client relationships with ideas. (...) The way to keep (things) fresh is to proactively brainstorm and share at least 1 new idea a week with your client. It keeps everyone energized and focused on the future.
6. Like brands with true personality, Popcorn is Polarizing. A lot of great people love it, but certain people find it abhorrent. If no one hates you, chances are no one is moved to be passionate about you either.
5. Sow 10,000 seeds (this was originally a Guy Kawasaki principle). Small gracious acts will (always) come back to benefit you tenfold.
4. There is no greater way to instill ownership than by giving fans a piece of a brand to give away.
3. Everything is your brand.
2. Don’t be a chameleon. I personally have a bit of a chameleon tendency – I can echo back tone, topics and language of those I am trying to reach or persuade. This is not always a good thing in the agency business. While chameleon behavior can help land new business, staying true to your identity no matter what will attract kindred spirits. Working with partners who have been attracted to you as you truly are is a strong foundation for long term success.
1. Have fun. Fun is contagious and attractive. All things being equal, people will always chose to work with people who are having fun.