Going Public – Again.

 

Photo by: James Cridland http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamescridland/613445810/

Photo by: James Cridland

 

While GM’s IPO is all over the news, it is how GM talked about social media at the LA Auto Show that intrigues me and I think gives the most insight into their future success.  Don’t misunderstand.  The fact that in almost 18 months GM has gone from the brink of bankruptcy, to a government run entity, to a viable company creating one of the largest public offerings in history is amazing.  It is definitely the topic for another post.  But the question for me is – will GM make it in the long run?  Can they truly turn it around?  While I think it is probably too soon to tell for GM, I believe Ford will have a strong future.

So, back to the LA Auto Show.  Listening to a company spokesperson talk about social media at an auto show may not be the Wall Street way to determine a companies future, but there are some things that can be learned.  And there is an interesting contrast between GM and Ford.   Continue reading

Sanitation Collector or Community Builder? The Difference Is Purpose.

Flickr photo: NY sanitation truck by SugarPond http://www.flickr.com/photos/sugarpond/2284145726/

You hear it all the time: the key to a successful organization lies in its people. At Big River we say, “People believe people” — meaning that your brand is delivered through your people and the experience they create for your consumers. But how you make it happen is so simple, yet so very hard.

Here’s an example of how it’s done. Two New York sanitation workers, Angelo and Eddie, were featured on Story Corps on NPR’s Morning Edition. (If you are not familiar with Story Corps, it is an NPR project that gives ordinary people an opportunity to record their stories. Select stories are aired as part of Friday morning programming.) It is worth the two minutes to hear Angelo and Eddie tell their story.

So how does their story hold the key to delivering on your brand through your people? Let’s break it down …

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Antennagate: Consistent or Inconsistent with the Apple Brand?

iPhone 4 by Flickr user ivyfield

Even if you are a PC, chances are you still admire the Apple brand. It is synonymous with innovation and … something more. It’s about usability and a lot of “cool.”  The iPod wasn’t the first mp3 player – but it is arguably the coolest. There is a quote from Steve Jobs that sums it all up for me: “One of the keys to Apple is that we build products that really turn us on.”

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