Tara Hunt weighs in on the great Identity debate on her blog:
http://www.horsepigcow.com/2009/12/who-am-i/
Much like not wanting to look like we stepped out of a GAP ad, I don’t believe any one of us wants to look like we stepped out of an episode of Leave it to Beaver, either. We also don’t want to look like we stepped out of an episode of Absolutely Fabulous, but real life represents all of these scenarios.
I don’t have a personal brand, I have a personality – complete with crazy moments and drunken nights, super highs and heartbreaking lows. And every single one of those moments define who I am. Now. Who are you? A personal brand or a personality?
Brands fail us all the time. They make mistakes with products and services. They fail us with customer service. Most brands spend inordinate amounts of money to squeaky clean their image instead of admitting that that their organization is full of very human beings. The result is usually resentment on our part as consumers.
Unconsciously we expect brands to be as human as we are. We are more forgiving if they shrug a little and show a little humility. One of the trailblazers in this strategy is Southwest Airlines who not only encourages their pilots and flight attendants to go off script and improvise humor with customers but actually allowed themselves to be incorporated into a very revealing reality television show. In every episode, Southwest employees cope with weather, deranged customers, and service flubs with humility and sarcasm.
In the day and age of Facebook, we’re all used to being tagged in embarrassing photos with unflattering labels and as Tara points out, our bad moods and flubs generate response, some wanted and unwanted. However, even this can be beneficial as a tactic to refine and tighten your following or customer base. In these tough economic times, many companies are discovering that focusing on the needs customers who are loyal is more financially rewarding than pandering to the lowest common denominator. So let your brand’s hair down a little. Be more human.
