Do not adjust your computer, iPhone, Ipad or Tablet? screens…this is seriously what they released to the world! But alas, the many Gap enthusiasts, my wife included, quickly made a mockery of the company’s feeble and epic failed attempt to “refresh” their now iconic mark.

If you know me then you know I am going to squeeze the conspiracy out of this story, if for nothing other than making us all think.

Many of us are more than likely going to be inclined to cough this up as a foolish corporate mistake. But is it really? Gap has been a company known to be in financial turmoil. Dwindling stocks stemming from less than impressive year-end financial reports were the perfect contributing ingredients to an impending disaster. Just last year alone the company lost an estimate 2.3% when comparing their previous years revenue, which was also down from the previous year.  If you ask me, this massive sales deficit was not only a side effect of the fledgling economy, but spoke to the fact of the company’s diminshing brand presence. It was a matter of time until a “More Panic” meeting was called.

People always say to themselves, “I wish I was a fly on the wall in that meeting”. Well folks, I spoke to a fly, who spoke to a fly, who heard it on the grapevine, who claims she heard it from Cathy, about what went on…and here is how he thinks it went down”…

“Hear ye, hear ye”… well maybe not, but I have always wanted to start a meeting off like that.

“So what do we do?”…asks the guy sitting at the end of the table, donned in his red and blue neck-tie, white Armani dress-shirt (the irony kills me), Armani reading glasses and $1500 boots (we assume the rest of his outfit is pretty standard…except for his watch which can buy both you and I a brand new house…or feed a hundred starving families, whichever one makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside).

“We shake things up!”…says the marketing director.

“We change our prices and our line”

“Tried that before!”…says Armani suite…

“Well…hmmmm…ok how about we change our brand?”

“I don’t think that is a good idea, people are comfortable with our brand…it will cost us too much money and frankly I am going on vacation at the end of the month and don’t need the headache. Any other ideas?”..says Armani suit

The intern raises her hand, me..me…me

“Anybody else?”

“me…me..me!”

“Fine, Lindsay what do you think?”

“Why don’t we just pretend to change our brand. I will create a logo with my mediocre at best Photoshop skills, and then we can release it at midnight tonight. That way we can generate some press and hope to not lose our shirts…get it?”

“I don’t know”… say the now overpaid marketing director…”that is a silly idea!”

“What do we have to lose? Sales and credibility?… we have already lost those by releasing those stupid looking skinny jeans”…says Armani suit

“Lindsay, you are a genius. Do it!”

We flash forward through panic, disgust, laughter, ridicule and back-tracking, only to find Gap at the fore-front of every news media, trying to explain away what happened with their “failed attempt to release their new logo”.

While we all point and laugh at what a gigantic failure that it was, I must sit back and ask myself…

WAS IT?…WAS IT REALLY?

True or False: I need to be on every platform.

Ok look, if you’re going to use social media marketing you should probably invest your time in a Twitter account and a Facebook account.  A majority of your customers and clients probably have an account as well, and you need to be where they are. Do you really need to have a Foursquare account, Digg account and an RSS feed? No! Don’t waste your time and energy on social media marketing accounts that are going to hardly be viewed or utilized. Keep it simple.

True or False: Social media is a fad.

Considering that Facebook users are multiplying like rabid rabbits, I would say this is false. Even Twitter seems to be hanging in there. Having said that, joining the social media world really isn’t bandwagon jumping or fad-following. It seems that social media accounts are becoming a necessary accessory for businesses.

True or False: You can brand without being online.

Sure, you can brand without having an online presence, but why would you want to? It’s like trying to bake a cake without all of the ingredients! It’s just not right! The internet is your friend, and if you use it properly it can be one of your best allies when it comes to branding yourself. Think back to the Old Spice commercials you saw on TV. Now I want you to go to Youtube and search for that same Old Spice Guy. Seriously, go do it…NOW! You probably discovered his question and answer segment where he actually answers questions from his Youtube viewers. The Old Spice Guy is an extension of the Old Spice brand because he is a persona, and he has expanded his persona to the online world. What’s the end result? Your brand is remembered and thought of in the real world.

True or False: I need a huge marketing campaign to create a brand.

False. Branding yourself can be as simple as creating a catchy slogan and/or pairing it with a great graphic. It doesn’t take television advertisements and print to get your brand out there. Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth marketing these days. Especially now that Twitter exists. Think about it, a customer has a positive experience with your business and they tweet about it. That tweet is seen by their friends. People tend to gravitate towards products that have personal testimonials attached to them because they trust their friends and family. You see where this is going don’t you? Before long, you could gain twenty customers because of one tweet.

Also, a brand doesn’t have to be a logo or a slogan. It can be a lifestyle or a piece of culture. Take Apple for example. Apple has created a culture around its company. Apple followers line up again and again for the latest and greatest product from them because they want to buy into their brand so they can be a part of the Apple culture. Think back to the I-pod commercials. They were hardly ground breaking; most of them featured shadowed people dancing around a colorful room. I wouldn’t exactly refer to that as a call to action.

Apple is successful because it markets an extension of itself.

True or False: If I make it, they will buy it.

You might have the perfect product, but if you don’t have the proper buzz around it your product could just sit on the shelf and collect dust. The same goes for services. You need to generate an interest in your product. Give out samples, show demos, promote on social media sites or even try more traditional marketing methods. You have to get the word out.

True or False: Spending more money on advertising means more results.

If you don’t build your brand, then no amount of advertising can help you. Advertising is trying to provoke a person to make a purchase. It’s persuasive material, and it’s biased. Sure, advertising is useful, but only after your product has proved itself credible. Why do you think businesses are eager to get their products featured on Oprah? She offers credibility because she tests her products before giving them her personal endorsement. Also, Oprah isn’t an infomercial or an advertisement.

True or False: You need a logo to brand yourself.

Zipbloc, Marlboro and Puffs are just a few examples of companies that don’t have notable logos. They’re recognized by their label and font only. Don’t believe the hype. A logo is not the end all, be all of branding. You can have a successful marketing campaign and brand yourself without a flashy image. This is great news for the budget conscious business person.

True or False: I don’t need to revisit branding after I’ve executed it.

The world changes, your customers interests change, and wants and needs shift over time. Why wouldn’t you revisit branding? It’s your job to connect with customers, and your brand is the best way to do so. However, if your brand is old and dated, customers won’t be able to connect and relate to you. You have to keep refreshing your persona and image.

True or False: My company is huge, so our branding strategy has worked.

Large companies are not immune to branding failures. In fact, if a branding campaign does not go over well, a larger company has more to lose. If you are a part of a small business, your clientele list is significantly shorter than a multi-million dollar corporation. What does this mean? If you experiment with branding, and it isn’t a successful campaign, you have less to lose because your brand only reaches a limited audience. A large company with national recognition could ruin its reputation and credibility in the eyes of millions of customers if their branding campaign goes belly-up.

Now it’s 2010, and social media is embedded in the daily functions of our lives. Businesses check their media feeds while they have their first cup of coffee. News stories are now being broken on Twitter before a reporter can reach the scene. People are meeting in person through social media connections (Tweetups and Facebook events). Let’s not forget that people are also constantly connected to the internet through their cellphones, computer or laptop.
If social media is still just a silly trend in your mind, you’re probably behind the curve. My marketing professor told me, “In the business world, only the fastest survive.” He’s absolutely right. If you can’t stay current, then you’ll become obsolete.

Swim Fast or Die