Iconic rockers. Legends. Kick-ass tunes. Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame inductees.
Sometimes branding and symbolism, however, are just as important as the product being marketed.
Does your business need a BEARD?
A Business, Branding and Marketing Lesson from Legendary Rockers ZZ Top! (The Power of a Business Beard!)
Posted by yoni67 under Success StoriesFrom http://jobshuk.com 4771 days ago
Made Hot by: 9devon9 on March 29, 2011 1:45 pm
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Comments
4768 days ago
I love to hear stories of good marketing when it's not even intended as 'marketing' (at least I assume the beards were not conscious marketing). It says to me that the best marketing involves defining the 'essence' of who & what you are, and then finding a unique way to demonstrate that to your fans or audience.
4768 days ago
Thanks! I agree completely with you. Ronika, a BizSugar member, sent me a YouTube video from the night after I posted. Conan O'Brien had a guest on the show and they were talking about the new beard the guest had. The first thing Conan said is "are you ZZ TOP?" Hah...talk about identity. Amazing how things stick in peoples' minds and how they can be used to generate publicity and marketing value.
All the best,
Yoni
4771 days ago
4771 days ago
GREAT video! Holy Moly, they mentioned ZZ TOP! Now that's timing!
Thanks for the link!
Yoni
4771 days ago
4771 days ago
You are right about the logos that stand on their own, the SWOOOOSH definitely comes to mind. I guess it's the same with people who are famous enough to be called by their first name and everybody knows who you're talking about: Elle, Cindy, etc.
Now I'm going to shave. I was thinking of growing a ZZ TOP beard, but with only two or three days of growth I start looking like a homeless person. It doesn't work for me!
Yoni
4771 days ago
It also helps that you stay true to your image. I remember hearing that in the mid 80's, both Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill were offered a million dollars by the razor company Gilette to shave off their beards for an ad campaign. But they refused the offer...
Adam
4771 days ago
Awesome commentary which made me smile! Now that's staying true!
Yoni
4771 days ago
I think that almost anything you can do to increase visibility is good for business as long as you have a good backbone for the business- quality and standing behind what you sell. If service and the product stink visibility can hurt.
Ben
4771 days ago
Spot-on. Visibility is great if the underlying product and service are great. If not, visibility is a detriment. It's why fly-by-nite operations fly the coup once the truth comes out. Then they want to be invisible.
Yoni
4771 days ago
Really cool!
Heidi K.
4771 days ago
4771 days ago
Duncan
p.s. *I amazes me how many people buy acoustic guitars online w/o playing the instrument 1st. Having worked in receiving in a music store, I had 1st look at all guitars that came in - if the store had 10 SG's, one might be really sweet, 8 OK, and one a clunker. But you have to try them one-by-one to find the sweet one. It's not about the "boss" color or racing stripes (it's not even about the beautiful woodgrain, no matter how pretty), it's about which one sounds best 1st, and how it feels playing it 2nd (is the neck too fat, are the frets dressed so they don't cut your hand, etc.).
4771 days ago
The costume and "the look" might add to the package if there is substance beneath, but without the substance it is just an empty shell.
I actually saw a spot on FoxNews about music stores. It had to do with the resurgence of vinyl. People want nostalgia and they are selling fast and furious. Here is a cool article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/nyregion/07vinyl.html
As far as the guitars, it's like buying a car without driving it first.
Yoni
4771 days ago
Shoshana
4771 days ago
4771 days ago
Other than a neatly trimmed goatee I'm not a fan of facial hair. But I have to admit it works for the band. I haven't heard them in many years but I remember the beards from MTV. How could you forget?
Shoshana
4771 days ago
Some things remain in your mind and those beards are hard to forget. They are a brand in themselves.
Yoni