I cannot think of another brand that has had the total image change the US is attempting. It’s like trying to turn the Pinto into a Volvo. There’s no doubt that we need a rebranding. While there are no world-wide poll numbers on dissatisfaction with George W., it is safe to say they are at least as low as they are here at home.

Cynics will tell you — not incorrectly — that branding is all about image: New chrome, new font, new scent, new claims. The cynics are correct because they have seen this happen with repeatedly. (My favorite example: Anyone actually believe BP as an environmentally friendly oil company?)

However, companies that do it well know that branding is all about product. You cannot in fact turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse unless you come up with some really breakthrough technology. You can claim otherwise for awhile but the truth will come out. You may convince a lot of people that 0% down, unverified mortgages are a good idea, but it won’t last. If your aim is make a quick buck and get out, you will succeed. If your aim is to actually build a company and a brand, you will not.

I hesitate to use this phrase but it is accurate: This is the case now more than ever before. The interwebs have made customers the equal of any marketing team on the planet. No matter how hard a company tries to hide that its product doesn’t do what it claims – that its brand is, in fact, a sham – the facts will come out. Actually, the harder a company tries to suppress the information the more damage they are doing to themselves. That is true whether you are making dog food or running a nation. We need look no farther for proof of this than the pet food poisonings, the government of Burma or FEMA’s response to Katrina.

I seldom speak well of cynicism. It is a knee-jerk reaction based on the idea that we know the outcome before examining the facts. It is the antithesis of skepticism — which requires that we demand proof before accepting a claim. That said, now is a time for cynicism. Cynicism is, indeed, the only reasonable response to the last eight years. President Obama will have to overcome the cynics. He will have to prove to people who are more than happy to ignore mere facts that the product is now different.

This will be easier overseas where relief over regime change in the US will encourage people to more quickly accept things at face value. Just his name will make people think twice about what Barack Obama says and does. Here at home it will be harder. Many people in his own party will want to return to the old product. They will want to celebrate their victory by shutting out the people who opposed them. While the Democrats currently have the numbers to do this, it is the kind of short-term action that will only hurt the company and the brand.

It was a bipartisan effort that got us into our current mess – both economically and in foreign relations. Many people from both parties signed off on both mortgage insanity and the wars. Anyone who claims otherwise is lying. So it will take a bipartisan effort to get us out of it. Under parliamentary systems there is a thing called a “coalition government” – where parties serve together and share power. That is what is needed now.

The early signs are good. Rumors abound that Colin Powell and former GOP senator Chuck Hagel will have important roles in the new administration. But that is just the start. Similar moves will have to happen in Congress as well. The Democrats must change their language and their actions. The public clearly rejected Sen. McCain’s divisiveness. Now our elected officials must too.

Two years ago less than half of all consumers used search to find a local business but today that number is upward of 74%!

However, most small businesses today still don’t have a website in fact less than 10% of small business owners are online. For them the problem is not just that they don’t have a website but promoting their website as well.

Enter Yodle

Yodle helps small service based business get a web presence and then help them promote their business by buying lots of niche keywords and syndicating the results to local businesses. (ex Teeth Whitening Union Square NY)

Yodle growth has been outstanding (around 700% year over year) which should come as no surprise since their customers are long tail and so are the keywords they buy for them.

Check out my podcast with their CEO Court Cunningham …

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About Court

Court Cunningham is the CEO of Yodle, Court oversees all aspects of operations and strategy, including technology, product development and sales and marketing. Prior to joining Yodle, he held the position of COO at Community Connect, a niche social networking company, where he lead consumer marketing, product management and development efforts. Before that, as SVP/GM of the Marketing Automation group at DoubleClick, he was instrumental in establishing DARTmail as the industry leading email marketing solution.

Court received a BA in English from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

 

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