There is no discount price on me!

So, today I was feeling philosophical and was thinking about how hard people try to create a

certain image for themselves, whether it is "sweet girl" "tough guy" "overachiever" "sophisticated know it all" or whatever else. Each and every person is in all actuality a brand. I am not just Amanda Smith the person, I am the founder, CEO, branding manager and crisis management associate for the Amanda Smith brand. Each and every word we say, movement we choose and decision we make is a direct reflection of our brand. In life we subconsciously are all PR people. We don't like when people say things that make us look bad and we try to make people like us and attempt to create an overall positive image for ourselves.

We market ourselves on a daily basis. Whether it is to an employer, a love interest, or a new group of friends. We all have unique characteristics and selling points that we bank on and that make us different. A quirky personality, or dry sense of humor are qualities that contribute to a person's overall brand. Some people go out of their way and cognitively alter their behavior to adhere to a certain brand type to maintain an image. There are tons of self help books and articles out there that tell you how to market yourself and brand yourself etc. But in all actuality most people already do that. A brand is defined by our likes, dislikes, hobbies, interests, personality, actions, experiences and lifestyle and by combining all these things in a unique way, we each create a new, original and different brand. Just like the products on a shelf in a store, the people in a crowd each have something different to offer. A brand is something that is reinforced, consistent and built on the foundation of meaningful relationships and with people who buy into the brand. Well, each and every person in your life has bought into your brand in one way or another. Whether it is teachers and influencers who are shaping and extending your brand, or friends and family who are loyal to your brand and have found desirable qualities to it, everyone we expose ourselves to is a potential consumer in that brand. These days it's not just who we represent in person but it's our internet presence as well. Your brand can be heavily effected by the way you represent yourself on your Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and other mediums that do not always portray people in a way that may be supportive of the brand they want to expose. It is important to be aware of your brand and the way people perceive it, because after all life really is shaped around public opinion, which is formed not only by our actions but also from the way people perceive our actions. Invest in yourself, be smart about your actions and be aware of your brand and you will see a big difference in the way people look at you and the way people respond to you.

For more in-depth information about how to market yourself, read:

Brand You for Marketing:Real People, Real Choices

By: Kim Richmond and Michael Solomon

Toyota = Fail.

Early this year Toyota released two major recalls, one entitled “Floor mat entrapment” and the other called “Pedal.” These recalls have caused quite the shift in the car industry. While Toyota is doing everything possible to avoid bad publicity and keep some level of quality attached to their name, they are rapidly losing brand loyalty. According to a study done by Kelly Blue Book, the number of Toyota owners who would look into newer Toyota models is down 7%.

Toyota’s loss seems to be everybody else’s gain. Ford, Hyundai and Kia are all seeing increases in brand loyalty and sales. Another interesting finding was that Toyota owners are now less likely into buying from other Japanese car dealers, and are more likely to show interest in Ford, Kia or Hyundai.

When it comes to cars, safety is a top priority and as soon as a consumer associates a car with not being safe they are going to eliminate it from their potential car candidates. Toyota has left the car market wide open. Their spot is now up for grabs and whichever dealers make smart and strategic moves can come right in and fill Toyota’s void within the industry and scoop up their market share.

With Hyundai’s new Sonata which they have been pushing, even advertising it during the Superbowl, they have positioned themselves as the affordable alternate to luxury vehicles. Ford is introducing the highly buzzed about Fiesta this summer which will fulfill people’s hybrid needs. They also have several models offering high MPG which makes them the more efficient and green choice. And Kia is showcasing the 2011 Sorento which is a midsized SUV at an affordable price.

With each dealer pushing a different type of car, it will be interesting to see how sales fluctuate in the coming months.

Cupid: The Ultimate Marketer

Valentine’s Day means something different to everyone. To some people it is the best day of the year, to others it is a painful reality check. But, no matter who you are, advertisers aren’t going to let you forget that cupid is on his way. From Martin Luther King Day forward, you can’t watch TV, surf the web or leave your house without being exposed to candy, flower, and jewelry ads out the wazoo. This strategic flighting media plan has always proven to be effective for these signature v-day must haves.

Valentine ’s Day has become a meal ticket for many retailers, food chains and now even Hollywood producers. This year an a-list packed cast graced the silver screens in a love based movie entitled “Valentine’s Day,” This movie served as v-day entertainment for singles, couples and even teens. Although the opening weekend numbers aren’t in yet, this movie has been projected to crush its competition. Usually when you think of ordering flowers you think of 1-800 Flowers, but this year Teleflora did an A+ job of creating brand awareness. Their ads are on every web page I see and they even went as far as to invest in a Superbowl ad, which giving the time of year and the viewership, was probably well worth their penny. In their commercial they definitely hit the funny bone of viewers and gave them a memorable ad that left a lasting impression. Teleflora’s unique selling point is that they aren’t in a box “life dead people and cigarettes.” They come hand delivered in a vase and are fresh picked. Those attributes and benefits alone are enough to switch some loyal 1-800 customers into Teleflora supporters. Valentine’s Day has always had a wrap for being a commercialized holiday that makes boyfriends and husbands everywhere feel the need to spend an excessive amount of money to show their love and devotion. All the while they complain that they don’t need a special day to show their love, they do it every day. Almost any girl would disagree with that claim, and say how much they love Valentine’s Day and the romance, chocolate and flowers that come alongside the yearly love fest. As long as men buy flowers, and women like chocolate, this holiday will continue to prosper and grow. Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day! xoxo

Not All Olympic Competitions are Happening in Vancouver this Winter, Some are Going Down on the World Wide Web

As we all know, the Winter Olympics kicked off on Friday evening in Vancouver with the age old tradition of the torch lighting. The Olympic games are always home to cut throat competition, strategic planning and results. And no I’m not talking about the athletes, I’m talking about the advertisers. While some companies have been scrambling to get sponsorships, product placements and commercial spots, others are diving into the social media race. Many viewers of the Olympics want a convenient way to follow their favorite athletes throughout this journey. In this day and age that is a very reasonable expectation and there are several ways to go about doing it. Facebook as well as Twitter have created systems to allow fans to be constantly updated with news and posts concerning their favorite athletes. The question is, who is going to win this social media match. Twitter and Facebook have engaged in an unofficial race which the New York Times is calling the “Social-Media Slalom.” You’re probably asking yourself the same question I did, what the hell is a slalom? Well after taking the term for a little trip to Google I found that slalom is a race, more so, a “skiing race in a zig-zag or wavy course between upright obstacles.” I guess that is one way of referring to social media. For arguments sake we can call these ‘upright obstacles’ any noise or distractions that would come between the fan and the social media outlet. While Facebook and Twitter are both major social media contenders, only one can be the winner in this slalom.

Twitter has “olympified” their website by enabling fans to directly follow athletes and see their real-time updated posts. Twitter is also in the midst of creating a list of tweeters who are verified to truly be the athletes they claim they are. According to Brad Stone from the New York Times,“ A site called Twitter-Athletes is a useful resource for the Winter Olympics and also organizes lists of athletes in other sports who use the service.” Sounds like Twitter really has their game face on. As for Facebook, we shall see if we can say the same. Facebook has teamed up with the International Olympics Committee to make an official page. I will admit, I am one of the over one million followers of this page. The page functions by taking the recent posts from each athlete and streaming them on this once central page accompanied by photos as well. Aside from this page, they have also created interactive fan giveaways and even have mock mini games for fans to play on Facebook. So who strategically brought their A game? Drum-roll please……. I would have to go with Facebook. Their method is by far more organized and centralized in a way that makes it easier on the fans. The Twitter method is also effective, however, with some tweeters following hundreds of people it is easy for these Olympic tweets to get lost in the crowd. We will see who actually ends up scooping up the most dedicated followers. But, I think it’s safe to say that we will see a big shift in where people go to get their information this Olympic year. Ladies and Gentleman, the social media era has just begun, and it’s looking like its here to stay.

To Advertise, or not to Advertise, tis the Question

Superbowl is always the go to place for the who’s who of advertising, all the big names always have representation, that is until this year. Some big names like Pepsi even chose to not advertise at all, ending their 23 year run. A Pepsi rep stated "In 2010, each of our beverage brands has a strategy and marketing platform that will be less about a singular event and more about a movement." Smart or stupid choice some may ask, well I would go with strategic. The new “Pepsi Refresh Project” is donating 20 million dollars to charitable efforts, which is going to get them awesome publicity. In this day and age, money is tight and it is hard to justify spending3 million dollars for a 30 second spot when Haiti is suffering in the aftermath of the earthquakes and people here are still in the midst of a recession.

While Pepsi chose to sit this year out, some big players like Doritos decided to take a new approach. Doritos had a contest entitled “Crash the Superbowl,” which allowed contestants to create spots and submit them to be entered to air during the Superbowl. However, the stakes were higher than just getting airtime; there were quite a lot of Benjamin’s at stake. Winners could win anywhere from 25K up to 2 million dollars.

Anyone who watched the Superbowl and has a sense of humor already knows that Doritos hit it big. Their spots were witty, funny and definitely memorable. They were appealing to their target demographic and have received tons of pre and post airing publicity.

For some, like Pepsi they made the strategic decision to conserve money and use it to better the world. For others like Doritos they took a unique approach and got more than their money’s worth. I guess at the end of the day the proverb “To each, their own” stands true. It will be interesting to see what the big players bring to the table next year.

I Prefer a Coke with my Clay Aiken

Coke's 35 million dollar brand sponsorship on American Idol might just be worth all that dough after all. After Tuesday's airing, fans became very concerned when Coke's signature cups were not strategically placed across the judges table. In the aftermath of Paula ditching the show, and the possibility that the classy Howard Stern may in fact sit in Simon's tainted throne, the AI fans cant take any more change! They should be relieved to hear that the orange cups that were spotted were to promote the new Vitaminwater Zero drink, which is a coca-cola brand anyway! So sleep tight Idol fans, Coke may be the only stable thing left about American Idol.

Now back to the fact that coke coughs up 35 million big ones for this sponsorship. For fans to notice that detail so astutely and make that big of a fuss about the fact that those signature , or more so screams success. Idol even found it necessary to releascups weren't on that table, speakse this statement to calm the masses "The Coca-Cola cups have been a staple on American Idol since 2002 and will not be gone for long. During the Hollywood Week episodes, Coca-Cola will share the mic with Vitaminwater Zero (a Coca Cola brand), but the Coke cups will return on the first live show on Tuesday, Feb. 23."

That level of brand identity is remarkable, most of the time product placement flies under the radar in the eyes of the consumer. They are thought to be subliminal messages that create mass impressions, without creating any cognitive activity. However, after Coke’s 8 year run with idol, maybe the switch to Vitaminwater Zero was just a test, nonetheless now there’s a lot more people who now know what Vitaminwater Zero is than last week. So all in all double success for coke, they confirmed their sponsorship is working, and they created media buzz for Vitaminwater Zero and more importantly Coca-Cola.