Since the release of the video, Invisible Children has received a lot of backlash regarding their finances, the legitimacy of their organization, and the detainment of co-creator Jason Russell. All opinions aside, there’s no denying this video’s power to capture the attention of millions overnight. As a college student, I see peers trying to bring different problems, news stories, and politics to people’s attention all the time. Usually their Facebook post about saving dolphins receives a few likes—and then it’s over and done with. Their hearts are with the cause, they are just not fully revealing them, so they don’t getting traction. That’s where Heart & Mind Branding’s concept of “Moments” comes in—those small instances of time that touch our hearts. Kony effectively created a “Moment.” My peers posting on Facebook never create “Moments,” they post. Moments go viral. Posts don’t.

Within hours, several Facebook friends had posted about Kony 2012, shared the video, or changed their Facebook profile picture to the ad in support of the cause.

The Kony craze didn’t stop at Facebook, it took over other social networking sites such as Twitter and Instagram. I thought that by the next day the hype would have dwindled, but I was wrong. The hype was still going strong—and continued for days.

What made this video so popular? Why did it have the power to attract so many people? It’s because the creators of Invisible Children made a video, a “Moment,” that captured the world’s heart. They also used their minds to develop a plan of action that was structured and effective. This video turned everyone into a social activist. Their heart and mind mindset, is what made their video so widespread. Normally, how many people would sit to watch a 30-minute video, the whole way through? I sure wouldn’t! Most YouTube videos over 5 minutes generally aren’t worth watching for the first 3 minutes, let alone the entire time.

Regardless of whether or not you think Invisible Children promoted this world-wide issue the wrong way, or if you think Jason Russell has a serious PR problem, the video accomplished the seemingly impossible goal of going viral. When you use your heart and your mind and create “Moments” you can win people over. Invisible Children did just that and won 80 million people over in just two weeks.

The San Diego non-profit organization is not a new company, it’s been fighting the issue in Uganda for nine years. Joseph Kony is not a new criminal either. He has been using children for his soldiers and “wives” since about 1986, with an estimated 66,000 children abducted. Obama deployed 100 soldiers to central Africa in fall 2011 to help remove Kony from the battlefield. Invisible Children is fighting to find Kony this year, before the troops are removed form Africa. They have raised awareness through their heart-and-mind based viral video like no news report ever could.

This post is by Melissa Fittro, an Arizona State University Student and intern at HEASLEY&PARTNERS. Through her projects including writing this blog, Melissa is learning about business, gaining an introduction to Heart & Mind Branding and working hands on with the tools of marketing and communications.

What is branding? Heart & Mind® Branding. Get started NOW!

Is this commercial shocking? Maybe compared to the typical “cute baby ads” of the diaper category. Is it funny? I challenge you not to laugh. Is it surprising? My mouth was agape watching it. Is it memorable? I just recounted the entire ad. Does it generate buzz? The proof is we’re talking about it.

But what is most important about the Luvs ad is it made my husband who runs the TV in our house to actually remove his finger from the FF button and watch this spot–not once but twice. He watched it, then he made me watch it. You can watch it here.

After I laughed, then said, “Ewww,” I thought FF isn’t just on our TVs. FF happens daily as we rush by plenty of things well worth noticing but that fail to engage us. We all live FF lives.

Branding can stop us in our FF tracks. Are you, your company and your brand doing anything to make people stop and notice you, not once but twice? Three times, four or more? Are people talking about you? That would be even better. You may say, “Well we don’t advertise on TV.” I’m not really talking about commercials here. I’m talking about taking the risk to make yourself stand out. Luvs sure did it, boldly and bravely. I’m sure they are getting some nasty comments online–that is to be expected when you break tradition and put yourself out there. It takes immense bravery to not be swayed by the few, even though they can sound quite loud. It’s impossible to be different and not get criticized.

A friend of mine told me, “No one ever erected a statue to a critic. If you walk through the park and look at the statues of heroes, you’ll notice they have been crapped on a lot.” Those heroes were risk takers and they took their lumps then as they are still taking the dirt now.

It’s never been more important to take risks than it is today if you want to get anywhere. Just sitting there, saying the safe thing and using safe stock images, stifling creativity, being too stodgy or patrician to find a relevant connection to popular culture, or just being too chicken to be different, you automatically lose. The reason is you haven’t forced us customers to slow down our FF lives and notice you. Do you have to wear a raw meat dress like Lady Gaga did a while back? Most likely in your world, no. In hers, yes.

Understand, most of us operate our businesses in an environment of blasé sameness. It isn’t hard to stand out. I’m not talking to the creative folks with this blog. I’m talking to the CEOs who are afraid of what their stockholders might think. Start moving that stock price up and they’ll get over it. I’m talking to the CMOs who don’t want to lose their jobs. Maybe the reason the average CMO lasts less than three years in any one post is because they are afraid of losing their jobs. I’m talking to the CFOs who can’t understand why different sometimes costs more money. To them I say, if being different was easy or cheap everyone would be doing it, and being really different would cost even more money, so count your blessings!

Take your finger off your FF button right now and watch the Luvs commercial. Let your jaw drop and then think about how you can in your business connect with some aspect of humanity, rather than just “promote your business.” That’s the power of Heart & Mind® Branding. If you can pull it off with diapers, believe me you can do it with anything.

What is branding? Heart & Mind Branding.

In my youth, Kodak made it easy for me to immediately upload my pictures to MySpace and share them with friends. When MySpace faded as the social network it seems so did digital cameras. Facebook emerged, and with it came the phenomenon of smart phones and mobile uploads. I rarely carry my digital camera with me now. I have a new digital friend called iPhone that snaps and uploads all in one. Looking back, it was easy to see Kodak as a consumer brand in free fall heading for a crash. The more I left my digital camera at home, the worse business had to be getting for Kodak.

But Kodak was never just cameras. In fact, before it was cameras, I discovered, it was film and chemicals–a consumables business that made Kodak billions. And the company has always been an innovator. Kodak actually developed the first digital camera technology in 1975! Today, their biggest aces are the 1,100 digital imaging patents, which some believe could bring in $3 billion or more.

Is bankruptcy the end for Kodak, or simply a painful evolution?  Hard to say, but one thing for sure, Kodak has always been a technology company, and although it’s the part of their brand that most of us never knew, it may prove to play a bigger public role in their image going forward. In studying Kodak I’ve learned flexibility is a must for any lasting brand. And for companies with smarts, reorganization doesn’t mean it’s over.

This special post is by Melissa Fittro, an Arizona State University Student and intern at HEASLEY&PARTNERS. Through her projects including writing this blog, Melissa is learning about business, gaining an introduction to Heart & Mind Branding and working hands on with the tools of marketing and communications.

What is branding?  Heart & Mind® Branding. Get started NOW!

How she has managed to remain on top for so many decades is a feat few brands can achieve, even Toyota. But she does, and last night’s halftime show proved it. From her songs–old favorites and catchy new tunes–to her staging, dancers and special guests, she hit it out of the park. Oops! wrong sport. She put it through the uprights.

Take a look for yourself. Maybe you went out to get more chicken wings or buy more beer and missed it or you want to just watch it again. You may think as I did, Madonna wins.

What is branding?  Heart & Mind® Branding.

• For making every football Saturday during my four years at Penn State unforgettable, whether we won or lost, and we mostly won.
• For all he did for the “kids” who towered over him as his Penn State players.
• For  his selfless contributions to support excellence at Penn State.
• For his commitment to academics and the achievement of his players.
• For the way he ran on the field with the team.
• For the thrill of winning a national championship my senior year.
• For giving me a sense of pride in my school that began at age 18 and is still with me today.
• For scaring the crap out of me when I walked down my dad’s basement and glimpsed from the corner of my eye a life-size “pop-up Joe” in the shadows.
• For being a fellow Italian who made my dad proud.
• For being a role model of perseverance.
• For the way 50,000 people in Beaver Stadium would shout “Jopa” and the other 50,000 would shout “Terno.”
• For his rolled up pants, white socks and black shoes.
• For the way he screamed at players who taunted the opponent or celebrated too much.
• For being carried on the shoulders of his team more than once, and the joy on his face.
• For being strong while being humble.
• For his fight and his unwavering loyalty to white and blue.

Thanks for the moments. We’ll miss you, Joe.

What is branding?  Heart & Mind® Branding.

I guess you can say the Kardashian’s are models, in a way. Kim Kardashian was discovered through an explicit sex video that launched her “claim to fame.” Then, Ryan Seacrest discovered the entire Kardashian clan for a reality show. But what is their brand position, really? What do they stand for? opportunism comes to mind, but I hope there is something more.

To make their brand position even more confusing, I read earlier this week that Celebuzz has teamed up with the Kardashian Kollection and Sears to kick off a t-shirt design contest. What? The winner’s concept will be put into production for the next Kollection line, and they’ll also receive $1,000 to spend at Sears.

Talk about confusing brands! Now the Kardashian’s, Sears and Celebuzz are in the t-shirts business? Which is it then? T-shirts, designer wear, appliances? I’m confused. Maybe you the winner of the $1,000 will buy a new washer or dryer with their new-found fortune?

At HEASLEY&PARTNERS, we work every day defining brands for companies, products, programs  and people. We look for what is Genuine, Meaningful and Different. Is the brand genuine to its audience, meaningful to the people it serves and different than the competition? I don’t believe the Kardashians or Sears are being “genuine” (except for their genuine desire to cash in from from each other). And what does Sears mean to Kardashian fans? What does Kardashian, a brand that’s all about $20 million engagement rings and being married to a pro basketball player) mean to Sears lovers?

Perhaps Sears is simply trying to attract a new, younger shopper and are hoping the K-Kollection can do it, that it’s “different” enough to drive new shoppers. I doubt Sears gave the Kardashian’s fashion foray a home expecting nothing in return; certainly they expect the brand to carry clout.

Before you think I am a Kardashian basher, guess again. I’m a fan, and avid viewer of “Keeping Up With The Kardashians.” They offer a good entertainment reality show. Not many families live the lifestyles they do, have their family dynamics and act out in such outlandish ways. But, that is what makes them entertaining, that is what makes them genuine, meaningful and different as a reality show family. But does it mean they are clothing designers? Does it mean they are a “brand fit” with Sears? Momanager, Kris Jenner may have taken the brand one step too far this time…in the wrong direction.

*Update- With the recent news of Kim Kardashian filing for divorce after only 72 days of marriage, business could be good but the Kardashian brand will most likely be damaged.

What is branding? Heart & Mind® Branding.

So, in the days that followed, I found myself online viewing past episodes, and with the same results…wiping tears from my eyes at the acts of CEO goodwill helping a few select employees they had worked with.  But then it dawned on me, what about all those other employees the CEO didn’t have the chance to meet, or to work with one-on-one? Are they any less significant?  Why don’t they get their first franchise paid for, or get mentored by the President?  And then I thought, “Are the CEOs only doing these kind things and making changes in the company for the camera?”  I then started to get mad.

Why do CEO’s have to go “undercover” to find out what is going on in the front lines of their company?  Wouldn’t you think CEO’s would have a vested interest in the employees and people who “make things happen?”  Do they really get that disconnected with the people that work for them?

Where I work, at HEASLEY&PARTNERS, we believe every organization has two sides:  A heart side and a mind side.  The heart side is the creativity, the passion, the drive, the higher purpose.  It’s the most valuable of all assets, yet it is hard to quantify.  The mind side is the realities of business—things like profit and revenue, sales quotas and sales projections, processes and procedures, budgets and quarterly goals, rules and regulations.

Undercover Boss really brings out the fact that CEO’s are so immersed in the mind side of their companies, they forget there is heart in their employees and the jobs they take pride in every day. The show doesn’t bring out what is great about a company or a CEO, it shows how disconnected they are from the reality in their own organizations and from the people. The heart of the organization has always been there, they just have never taken the time to notice. Do they really need a reality TV show to bring this to their attention?

When you think about it, finding the heart of an organization doesn’t take that much effort.  What it does take is a CEO, or management, to “recognize” the people that work for them, and the hard work they do day-in and day-out.  It doesn’t take a lot of effort, or money, to learn a first name, ask about a family member or even say “job well-done.”  All it takes is a little recognition that everyone plays an important role in the organization and that they are significant. It doesn’t matter if employees are recognized with $25,000 to start a franchise or a plaque in the hallway with “Employee of the Month.”  The employees on the show all said the same thing…”It’s so nice to be recognized after all these years.”  Years?  Does it really take that long?  Should it take that long?

Now when I watch “Undercover Boss”, I don’t get emotional and cry at the revelations the CEOs have about how they are going to improve the company and help employees, I get emotional at the fact it took a reality TV show to bring it to light for them.  Couldn’t they have made the changes they did to better the company and the lives of all the employees, instead of just a few, without the TV show? Or, does it take “lights, camera, action” to find the real heart of an organization? We believe they can, and we do it for them everyday.

What are your thoughts?

What is branding? Heart & Mind® Branding.

Let’s be blunt, guys like Steven Tyler and Bret Michaels have been around. They’ve been around and around. They may be rock legends but finding new audiences in our cluttered world is like starting all over again. They simply have to do what we all have to do whether we are launching or relaunching a brand: They have to find a platform to communicate their heart.

Interestingly, in nearly all cases, these celebs are reinvigorating their careers not by being the tough, hard-driving rockers we all came to know them for. Instead they are taking an approach that is more genuine to their lives today. They are being real and if they can teach us anything about branding from their own brand success, it’s that “real” sells.

Bret Michaels

Here’s a guy–rocker from Poison–who came on The Celebrity Apprentice last season (and made a repeat appearance last night) with most of us thinking he’s just the womanizing washed up rock star from the MTV reality show “Rock of Love.” Few expected much from him–Donald Trump said so much–other than entertainment value.

Then Bret started to reveal Bret. He dropped the rocker shell for the most part. You learned he was in the game to win money and raise awareness for the American Diabetes Association. You learned he is a lifelong diabetic and feels for anyone who has to live with this disease. You witnessed the phone call where he learned that his young daughter’s tests came back abnormal and that she is now borderline diabetic. You saw his pain. You learned he was a hard-working, tough competitor who doesn’t quit. His own health issues played out on TV. It was impossible for Bret to be the tough rocker. Millions fell in love with Bret and his career soared to new heights. He’s pretty much everywhere now.

Steven Tyler

They said that American Idol would be washed up without the sharp-tongued Simon Cowell. Well this season proved them all wrong with high viewership and record votes. The reason is because we have Steven Tyler. Who could have ever expected that the lead singer of Aerosmith would bring such spirit to this show? After all he’s the “Love in the Elevator” guy. How could we have known he’d give us such “Sweet Emotion” after every contestant’s performance this season? You can’t help but feel his heartfelt love of music, talent and commitment. The guy is connecting for the first time with millions of people who were not Aerosmith fans, but they are now. Record sales are way up.

What you are seeing here is yet more proof that we buy from people we like, and that we can spot a phony a mile away. It also proves that being genuine is golden. When you’re real and reveal your heart, people fall in love with you and your brand. Of course, if your heart is rather Grinch-like, the real you may not be quite so lovable!

Why so few people get this simple fact is a mystery to me. I see cases of it everywhere. Just look around. You’ll see that when you find your platform, are the real thing and that real thing is loveable, you’ll want to hang on tight. Success will come faster than you may think.  Bret and Steven, thank you for showing us yet again that genuine heart is the power of any brand–even tough, cool rock stars.

What is branding? Heart &  Mind® Branding.

2.0 has appeared in the HBO series “Oz,” on the Showtime series “Jeremiah” and in the movie “Johnson County War” among others. Luke appeared to have found his new brand and a more mature audience. But then in 2006, it was as if he stepped into his past to star in NBC’s “Windfall,” a show about a group of friends whose lives change post college after they win the lottery.

Rumors abound that he’ll make a guest appearance on “90210.” He says he won’t reprise his role as Dylan, and that’s a good thing. That’s not where the Perry brand needs to go. Fifteen years ago he didn’t fall victim to fickle fans who one day ogled his poster and the next day tucked it in the back of the closet with the rest of the 90’s stuff. Perry was smart, he left them in search of his next brand reinvention. How many times in business have brands held on to the cushy, comfortable gravy train long after they should have jumped off? How many times have brands been blinded by the money and forgot about their heart? Blockbuster Video, Borders and Newsweek are all teetering because they kept doing what made them money and missed the inevitable market shift. They forgot about finding and serving the new customer until it was too late.

Perry, his agent or both were smart.  They knew teen-idol status is short lived, so they shifted ahead of the curve. That meant brand reinvention time, and unfortunately, it’s not as easy as Madonna has made  it look over the years. Finding that next point of relevance is risky. And it often takes a complete brand transformation—around a strong foundation—to find a new audience.

Luke Perry continues to work at his brand. My guess is that Luke 3.0 is in incubator right now. It’s like the quiet period before a company goes public. But here’s a note of caution. The world is moving quickly and you can get left behind even if you are on the treadmill; it’s worse if you appear to be off it entirely.  Luke needs to burst back on the scene to gain relevance fast.  All the best Luke, but know I’m not just talking to you. I’m talking to myself and all of us as brands, too.  Big breakthroughs always require big leaps.

What is branding? Heart &  Mind® Branding.

The brand lost its way in the 1970′s.  It was purchased by Converse in 1972, but later had to be sold off when the US government filed an antitrust suit claiming that if both companies combined they would have a monopoly for sneakers.  Soon, instead of every kid needing a pair of PF Flyers, they needed a pair of Converse All-Stars.  PF Flyers continued their downward slope until New Balance bought the rights to the brand in 2001 (which had been dormant since 1992) and resurrected it in 2003.  Regardless of their roller coaster ride, movies like “The Sandlot” have given PF Flyers a permanent place in our modern culture.

PF Flyers are well on their way to making a comeback.  They went back to the heart of their company and recently did an Archival Reissue re-launch of the most popular styles from the 50′s and 60′s. You can find PF Flyers anywhere from Zappos to Neiman Marcus. Will PF Flyers ever have the status they did in the 50′s and 60′s? Stay tuned…

Check out vintage PF Flyer commercials!

What is branding? Heart & Mind® Branding.