Brand Mix

Here's my summary of interesting things I read (or saw) this last week. Could I let this week pass by without talking about the AIG bonuses? I couldn't:

1) Inside AIG-FP, Feeling the Public's Wrath: Washington Post
Call me a reckless contrarian if you like but I'm not jumping on board the AIG bonus fury train. For those ready to take a look "inside the piñata," this article from the Washington Post is worth a read. From a marketing perspective, this is also a story about the power of names. What's sent everyone completely over the edge is that they think that AIG executives have been paid performance "bonuses" despite the economy-wrecking performance of the company. Whereas the reality is that these executives were given "retention contracts" to try and keep them working at the company through a time when it was likely that many of them would leave.

2) Doodling Is Good For Your Noodle: Live Science (via a clear eye)
Quickly switching gears: Are you a boring-meeting doodler? Good news! Research says that doodling actually helps your memory. If you weren't doodling, you would probably be daydreaming and that would be worse.

3) How to lose your job in 140 characters or less: the brandbuilder
In the week where I finally capitulated and started twittering (martinjbishop), it was interesting to read this post about theconnor who should have kept his feelings about joining Cisco to himself rather than tweeting them to the world. Losing one's job over inappropriate blogging is known as being dooced after Heather Armstrong's Dooce blog. Will losing a job over inappropriate tweeting become known as being connored?

4) SuperNews! Twouble with Twitters: current (via BrandflakesforBreakfast)
the unspoken truth of the twitterverse!"


5) Takeaways from the Economist Marketing Forum #ecsf09: Marketing with Meaning
And what was it that broke down my no-twittering resolve? The Economist Marketing Forum. Here, Bob Gilbreath provides his summary of the event inspired, as was mine, by the collective wisdom of the conference tweets.

6) Friendship Isn't Dead. The Strengthening of Loose Ties: Logic + Emotion
Meanwhile, in Austin, SXSW 2009 was underway with many power-twitterers in attendance and even one who made a bigger splash by not being there. David Armano takes up a theme of managing friendships in a world where it's easier to stay in touch, a theme I explored a couple of weeks ago as well. I like the reference to "ambient intimacy" to describe those on the outer edges of friendship.

That's it! See you next week for more stories from the world of brand strategy.