The Brand - Corporate & Personal, err, Intertwined

Following the Duncan Bannatyne train thing (see below) here’s some sort of brand antidote to issues on this eastern side of the island. Pictured is the West Coast’s Sir Richard Branson at work. The Virgin Leader is illustrated creating content for his blog and for mine. From this hands off management position, the good knight is able to keep an eye on how those toilets are holding up on his Pendolino trains. And to dream of spaceships. Of course businesses like Stagecoach, Scaled Composites and MBNA are delighted to help out.

I have resisted bowing to Virgin's PR power by not using this picture for a whole week now. Until I just couldn’t resist the man's brand power any longer. Hat tip to The Fact Compiler for bringing this gem to my attention. It had appeared previously in the Mail on Sunday.

There now, remember the tremendous value of this sort of photo opportunity to your brand/client. Of course, what we really do have here, is clear demonstration of the benefits to entrepreneurs of getting off the stock exchange and going private without those troublesome shareholders. So, if you want to create a multi billion dollar empire that breaks all the brand rules, has a name that won't work, doesn’t know its demographic, stays off the equity markets and becomes a global giant, you know what to do.

Now then, get on with it.

STOP PRESS: ask Sir Richard for hints and tips on how to create your very own global empire:

http://digg.com/dialogg/Sir_Richard_Branson_1?FC=UATDRB1(note Q2) and at Huffington Post http://tinyurl.com/cytvo2 Yep, all the news that's still around and hasn't gone away.

Celeb Customer Complaints Department

Duncan Bannatyne is not happy. He says why at http://tinyurl.com/cuwmqr . Never a shrinking violet, Duncan lays into the East Coast rail service with venom. So remember, when you need customer service to improve, live near someone on the Dragon's Den panel. It may not get a result, but it makes everyone feel a whole lot better.

(Charities have harnessed the power of the famous for years - how about consumers?)

PS: Just spotted DB's biz biog 'Anyone Can Do It'. I hope you not confusing that idea with 'Everyone Can Do It', Duncan.

Running out of Blogroll

Apologies for the disappearance of the links to blogs. We will investigate and call up standby holiday repair teams. Or you could just go straight to Iain D in the blue corner and Tom H in the red - miss out the middleman. That's called disintermediation - the internet's all about it and Associated Press has thoughts on the subject. This humble aggregator points you to New Jersey http://tinyurl.com/dalvqw

OK - they are back! With interesting new stuff.

Events - not too dear, boy!

I'm going to come back to this very soon, but right now right now I'm canvassing views. There seems to be a consensus that the B2Blive industry is, so far, rather resilient. I received this today,...this is in the North East (UK)

Thinking Digital is now SOLD OUT
Hi All, I'm slightly amazed to announce that the Thinking Digital Conference is now soldout. To register for waitlist pls visit http://is.gd/qm6J
Thanks for all the support.

Herb Kim

I'm part of the industry and as Warren Buffett says 'don't ask the barber if you need a haircut' but maybe, together with social media, we are disruptive and providing marketing and networking spaces at much lower costs. Opinions, views and experiences, send by mail if you don't want to post.

BMB NYC

So ad agencies are done for in these times, are they? BMB hasn't heard that news and opens up shop in New York. Bil Bungay, the B that goes together with Beattie and McGuinness, believes that out of chaos comes opportunity and new order. Bil’s sample time was the overturning of the applecart in the late seventies when pomp rock got eaten by The Sex Pistols (for a while).

Well, advertising and design is rock and roll. It’s a scalable enterprise and as such has few winners, but they win real big. Most talented folks will keep on gigging for a lifetime down the pub. But that’s OK too. One or two will get through.

As far as those who are already of superstar status, well, starting conditions apply and capital is required in downturns. Intellectual and brand capital is amongst the very best.

In the last few years Bil B has given over lot of valuable time to Fresh Creative Awards to get people to notice new talent from the regions. So, we'll see what Madam Upturn brings.

Your hero I K Brunel would have liked your Atlantic Bridge, Bil. We wish BMB well in NYC and beyond. We still have exportable products.

The story is at Brand Republic. http://tinyurl.com/cjl9f2

East Coast - the drier side

Thanks to peezedtee for this charming infringement of copyright. Like some of you, I am a poster fan, a graphic design freak, an enthusiast of the late 1930's up to September '39 and a frequent passenger between KX and the North. In that aggregated spirit I offer this delightful piece of transport advertising together with the challenge: does this campaign show more than two things you can't do any longer on the East Coast Main Line?