Defensive Branding 101

Defensive branding is the process of preparing and protecting your brand from the volatile ups and downs of today's never predictable marketing environment.  In the age of consumer control, a good defense may be a brand's only realistic option.  As I noted in a podcast interview today with always-engaging Neville Hobson and Shel Holtz, the hosts of For Immediate Release, it's too simple to say this is merely about PR  2.0.   Defensive branding requires a host of holistic communications strategies -- all anchored, of course, to active listening. On Friday, I'm co-hosting a webinar on this topic entitled "Defensive Branding: Trouble Shooting Your Brand in the Age of Consumer Control."   It's free and you can sign up here.  Joining me will be John Giacobetti, VP of Brands for Comcast, and moderator Dan Mechem, former BuzzMetrics VP and FoxNews correspondent.

Let's put all this in perspective.  corporations and brands it’s harder than ever to defend your credibility. The time available to respond to a crisis, rumor, problem, or embarrassing gaffe is a fraction of what it was in other years. For most corporations, speed is the enemy. This is one unmistakable reality in the age of consumer-generated media.  Suspected bad news flies at the speed of sound, and the old rules of “let’s wait until the morning” simply no longer apply. That said, all is not lost for major brands. There are a host of steps to defend and protect – and perhaps even grab the offensive – in a major crisis.  From the brand website or blog to consumer affairs to how you buy keywords on Google against less flattering consumer searches, there are a host of tactics brands can apply to "defend" the brand.  I've written about this extensively in this blog, and here's a link to some of that commentary..