What do you do when everybody apparently hates you?

Two bands are dealing with that issue these days. One of them hit the jackpot. The other hasn’t figured out their next move yet.

Nickelback has become the band it is cool to hate, and when they were announced as the halftime entertainment at the Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day football game, the hatred boiled over.  The anti-Nickelback movement gained momentum as more than 55,000 people signed an on-line petition and publicity about the Detroit situation went wild.  What was Nickelback supposed to do?

How about create a viral video on Funnyordie.com about how much people hate them? The video was released in the middle of last week and instantly became an internet favorite. Even those who are self-professed Nickelback haters had to give the band props for a pretty cool video.

Nickelback did exactly what they needed to do. They acknowledged the hatred. They laughed at it.They mocked it. In the video they came across as funny and human, and relatively hard to hate. By no means will this make the Nickelback haters go away, but it will absolutely score the band points with the millions of fans they already have, and it will probably win over some new fans.  In the process, it gave the band a tremendous amount of publicity for essentially no cost at all.

Meanwhile, Metallica is caught in the headlights after releasing Lulu, an album of collaborative work with the legendary Lou Reed. Critics and fans almost unanimously hate the album. The very-smart Chuck Klosterman wrote a review that read “If the Red Hot Chili Peppers acoustically covered the 12 worst Primus songs for Starbucks, it would still be (slightly) better than this.”  The early sales figures are abysmal…  just 13,000 copies in the US and 6,000 in the UK. Those are the worst first week sales for a Metallica album since Soundscan started keeping track in 1991.

Here’s my free advice to Metallica: Move on, really really quickly. Release a killer Metallica song right away that makes your fans heads explode with pleasure. And by right away, I mean in the next 30 days. Seriously fast. Waste no time and give your core fans a song – or even better, a whole album – that screams Metallica.  You must have something in the vaults that is classic Metallica. Forget about Lulu. Stop defending it. Take the approach Lou Reed did when he said “Who cares? I’m essentially in this for the fun of it.”  Treat Lulu like a vanity project that you never expected anybody to purchase and take seriously.

Or give the boys from Nickelback a call and get some advice on how to make a funny video, like this one.

They fill stadiums with screaming fans.
They make millions of dollars.
They are synonymous with excellence.

Rock stars.

The premise of the new book Brand Like A Rock Star is that business can learn a tremendous amount from the experiences of the legends of rock. The book deals with specific bands, specific brands, and provides specific advice to apply to your business in actionable ways.

But from a big picture perspective, what can the average business learn from the rock star? Why does the business/rock star relationship make sense?

Here are seven things you and your business can learn from rock stars.

1. Do what you love. If you do what you love to do, you’ll do it more passionately than anyone else. And if you do something with passion, the odds of doing it successfully go up infinitely. Rock stars love to rock. That’s why Mick Jagger is still singing. Do what you love.

2. Be larger than life. There’s no excitement in average. Nobody notices the business that looks and sounds like every other business. Foo Fighters is a stupid name, but unforgettable. Same with Red Hot Chili Peppers and Hootie & The Blowfish and Barenaked Ladies for that matter. Go the distance. Stand out from the crowd. Don’t be afraid to be larger than life.

3. Screw being better, just be different. Bands like the Grateful Dead and KISS weren’t at what they did, they were the only bands who did what they did. If you do something totally unique, there’s nobody to compare you to. There will always be someone better than you, but there is nobody exactly like you. Celebrate that. Be different.

4. Practice really hard. The Beatles played Hamburg for months at a time perfecting their craft. Metallica played every dive bar on the west coast before they made it big. You just don’t get to the top without a lot of practice. The same applies to business. Whatever you decide to do, perfect it. Practice really hard.

5. Find a producer. Great bands had great producers, engineers, managers, and record labels. You need people like that to see your work from the outside. Business owners are like bands, they see themselves from the inside. That’s the worst view in the world. You need a George Martin, just like The Beatles did. Get outside advice. Find a producer who isn’t afraid to tell you when you suck.

6. Take it easy. Being an up-and-comer isn’t a picnic, but real rock stars get first-class flights, penthouse hotel suites, and backstage buffets. There’s plenty of down time for true rock stars. Lenny Kravitz has a place in Bahamas. Eric Clapton kicks back in Antigua. Great business leaders know when to relax and rejuvenate their spirits. Minds that relax are minds that are open to learning and growth. Find the time to take it easy now and then.

7. Work with your friends. Eric Clapton played guitar on a Phil Collins song. Mick Jagger contributed background vocals on a Carly Simon song. Johnny Cash did the lead vocals for a U2 song. When you work with friends, you not only benefit from their contribution but you also learn from them and develop new skills. Hire great people that you love to work with and let them help you shine. Avoid unhappy people who bring you down, and work with your friends instead.

Take these seven lessons from the legends of rock to heart, and watch your business rise to the top of the charts.

Brand Like A Rock Star is now available via Amazon. You can have your copy within 24 hours! I can’t wait to hear what you think of it! It arrives at retail on October 1.

I’d love to speak directly to your company or conference about building a powerful brand using the lessons learned by rock’s legends. Contact me directly for details.

Upcoming Brand Like A Rock Star events:
Tuesday, September 27 – Calgary, AB
Wednesday, September 28 – Red Deer, AB (morning)
Wednesday, September 28 – Drumheller, AB (afternoon)
Thursday, September 29 – Edmonton, AB
Friday, October 7 – Las Vegas, NV at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – BOOK LAUNCH EVENT!

Monday, October 17 – Moncton, NB
Thursday, October 20 – Charlottetown, PEI (Chamber of Commerce Biz2Biz Expo)
Friday, November 4 – Anchorage, AK (Alaska Broadcasters Association Convention)
Wednesday, November 23 – Winnipeg, MB
Thursday, December 15 – Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

If you’re passionate about great bands and great brands, please click here to subscribe to Brand Like A Rock Star by email. You can also join the discussion on Facebook.

You wouldn’t have caught me dead wearing Old Spice when I was coming of age in the 1980′s.  Old Spice was, first of all, “old” simply by name.  Dad wore it.  Today, every cool kid is wearing it.

Likewise with Johnny Cash.  Dad listened to the “man in black”, but nobody was playing his music on their Sony Walkman.  Today, the late Johnny Cash is permanently cool and genuinely missed.

Few musical acts have made a comeback as astonishing and deserving as the one Johnny Cash mounted in the five years before his death. He went from being a forgotten-about archive from the Hall of Fame into a six-time nominee at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.

Few brands have staged a comeback as noteworthy as Old Spice.  It went from being a low-value brand from the past into one of the world’s leading men’s grooming products in an exceptionally short period of time.

Why do some brands fade away and others come roaring back?  What do the successful bands and brands that come back to life have in common?

1. Change Your Message

Old Spice changed their marketing message.  They brilliantly adapted their message to the self-deprecating, tongue-in-cheek tone of today’s youth.  Their commercials began to spread virally on the internet spawning websites dedicated entirely to Old Spice commercials.

Johnny Cash changed his message too.  Instead of recording country or gospel songs, he recorded songs originally by hard rock bands like Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden, U2, Tom Petty, and Danzig.  His series of American Recordings also included his own songs, but the albums focused on speaking the language of the youth of the day.

2. Change Your Partner

Old Spice collaborated with advertising agency Wieden and Kennedy to create advertising that was edgy and in touch with young consumers.  Wieden and Kennedy is best known for their work with Nike, and they’ve also developed many cutting-edge campaigns for Coke, ESPN, and Miller beer.

Johnny Cash collaborated with Rick Rubin to create music that was edgy and in touch with young consumers.  Rick Rubin is a producer famous for starting Def Jam records and working with performers like Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Metallica.

3. Don’t Give Up

Rebuilding a damaged for forgotten brand is not a quick fix.

Old Spice began their turnaround om 1990 when it was purchased by Proctor and Gamble.  In 1992 they updated the logo and color scheme.  Over the next 15 years they released body washes, body sprays, deoderant sticks, and shaving products. When the new Old Spice became popular, they rereleased the original blend with the slogan “If your grandfather hadn’t worn it, you wouldn’t exist.”

Johnny Cash began working with Rick Rubin in 1994, and won a Grammy for Best Folk Album for “American Recordings”.   It met with plenty of critical acclaim, but it was the subsequent volumes, particular volume IV of the series, that truly cemented Cash as a contemporary icon.  His 2003 version of Nine Inch Nails “Hurt” remains a cross-generational classic.

Here are two videos that illustrate the brands post-turnaround.  The very emotional “Hurt” by Johnny Cash can be viewed here.  Below is the phenomenal “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” from Old Spice.

If you are passionate about music and business, get Brand Like A Rock Star updates by email.

Plenty of new people are signing up each day to receive Brand Like A Rock Star updates directly in their e-mail box.  Thanks!  Please consider doing that (the sign up area is in the top right), and as always make sure you forward these posts to others in your circle who are passionate about branding.  You might also want to http://twitter.com/rockstarbrands.  I only tweet updates about branding, marketing, PR, and music.  You’ll never get a tweet from me about what I ate for breakfast.

Cause marketing – the idea of aligning your brand with a social cause close to the heart of your customers – really works… but only under a few conditions.

Jon Bon Jovi knows this well.  His band is on tour and at each city, Jon is heading into the deepest parts of the inner-city in order to collect information for his foundation that helps the homeless.  Since 2006, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has created 150 affordable housing units in seven American cities.

What makes a good cause marketing initiative?

1. A natural/logical relationship between the brand and the cause.  In the case of Jon Bon Jovi, the relationship is clear.  His music has often been about the struggles of the average man.  In fact, his latest album includes a song called “Working For The Working Man” and numerous songs inspired by the economic meltdown.  Jon Bon Jovi has never been one to flaunt his riches.  Many of the people finding themselves homeless today are those who were walking the fine line between making it and not prior to the economic collapse, and all of us can relate to having to do more with less than ever before.

2. The PR happens (relatively) organically.  Jon Bon Jovi isn’t calling this the “Bon Jovi Helps The Homeless Tour”.  The good PR will happen in large part because he isn’t actively seeking it.  He is simply meeting with local homeless groups in each city and touring the areas where his foundation could assist them.  He isn’t doing it with news cameras and paparazzi.  Yes, he has a PR machine working with his foundation, but they are not exploiting the cause in order to increase Jon’s profile.

3. The cause is timely.  With the state of the economy and with people not eager to pay higher taxes, now is the perfect time to investigate new ways to help the homeless.  The cause is an evergreen one that won’t be going away, but there’s no question that it is a particular hot button these days.  It is important that the cause your brand supports is one that connects with people’s present state-of-mind, otherwise it is unlikely your efforts will register with customers.

Cause marketing is vital. As Roy Williams has observed, today’s society is one of increasing civil responsibility.  It seems with each day we feel a stronger sense of community (that link is worth checking out, by the way). We are more likely than ever before to be loyal to a brand that gives back to our community in a meaningful way.

What does your brand give back?  Have you developed a sense of higher purpose?  Do you leave your customers with the feeling that you care about the same things they do?

Some examples of rock stars and rock star brands who give back to their communities:

Dave Matthews Band established the Bama Works Foundation in 1999 to help disadvantaged youth and the disabled.  The foundation has also assisted environmental causes, the arts, and humanities.

Metallica has developed a relationship with Live Earth to use their concerts to raise money for the environment and fight climate change.

Elton John’s work with AIDS foundations has been well documented.

Whole Foods gives back 5% of their annual net profits to community causes, often determined by the local stores based on the needs of each individual community.

Last year, Ford donated $20 per test drive on each new car to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to help cure cancer.

Several times over the past few years, Apple has used the iTunes store to sell charity albums and songs without taking any profit.  When the world’s largest music store decides to donate their cut of the profit, the numbers are significant.

If you are passionate about music and business, get Brand Like A Rock Star updates by email.

You drew them on your notebooks and pencil cases.

Their posters adorned your bedroom walls.

In the 70′s and 80′s, having a great logo was simply part of being a great band. Today a great logo is a bit of a lost art in the music business, probably in large part because a downloaded song doesn’t come with an album sleeve or cassette insert to showcase the artwork. Some contemporary acts use a logo or consistent font to build their brand, but not to the degree that bands did a few years ago.

The AC/DC logo was created in 1976 by graphic artist Gerard Huerta for the cover of the band’s album “Let There Be Rock”. The gothic logo has been part of the band’s visual image ever since, and has inspired many band logos since.

Van Halen’s logo features the stylized VH with wings and visually represents the energy of the band perfectly. Great band logos are able to visually represent audio. It has lasted through three lead singers… David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar, Gary Cherone, and David Lee Roth again.

Quite possibly the most recognizable band logo on earth is this one, created for the Rolling Stones in 1971. The band had already been well established for 8 years before this logo came along, yet today it feels like the logo has been with the band since day one. The lips and tongue logo does a perfect job of capturing the raunchy irreverence of the band.

There are few fonts as distinct as the famous KISS logo, designed by guitarist Ace Frehley in 1973. The logo was part of the band’s unique strategy of bringing major theatrics to the rock stage with make-up, costumes, and extreme pyrotechnics. The font used for the SS part of the logo invoked Nazi lettering, an association that the band has consistently denied. But even in denial, the rumors contributed to the band’s anti-establishment reputation.

Love or hate their music, there aren’t many bands who have made as good use out of a logo and mascot as Iron Maiden. The British heavy metal band created “Eddie” for their first album. Eddie evolved from a mask to a full character, and was often portrayed in violent scenes on the band’s album covers, on stage, and later in video games. Eddie, along with the Iron Maiden font, became a visual touchstone to the band’s unique sound.

There are too many band logos to list them all. Alternative acts in the 90′s created their own fonts, including Metallica, Nirvana, Green Day, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Progressive rock bands like Yes and Asia created logos that matched their image.

Sixties bands like the Grateful Dead, The Who, and The Beatles created iconic logos.

What band do you think had the best logo in rock ‘n roll history?

If you are passionate about music and business, get Brand Like A Rock Star updates by email.