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So many brands do so many cool things, and then they are forgotten.  With a focus on the future, we often forget to remind people of what’s we’ve accomplished in the past.

Brands that build tribes know better.  Jack Johnson is a brand focused on building a tribe, and a big part of building a tribe is about sharing your story and celebrating your accomplishments together.

Jack has a new album and is set to head out on tour this summer in Europe and North America.  While it would be easy for Jack Johnson to be focused entirely on the new album, single, and tour, he never forgets to remind people of what he has done in the past.

Being environmentally aware, Jack knows he can never fail to be accountable to his fans.  His website includes a link to a report card from his 2008 tour that details all of the great causes that were supported by his tour.

There is a section on his website dedicated to profiling how his record company, Brushfire Records, is a leader in environmental responsibility.

The “offset report” details the efforts taken to minimize the environmental impact of the tour. 

And the website also includes a featured community group section that rotates between various non-profit groups that do positive work in their communities.

It is all there, front and center, on his website.  It isn’t buried.  This stuff takes up every bit as much space as the promotional material for his new album. 

Why bother?

Because Jack Johnson realizes that promoting his brand is just as important as promoting his new project.  He is building fans for the long-term, people who buy into what he stands for and not just his new hit song.  Jack Johnson is building a tribe around his brand.

Tribes engage people and build communities.  Brands that build tribes are hard to beat.

How does a brand go about building a tribe… a cult brand?

1. Share stories - Use stories to strengthen the bond between tribe members.  Jack Johnson shares stories about his record company and his tour to identify with his tribe members.

2. Be the example –  By standing up as an example through reducing his carbon footprint and making the world greener, Jack Johson walks the walk.  That builds trust and confidence.  Jack offers himself up as a passionate leader who is the real thing.

3.  Facilitate introductions – Give people a place to interact and introduce themselves to each other.  Jack Johnson does that on his website, offering a place for his fans to have their voice heard.  He also offers his fans the chance to volunteer at his concerts to encourage environmental responsibility.

4. Set goals and celebrate accomplishments – Jack Johnson sets tangible goals for carbon emissions and charity donations.  His website celebrates the accomplishments as they go.  Like Kennedy setting a goal to land a man on the moon and return him to earth, great brands set real goals and party like mad when they reach them.

5.  Listen carefully- There are a wealth of ways that a fan can express an opinion.  There is no doubt that the people who manage Jack Johnson’s brand are monitoring this feedback carefully.  Spend some time on Jack Johnson’s website and you’ll get a sense that you are a part of something special.

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Last summer, Ziggy Marley oversaw the release of yet another album of remixed Bob Marley songs, this one called “B is for Bob”.  As Ziggy describes it, this albums contains Bob Marley songs remixed for children, the way that Bob Marley used to play the songs for his own children.

I’ve written before about the amazing strength of the Bob Marley brand.  By sticking to his one little niche – reggae music – at a time when nobody else was paying any attention to it, Bob eventually brought the world to his music without ever compromising himself.  He created music that transcended race, religion, and genre.  Long after his death, Bob Marley’s estate makes millions every year.  In 2005, Forbes magazine ranked Bob Marley #12 on the list of the most profitable dead celebrities, just behind Irving Berlin and ahead of Ray Charles.  The estate’s 2005 earnings were estimated at $6 million US, and today most estimates put Bob’s annual earnings at over $10 million US.  Unfortunately for Bob and his heirs, an even greater amount of money is generated by unauthorized use of his face, music, and brand.  You can’t hit a steel drum on any island south of Miami without hitting something with Bob Marley’s face on it.

The release of a children’s album is an interesting step in the Bob Marley brand.  It is said that every college kid in North America goes through a Bob Marley phase.  Now, that phase might happen even earlier.

Like The Beatles “Rock Band” release in September, this Bob Marley children’s project takes the music to an entirely new group of fans.  Imagine 30 years from now, a generation of kids who consider themselves raised on an artist who died 25 years before they were born.  That’s an enduring brand legacy!

Hopefully your brand isn’t dead.  But hopefully you are thinking about how you introduce it to new potential customers.

* What aspects of your brand can you use to bring new customers or fans into the group?  Just like Ziggy chose specific songs for their lyrics and meaning, you can choose elements of your brand to showcase to specific new fans.

* What small changes can you make to your brand in order to lure in new fans?  There aren’t likely to be many true Bob Marley fans revolting at the release of “B is for Bob”.   Are there aspects of your brand that can be tweaked to attract new fans without alienating your present customers?

* Clearly Bob Marley’s music connects with people on an emotional level.  What angles can you take on your brand to highlight your emotional connections?  Instead of promoting your brand’s attributes (what you do), consider promoting your brand’s benefits (how it makes your customer feel).

* Looking at the track listing for this album, many essential Bob Marley songs are missing.  It wouldn’t be a children’s album if songs like “Legalize It” and “African Herbsman” were included.  Part of your brand story is what you leave out.  When telling your brand story, carefully choose what you include.  And even more carefully choose what you leave out.

By the way, Ziggy Marley also released a great album last year called “Family Time” which features Paul Simon, Jack Johnson, and Rita Marley.  The album is geared for kids but sounds sweet to ears of all ages.

Here’s Ziggy Marley talking about the album “B is for Bob” and the inspiration he drew from his father and his music.

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Tom Peters wrote extensively in “Re-Imagine” about brands that provide memorable experiences.

Harley Davidson doesn’t sell motorcycles.  Harley sells the ability for a 43 year-old accountant to dress in black leather, ride through small towns, and have people be afraid of him.  It’s an experience that Harley calls the “rebel lifestyle”.

Starbucks doesn’t sell coffee.  Starbucks sells a quiet place in the world where you can escape for a few minutes or a few hours to read, relax, and enjoy a drink.

Guinness doesn’t sell beer.  Guiness sells the chance to get together with friends and share stories.

Remember: nobody wants toothpaste.  They want clean, white teeth and fresh breath that makes them attractive to others.

It isn’t the product being sold, it is the experience.

The music business is no different, and songs are the ultimate escape.

The right song, at the right time, on the right stretch of road, can turn an ordinary drive into an experience that you hope will never end.

Marilyn Manson sells suburban kids the chance to paint their fingernails black and revel in their teenage depression.

Jimmy Buffett sells middle-aged dreamers the opportunity to cash it all in for a new life on a tropical island where the only worry is how the fish are biting.

Bob Marley sells a ticket into a world of equality, friendship, fellowship, and peace.

Jack Johnson sells an escape to the life of a surfer, content to strum the guitar and ride the waves.

Lady Gaga sells a place in line at the hottest club in town, where you can dance all night.

What experience does your brand contribute to?

Think of the words that your customers use to describe how they feel when they use your brand.  Think about how your brand makes them feel.  What are the inner-urges that your brand satisfies, they way the right toothpaste satisfies our need to be attractive and healthy.

When you discover your brand’s experience, you’ll discover a wealth of new ways to promote your brand and connect on a deeper level with your customers.

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