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What did your brand do recently that got people talking… something truly memorable… something remarkable?
How about something your brand did 41 years ago that people are still talking about?
Jim Morrison, drunk and incapable of remembering the event, apparently unzipped his pants and exposed himself on stage in Miami in 1969 during a famous Doors concert. He was convicted of indecent exposure and public profanity and ordered to serve six months in jail and pay a $500 fine. Morrison never served the time, and sadly died just two years later.
Today outgoing Florida Governor Charlie Crist, a long-time Doors fan, is considering a pardon for Jim Morrison. That has people on both sides of the issue talking about The Doors and that notorious night once again, 41 years later.
Getting profane and naked on stage was perfectly in-line with the brand that Jim Morrison and The Doors created. There was nothing extreme about the behavior, considering what The Doors stood for.
Your brand, on the other hand, might not be wise to directly emulate The Lizard King. But you should be thinking about what can do that is truly remarkable. What will get your customers talking?
KFC recently became remarkable by creating a 600 calorie sandwich called the “Double Down”. The sandwich revived interest in the brand in the US and when it debuted in Canada last fall it quickly became their best-selling sandwich ever.
Hummer was remarkable for building a massive gas-guzzling monster bigger than anything else on the road. Built on a military platform, the Hummer made everything else look insignificant. From 1992 until 2010, the Hummer was a remarkable truck. You could say the same for the Smart Car, on the other end of the remarkable spectrum.
Oprah was remarkable a few years ago when she gave every audience member a new car. Oprah has had no shortage of remarkable moments in her career, which in itself is remarkable. She was again remarkable when she quit her syndicated show and launched her own network.
How will you be remarkable this year?
Nobody notices the average. The ordinary. The expected. Nobody notices good enough. Those brands are invisible.
What will your brand do that your customers will be talking about in 2052, 41 years from now?
Being remarkable will definitely light your brand’s fire.
