Brand me without using my branding

I had an interesting challenge from a client today.

"Brand my building without using my branding."

Got me thinking about the power of architecture. Easy to achieve this objective if you are building from scratch. Look at the Googleplex. Or the Nike campus. These buildings live and breathe what these brands are all about.

But how do you take a nondescript anywhere anyplace building and brand it without using a trademark?

Which got me thinking about the power of brands.

A trademark is nothing more than a trademark.

A brand however is a whole lot more than a trademark which is, after all, nothing more than a signature.

Whilst this got me thinking about the power of brands, it did not get me to the solution.

That will come.

Thanks for this crazy brief George.

You've got me thinking.

REWIND

It always happens.

You make a presentation.

And as soon as you've made it, you realize what was the presentation you should have made.

So, here's the presentation I should have made.

Forget about the internet as a medium.

Think about the internet as a place that people visit.

A place they spend time.

A place that changes the way they see the world.

A place that changes the way they consume traditional media.

A place that changes the way they view your brand.

When marketers think of the internet as a medium, they think of Facebook as a great place to advertise. And they are right. As the world's second most popular site after Google, Facebook assembles a huge audience.

But the real power of Facebook lies elsewhere.

Facebook, for most people, is their first "read/write" experience on the web.

Everyone who has a Facebook page is participating in what the web has really become. A place where people contribute AND consume content.

Facebook is immensely popular.

20% of the Greek population has a Facebook account.

Almost 25% of the Cypriot population.

And it's growing in leaps and bounds.

By 25% since July in Greece.

Facebook is educating the internet user.

It's a lesson in web 2.0, in the interactive web.

Facebook gives rise t0 bloggers and twitters and ... to truly connected consumers.

Consumers who create and consume media on the internet.

It's NOT about advertising on the internet.

This consumer takes his or her read/write attitude everywhere.

To television. To newspapers. To outdoor. And yes, to the internet.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE INTERNET.

IT'S ABOUT THE CONSUMER.

A common theme during Friday's panel discussions was the distance Cyprus has to catch up.

With who?

With the US?

With the UK?

Forget about it.

The whole world is playing catch up.

And the person we are all trying to catch up with is the consumer.

There is no step by step learning process.

It's all about thinking amazing thoughts and doing amazing things.

There is no need.

Indeed, there is no time, to move forward step by step.

The web demands a giant leap.

Don't think about the internet as a medium.

Think of it as an opportunity.

Don't apply traditional media metrics.

Have insanely great expectations.

Do insanely great things.

Experiment.

Try to get the viral loop happening.

Reach high.

The internet payoff is not measured in terms of cpm.

It is measured by breakthrough.

By doing amazing things.

Put some money aside.

Not as an internet media buy.

Think of it as R&D.

Experiment.

Make mistakes.

Make breakthroughs.

bzzz.bz is a digital consultancy belonging to Felix BNI, a global branding and communications consultancy. Visit Felix BNI at www.felixbni.com