Or I could have titled this post, “Everything I know about marketing I learned from Prince.”

Stay with me. Running errands at lunch yesterday, I was flipping stations on the good ‘ol FM radio and heard that oldie from Prince back in 1986, “Kiss.” And it got me to thinking.

You don’t have to be rich to my girl.
You don’t have to be cool to rule my world.

What that means to us as marketers: It’s not about “influence.” It’s about passion. As I’ve said before and I’ll say again, influence can be made/taught. Passion can’t. And I know there was a recent big debate about what influence means when it comes to Twitter, so let me give my two cents: Your number of followers doesn’t mean jack. There are tons of people that randomly “follow” you in hopes that you’ll follow them back. They could care less about what you have to say. You are a set of measurable eyeballs to them. That’s it. Rant over.

Ain’t no particular sign I’m more compatible with
I just want your extra time and your…kiss

And that’s what we’re looking for – that compatibility between a brand and a person. Common interests. Shared beliefs. A perfect match.

Ultimately, and the ultimate reward we all seek – is the gift that someone can give us of their precious extra time.

Thanks for the lesson, Prince.

Did you know that astronomers just discovered that the Milky Way is 50% larger than they originally thought? Just think about it for a second – all those new planets floating out there just waiting to be discovered and explored. Remember when we thought that the Earth was the center of the universe? Or that the world was flat? And now look – whole new galaxies are being found.

So how does this possibly relate to what we all do on a daily basis? Well, for me it’s a great reminder that while social media is great, there is still a lot out there to be discovered. There’s no doubt that “social media” is the latest buzz phrase and Twitter and Facebook are the belles of the ball right now. And they are great tools. But as they become mainstream, they are becoming just another channel to push messages through…and the noise is increasing. Yes, there are some shining stars (no pun intended) when it comes to companies using these tools to have a conversation, but the vast majority of the companies using the social media platforms are still just pushing information. Not conversing.

My point is that there’s a big ‘ol universe out there when it comes to marketing. A lot of it hasn’t been discovered yet. And it’s a reminder that Twitter and Facebook and YouTube and all the rest of it, well, it isn’t the center of the universe. These are great online tools. But that’s all they are: tools. How are you using these tools to support real-world conversations? Real-world face-to-face interactions? Because that’s where the real traction happens. And that’s where those new universes will be discovered.

I bet the one thing you had on your New Year’s resolution list was defining your clothing style. Just kidding. But for us guys that is a hard question. What is your clothing style for casual and business? As we all get a handle on a new year that look’s a little shaky at the beginning, we can all make smarter clothes purchases.

GQ.com started a daily video series eleven days ago giving practical and not so practical expert fashion tips. The goal of the video’s is “How to become a Well-Dressed Rebel in 30 Days.” I think the video’s are great, it puts fashion designers in a more approachable space. But GQ drops the ball a bit, pages and pages of comments offer GQ the ability to have a deeper and actual two-way conversation with their readers. It would be great to exchange with GQ’s design team and even better would be to have conversations with designers like Simon Spurr. Still some magic is happening here as the readers rate the tips and give each other fashion and buying advice.

So guys, watch a couple of GQrules video’s and try some of their rules out for that next new business presentation or to surprise that special someone in your life.

Geno’s New Year’s resolution #7 Think smart and purposefully, and dress the same way.

In the change over from the old Brains On Fire Blog to the new Brains On Fire blog, my last post of 08 was lost in the shuffle. So I’m re-posting that post with some subtle revisions.

As a New Year was approaching, in my typical backwards fashion I started thinking about New Years resolutions and flipped to 2008 reflections. I blame Beth Harte for that Beth posed this question on twitter; “How many of you marketers out there actually write a plan, stick to it and measure against it?” Beth followed that up with her post on MarketingProfs “Why Writing Plans Can Be SMART.”

I was very fortunate to work on three very different social media projects in 2008.
Beth’s post made me think back on what I learned in 08, what I think I did well, and what I can improve on.

Three words come to mind: Preparation, Listening, and Participating.

This wonderful new marketing world is for Bakers. Bakers that don’t worry about flaws and in-perfection. There is an art to that. I watched my nieces baking and then decorating Christmas cookies. Every gingerbread man and snowflake cookie had a difference some subtle, some large. But they still tasted yummy.

Great bakers and chefs have that trusted recipe it’s their preparation, but then they add a pinch of this and a pinch of that, my Mom has it… a baker’s magic.

Then comes the tasting, sampling the cream cheese icing, licking the batter bowl…and listening to your taste buds.

I think what makes cookies so special during the Holidays is the sharing of the cookies. My Mom made a batch to eat right away and another batch for later. I liked the batch to eat right away, because we all shared in the goodness together, making sounds of yum and gulping down milk. They seemed better shared in that moment with my family.

That magic goes into social marketing too. You need to prep, and develop a plan. Then you need the magic. The magic I’m talking about is really not magic at all, it’s simple but often overlooked and undervalued; listening and participating.

I met some amazing people in 08. I became inspired by their stories, their knowledge and how they shared their passion. Passionate crafters and teachers, passionate park-goers and gardeners, passionate retail employees, and passionate tattoo artists. In my case participation was having the opportunity to meet these passionate folks analog style, face-to-face. Being the conduit for the brands we’re working for. Showing that they care, and we care about them, and we are curious about their lives and what they value. It’s been pretty damn awesome, thinking back on it.

So, who’s baking some cookies in 09? If you do invite me over, please.

Have you looked at the “Hello” tab on the new Brains on Fire website? Well, here’s the “making of” video.

Did you know that there is a high demand in Hollywood for makeup artists that have experience making up people for high-definition shows? That’s right, the old ways won’t cut it anymore because with the introduction of hi-def, you can now see every line and crevasse in your local anchor-person’s face. Or that attractive actor who looked like they never had a flaw in their skin, well now you know that’s not true. The entire game has changed.

The same is true with marketing today. Now everyone can see your flaws. The cracks in your company. The lines and wrinkles are so very obvious. But we’ve learned that we shouldn’t worry about covering them up anymore. They make us human. They make us imperfect. They are a part of reality.

So embrace the new hi-def world. Because your flaws let people know you’re just like them. And after all, that’s who people trust… people “just like me.”

The above is based on a story by John Lasne.

If you’re reading this, then you know, the new Brains on Fire site is live!
Gone are the days of the Brains on Fire blog and the very separate Brains on
Fire website. That silliness is over.

So grab a shot of tequila with us, settle in and poke around a bit. It¹s
still spanking new and might have a couple of hiccups, but we couldn’t wait
another day to share it with you. We¹d also love, love your feedback and
suggestions, so have at it.

Here¹s what we¹re jumping up and down about around here:

1. It’s kind of like “Brains on Fire LIVE” since the site is pulling from
our blog, our various twitter accounts, flickr, you tube and our speaking
engagements blog every two minutes. The site itself is a just a frame that
draws from all the places we show up online. How cool is that!?? Even our
case studies are pulling from flickr sets. We¹ll add even more work and case
studies in the coming weeks.

2. There will also be a new section in mid January titled “Published”. This
area will hold papers we¹ve written as well books and podcasts that our work
has inspired. Hopefully, this will be come a resource for anyone who is
interested in learning more about Brains on Fire’s unique views on Word of
Mouth Marketing and creating movements.

3. You can navigate by tag. Check that out in the upper right hand corner.

4. The HELLO section makes us smile. (Can you guess who’s singing?)

5. It’s done on time and because of that ­ everyone is taking a
much-deserved extra holiday and we¹re officially closing on Christmas Eve.
(Be sure and check in late Christmas Eve, though. Cordell has a story to
share, a gift really, for everyone.)

6. And last but not least, we’re excited to have found some happy and
ridiculously talented new friends at FL2 interactive in Denver, Colorado who
helped us every step of the way! They have been really patient with us (can
you imagine Brains on Fire as a client???) and pushed us with new ideas and
suggestions every step of the way. We love you FL2! Same tribe.

Cheers, love and all that good stuff!

This Friday night (Dec. 19) the Richmond Spiders will play the Montana Grizzlies for a real college football championship. I have no dog in the hunt, my Furman Paladins did not make the playoffs this year. But I have been keeping an eye on Richmond all season. So when I received a google alert about Richmond Coach London putting an emphasis on relationships I read the post.

Mike London is in first year as head coach at his alma mater the University of Richmond. He replaced a very successful coach who moved on to the big boys as an assistant coach at Tennessee. The Shadow of Coach Clawson hung around London the whole season. As the team’s success grew question’s were raised as to who gets credit the old coach or the new coach. To London’s credit he doesn’t care, he said let media decide who gets credit.

What I found really interesting and relevant to brands and their customers are these comments by London; “The biggest thing probably that I’ve gotten out of football is the personal relationships that you need to have with individuals, players and people,” London said. “If people feel you have their best interest at heart, then they’ll go the distance for you.”

“The X-and-O part of it, you hire good coaches to do what they do.”

From my point of view I relate far more with a brand that values a relationship with me a customer. As the current economy continues to cough and sputter, I think we can all apply Coach London’s advice; “If people feel you have their best interest at heart, then they’ll go the distance for you.”

PS If Richmond wins Friday night they will be the second private institution to win a FCS championship. Who was the first? Furman, of course.

PPS The Brains on Fire blog will be undergoing maintenance starting today through the weekend, so there will be no post tomorrow. And if you submit a comment and don’t see it posted, that’s why! We’ll post it when things are moving again. Thanks!

…or “Odds and Ends” for $300, Alex.

As we’ve talked about before, contributing to a blog is not always easy. But one of the very cool things about this place we call Brains on Fire is that when someone finds something that might make a great blog post, they share it. Here is a collection of those items:

1. From Carrie Woodward, our own Account Advocate:

Saturn fans are proving that it’s hard to kill a movement – even when the company doesn’t pay attention to you any longer. We’ve learned a lot about movements – like how they do, indeed, need resistance. And inspirational leadership. These Saturn owners are still sharing their stories and their love of the brand. But according to Walter S. McManus, the head of the Automotive Analysis Division of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, having fans doesn’t matter:

“Brand loyalty is overrated,” McManus stated flatly. “It is costly to do all the fuzzies, and Saturn’s example is clear that it doesn’t pay off for what is essentially an economy-car company. Women especially appreciated the Saturn way, but Honda sells more cars to women, despite having a less female-friendly approach.”

Oh Walter, you are so wrong.

2. Next up is a fun piece of art and technology coming together from the Young Gun, Joe Dannelly. It’s called Street With a View.

Street With A View introduces fiction, both subtle and spectacular, into the doppelganger world of Google Street View.

On May 3rd 2008, artists Robin Hewlett and Ben Kinsley invited the Google Inc. Street View team and residents of Pittsburgh’s Northside to collaborate on a series of tableaux along Sampsonia Way. Neighbors, and other participants from around the city, staged scenes ranging from a parade and a marathon, to a garage band practice, a seventeenth century sword fight, a heroic rescue and much more…

What a great idea. I love it!

3. And then it’s back to Carrie, who again points out that it’s hard to kill a loyal fanbase. We wrote a while back about the defunct hockey team, the Hartford Whalers. Well guess who is on Facebook with over 10K fans?

You betcha.