A Shaking Wet Wolf?
Yes. This was a complete brand challenge like I had never faced before. We bought the franchise rights to the American Great Wolf Lodge brand and I had to launch it in Ontario, Canada. For those that have done this kind of deal before, in most cases when you become a franchisee you also have the rights (and are sometimes required), to utilize corporate training procedures, operations manuals, and in this case, branding & marketing guidelines.
But there was a big problem. The brand guidelines were written for an American audience and were full of midwestern, conservative marketing positioning. Having to launch an unknown brand in a new country, I had to take an uninspired and confusing brand mark, coupled with confusing brand tone & execution & uninteresting marketing, and somehow communicate to a new, jaded, international and cultured Greater Toronto audience that this brand they were about to start hearing about was a top-notch, fantastic, fun, family, indoor waterpark resort.
Not an easy task.
But, through solid determination, strategic thinking, and brand risk-taking, I got us there.
See, I had to somehow connect the dot that this new brand, which looked in ink like a typical log cabin hotel, was in fact a mega-fun indoor waterpark resort. AND I had to deal with a name like Great Wolf Lodge — does that sound like a fun water park to you? It didn’t to me either, so I set about trying to connect the DRY WOLF DOT to the WET FUN DOT, and in the midst of it, came up with a iconic brand stamp that was a spectacular exclamation point to any TV or online marketing I did. I liken it to the roar of the MGM lion we see at the beginning of any MGM movie.
U2 Brand Wagon
I could be totally wrong, and I hope this isn’t the case. But some undesirables may be jumping on the U2 brand wagon and taking advantage of us.
@U2 reports that Live Nation has been in talks with ticket reseller StubHub for some sort of role on the North American tour dates, as well as in talks with Viagogo for the European tour dates.
If this is true, and if we thought the Springsteen ticket & scammer backlash was big, just wait.
U2 are a different breed — and brand — altogether.
We, as fans, like U2 because we want to BELIEVE in something. Be INSPIRED by something. And feel it LIVE, in unison with 50,000 of our brothers and sisters, even if it’s just for one night every couple of years.
Trust me, it’s worth waiting for. For the unwashed, let me explain…You have been waiting to see the band live since the last tour. It’s been many months. You have tickets. You arrive at the arena. House lights are up. Anticipation. Excitement. Waiting. It builds. More waiting. Suddenly, house lights OUT. Thunderous applause erupt. Goosebumps. Your eyes try to adjust…Five blacked-out seconds tick by. Your heart is pounding…Then, a riff you recognize begins…the bassline fills it out…and then the drums kick in…The hair on the back of your neck stands up, adrenaline pulses…and then, there they are, four silhouetted figures that changed your life since high school are revealed…a familiar shape steps up to the mic, and fills the room with the words you know…tears fill your eyes, you can’t stop smiling, screaming…he sings, you sing back…this moment is everything you waited for, wanted it to be. You look around. Everybody is doing the same thing you are…a sea of your people, your brothers, your sisters…all singing, all wishing Bono would pull them up to sing with him just once, for one song, one verse, one chorus for one beautiful moment (OK…umm, maybe that last part is just me…)
BUT, beware! Some people are trying to take that away from us. Not the band. I am referring to the business of ticket selling. The folks that see us as not as fans, but as revenue streams. Look, I get it. Money will be made. The industry needs to function. As a fan, I am willing to pay the face value of the ticket. But don’t scam and overcharge us just because we missed the initial on-sale by a few minutes.
I hope it’s not true. I will give them benefit of the doubt for now, and hope this is worked out properly.
We just want to see the band, without being preyed upon.
Let us in the sound. Get us in the sound.
~ Steve Glum
Welcome to steveglum.com
My thoughts on branding & marketing, and examples of my work for PassmoreLab, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Hard Rock Cafe International, Walt Disney Company, Pleasure Island, Disney/Hollywood Studios, Little Steven’s Underground Garage, House of Blues Entertainment, & Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Waterpark Resort.
I have developed & directed Marketing & Branding Planning, Creative & Media Strategy, Graphics & Motion Design, Celebrity & Press Relations, Television & Live Show Production, Grand Openings & New Unit Launches, and Viral & Social Networking.
42 & Naked
Not dressed. 42 and I am not even out the door.
First, I consider myself groomed. More than some, less than others, I would say. Kind of in the middle. I like to be clean, look good, smell good, hair just right, lotioned up and all minty-fresh and tingly.
So this morning I am in the shower thinking, daydreaming and looking out my shower window at another beautifully sunny Florida day, as I sort of automatically go through the grooming routine. Soaping, shaving, shampooing, same order that I usually use I guess…and then it kind of hits me for no real reason…”Wonder what my grandfather did to get ready for work in the morning? Wonder what brands he used in the shower?” At that point I kind of laugh at how stupid I am and try to figure out how this crazy thought came to my head in the first place..and then…WA-BAM, I go straight to “Wonder what kind of shaving cream he had back then?”
(No, I don’t think I am ADD). Where was I?
Oh ya, so, more head-shaking ensues with regard to the nonsense of the real thinking taking place in the early morning shower. Anyway, with no forethought, I just sort of take notice, maybe for the first time, of all the products I had used since I woke up today. Seriously, I had to write them down just to keep track. So, here goes. Try to keep up in your workbooks:
6:45am. Woke up. Thirsty, so I drink a bottle of Aquafina water that I left on the nightstand. Umm, bathroom stop…Kleenex Cottonelle TP. Wash hands with Softsoap Elements. Ok, now need coffee. Mr. Coffee machine gets a few scoops of Maxwell House blend coffee in the Winn Dixie brand unbleached basket coffee filters, delivered by a Cambridge spoon. Get out my Crate & Barrel (made in Bangladesh…why can’t we make those here??) coffee mug. Coffee ready, pour some…OOPS, spilled some, need a Bounty paper towel “the quicker-picker-upper”…add some TG Lee 1/2 & 1/2. Mmm yummy. 10 brands so far and it’s only 6:59am.
7:00am. Had a cup…grooming time! Sonicare toothbrush, plus Aquafresh toothpaste, Crest Glide floss. Listerine swooshing. Hmmm, 4 brands just to get my teeth clean. To the shower! Dove soap, Schick razor, Gillette Fusion Gel (I know they fight), Head & Shoulders shampoo (wait a sec, WTF is the word ’shoulders’ doing in this brandname anyway?…Am I supposed to wash my shoulders with it? Is it Head & Shoulders above every other shampoo? Wonder what Pert thinks of that claim? I don’t know, back to the story). Ok rinse, repeat. Rinse. Garnier Fructis conditioner. Rinse. How many am I up to now? 19 I think so far (I didn’t use Pert, I just mentioned it).
Around 7:15am I am now soaped up, clean hair, smooth shaven, with minty fresh breath. Shower complete. Time to dry off. Grab a towel. “Property of Loew’s Hotel?” umm…OOPS how did that get in here…Anyway, need to dry hair. The Conair ION Shine 1875 is up to the task. Q-Tips for my ears (c’mon, it’s the only way to clean ‘em, I don’t care what they say). Hey a little ear hair is easily dealt with with my Remington trimmer. Done? Nope. Need to trim the sideburns with the Conair Sideburn trimmer.
Ok, 7:30ish now…need some Olay Face cream (wrinkles not cool), Degree deodorant (stay dry), some Bed Head Texture Paste to keep the hair looking purposely messy, a little Chapstick to keep the lips moist. Ok, not dressed yet, but I am up to 28 brands.
“What to wear?” is interrupted by…RING! RING! Ok, so it’s more like Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock” ringtone…wait that IS my ringtone…step to answer my Blackberry Curve (compliments of T-Mobile), “Hello?” and I am at 31.
“Check your email. Did you see that video I sent you?” Go to my email (courtesy of Apple’s Entourage) on my Mac, find the email, click the link (served up through Safari) go to youtube.com, laugh at two idiots trying to play baseball with a giant ball and a garbage can. Funny. Ok, done with that. Well, I am here…onto my Twitter, Facebook, my blog here at WordPress, Vimeo, and Newsvine to check some stuff. Whew…there you have it…42 brands have impacted my life this morning, and I am still not ready to walk out the door.
Now, just time enough for CNN.com and Perezhilton.com, and I am ready for the day (after I get some clothes on, of course).
As for my grandfather’s brands? I don’t know — Maybe Pop took baths.
~ Steve Glum