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CooBran 08-03-33 Branding Faith Why Some
Churches and Nonprofits Impact Culture and Others Don't Phil Cooke Regal, 2006,
236 pp., ISBN 978-0-8307-4563-0 |
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Phil Cooke is a
consultant, strategist and media activist for religious and humanitarian
causes. His online blog at
philcooke.com addresses issues of faith, culture and media. Cooke seems to have mixed feelings about
the branding of ministries, particularly with focusing on the key person, and
he brings in his philosophy on other religious issues along the way. His goal: "How do we share a
life-changing message with a culture that has lost interest?" (28) Prologue "Why do so
many Christians do such a terrible job of presenting their message to the
world?" "How unbelievers perceive the Christian
community could use a little help."
(9) "…in a
media-driven culture, we need to do a better job of telling our
story." (10) Definition:
Branding is "the story that
surrounds a product, service, person or organization." (10) "The issue
is ultimately about perception…." "What do people think of when they
think of you, your product or your organization?" (11) "Our
challenge today is how to express our faith in a media-dominated
culture." "How do we get our
message heard through the massive and growing amount of media static out
there?" (12) Introduction: Losing Our Voice Most successful
ministries have an overarching theme to their life and ministry. (17) "Episcopalians
committed an unforgivable marketing sin: they forgot their brand because they
lost their story." (20, quoting James Twitchell) "This
book…is about ideas. It's about using
the power of storytelling to create a life-changing impression of you and
your organization in the minds of your viewers, church members, partners,
visitors and supporters. It's … about
helping people clearly understand who you are and how you can impact their
lives." (21) Chapter 1. Living in a Media-Driven Culture "Entertainment--not
autos, not steel, not financial services--is fast becoming the driving wheel
of the new world economy." (25, quoting Michael J. Wolf) "No matter
how you look at it, culture today is far more coarse, ragged and uncertain
than it was a generation ago." (25) "As
advertisers search for more and more effective ways to connect products with
consumers, they've stumbled upon the power of 'meaning.'"(26) "Branding
is about identity." "Who we
are is an issue of identity, integrity and purpose…" "Religion is all about identity. Who
am I? Why am I here?" (27) "In this
media-driven environment, influence has shifted from the power of church and
community to the power of corporate brands, and they wield enormous
power." (31) "Religious
experience is what the core of branding is all about." (33) "Today
media is about personalization."
People want their media customized. (33) "Today the audience is in
charge." (34) "It doesn't
matter if you have a great message if no one is listening." (34) Chapter 2.
The Influence of a Compelling Brand "At its
core, branding is simply the art of surrounding a product, organization or
person with a powerful and compelling story." (36) [Christianity is a compelling story. Maybe the issue is liberating it from all
the ugly and confusing wraps. dlm] "It's all
about competition and the need to distinguish the product from the rest of
the pack." (36) "Whatever
the purpose, the goal is to win the hearts and minds of the largest audience
possible and imprint an indelible story around your church, ministry or
mission." (38) "Stories
work because we want to experience the emotions, feelings and passions of
others who have encountered the challenges we face each day." (39) A
story is 'a splinter in your mind.'
"Stories drill deeply into your brain and explode later with
meaning." (41) "Stories are like a compass to help us
find our bearings, and they provide a place of belonging. That's why stories have become the central
focus of the art of branding; and that's how branding has become a religion
for a new generation." (42) Chapter 3.
The Power of Brand Perception A brand isn't
what you say it is; it's what they say it is. It's about perception. "In a
media-driven culture…word travels fast."
It's tough to keep a lid on bad news.
(43) "'Perception'
is the language spoken by modern media."
"Perception has become a critical part of advertising campaigns,
press releases and published statements." (47) "Today,
advertisers don't tell us about the
product; they tell us how we're going
to feel when we use the product." (50) "…who you are becomes less important
than how you're perceived." (51) [However, there is an opposite growing
demand for 'authenticity.' The best
way to maintain a good perception is to be
good. dlm] "It's not
the message you send, it's the message that's received that counts."
(57) "So don't begin with your message; begin with your audience."
(58) "Make sure
you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening."
(60, quoting Dorothy Sarnoff) Chapter 4.
A New Religion "Branding
helps us express ourselves to the greater community of believers." "Brand communicates ideas, values and
standards." (66) "To a
secular culture, brands and religion have merged. The truth is, savvy marketers and
advertisers have tapped into our global human aspirations for a sense of
belonging, value, meaning and worship, and have turned ordinary, everyday
products into brands--and eventually, brands into religions." (66) However, "I
believe that we can understand and use the principles of branding without
resorting to corporate dishonesty." "Telling the story about a product and
how it interacts and connects with a consumer doesn't have to be a debasing
or dehumanizing experience." (68) "Frankly,
the Church has done a poor job of communicating with the culture, and it
often comes from not understanding what questions fill the public's
mind. …too many religious leaders are
answering questions the culture isn't asking." (69) "To make an
impact, we must take the time and effort to understand, relate to and love
the very people who may think we're crazy.
Telling that story effectively is the heart of branding."
(71) Chapter 5.
Telling Your Story "Every time
you use the word 'brand,' mentally replace it with the word 'image' or
'reputation.' (88, quoting Wally Olins) "As a
nonprofit, what's your ultimate expression of mission? What are you here to accomplish? What is the brand story you want to
communicate…?" "Our purpose
is to discover the story or identity that makes the client different and sets
the organization apart." (91) "…we usually
focus on the personality that leads that ministry." "…the Christian community has bought
into the concept of celebrity in a big way." (92)
"…the pastor or ministry leader is the hub of the
brand." "I may take some
flak for that thinking, and to be honest, I personally don't like it
either." (95) [I don't either.
dlm] "…in the
media, people ultimately want a relationship with a person…. So to develop fund-raising, partnership or
resource relationships, focusing on the leader is key." (95) "We call this technique 'personal
branding.'" (96) The stakes are
high. It's about being truthful and
telling the real story without inaccuracies and falsehoods. You better have the background and
credentials to support your billing.
It's easy to lose credibility in "a world of video cameras,
databases and information retrieval."
(99-101) ·
Branding
Question #1: What's the Point? (103) ·
Branding
Question #2: Who Are You? (107) ·
Branding
Question #3: What Are Your Gifts and Talents? (What are you really good at?)
(115) ·
Branding
Question #4: What Makes You Different? Chapter 6.
The Right Branding Tools "The medium
we choose to deliver a message has a significant impact on the message
itself." (130) "It's very
nearly impossible to tell the truth in television, but you can try very
hard." (132, quoting Malcolm Muggeridge)
"We can't be too careful in how we present an eternal message on
a temporal medium." (134) "The medium
is viewed differently in diverse locations and cultures. Choosing the right medium for the message
and the right medium for the audience is critical." (138) "In the
religious community, we often forget the single greatest result of powerful
branding: word of mouth advertising, or 'buzz.'" (146) "We live in
an age of influencers, with some researchers saying that at least 1 out of
every 10 people is someone the other 9 ask for advice…. After all, we're drowning in information,
and people are looking for answers they can trust." (148) In a world of
clutter you trust your friends.
"That's why friends sharing the news about your church, ministry
or nonprofit is so important." (149) "Hearing from another person
is critical…. Ultimately, it's about
trust. This is especially true for a younger
generation that grew up with advertising." (150) Chapter 7.
Great Design "Aesthetics,
or styling, has become an accepted unique selling point…." (152, quoting
Virginia Postral) "…young
people today speak the language of design." "We live in a design-driven
generation…." (153) "Beginning
today . . . symbols will be replacing words." (154, quoting Jodi
Bernstein) Brand unity is
important. Frequently all the products
and services look different. You want
every 'touch point' to tell the same brand story. (157-59) Chapter 8.
The Dark Side of Branding "He who
marries the spirit of the age soon becomes a widower." (160, quoting
Dean Inge) "…the three
most dangerous areas of branding are (1) technology, (2) chasing relevance,
and (3) a key conflict with the concept of marketing." (160) "…like most
media issues, branding can have unintended consequences and sometimes
seriously negative implications for the culture." (161) "While the
Internet is growing, our real friendships are shrinking." (165) "One of my biggest concerns is how
technology affects our behavior." (167)
"Technology is moving forward, so does that mean we are destined
to live our lives in isolation?" (168) "Another
great concern abut a media-driven culture is television's tendency to
trivialize everything it touches." (171)
"It's difficult to portray the transcendent through the same
medium that broadcasts the World Wrestling Federation or American Idol." (172)
"Creativity is important, but at what expense?" (172) "In the
past authenticity had to do with proof."
"Today, authenticity has to do with feeling. … it's simply an
emotional response. Be very careful
when people describe you or your ministry as authentic, because in a
postmodern value system, it's only meaning is that you resonate with that
particular person." (174) "I've spent
my career helping the Church speak the language of the culture, and being
contemporary and relevant is part of that equation. But in that process, I've discovered that
most people work so hard to be relevant that they spin hopelessly into
irrelevance. How? Most … mistake relevant for trendy."
(178) "Don't be
so focused on the next big thing that you forget about those things that are
always in style." (quoting Robyn Waters)
"To be always relevant, you have to say things which are
eternal." (180, quoting Simone
Weil) "Ultimately, to truly be
relevant, stop trying so hard to be relevant." (182) "What we
need to realize is the fundamental point of being in the world but not of the
world. This is a very real tension
between wanting to attract the largest possible audience while knowing that
our very message will drive many away.' (188) "I've
discovered two key things to consider in effective marketing: First, don't
change who you are. Second, stop
trying to make the church identical to every other organization in the
culture." (189) "Perhaps
we've had to rely on marketing simply because nothing else is happening
inside the church itself. The great
tragedy today is how anemic so many churches have become." (191) "But I
worry that we've so strongly bought into the American way of life that we've
become more identified with capitalism and democracy than with faith."
(193) Chapter 9.
The Branding Imperative "Customer
service is vital in a secular business, but it's absolutely critical in
religious and nonprofit work." (197) "We call
the places where a customer or potential supporter encounters your
organization a 'touch point,' and it's vital that they receive the best
treatment possible, no matter where they choose to encounter the
ministry." (198) "Remember,
your employees are the embodiment of your brand." (198) "Spend time
with employees and volunteers.
Whenever we brand a ministry, it's critical to understand the thinking
of your people; and the only way to do it is to listen." (204) Many churches
and ministries have become more effective and professional. At the same time, some ministry managers
have become PDA zombies with little human contact and a corporate mentality
that puts finances over mission. (209)
"I began to see 'mission drift' in certain organizations when the
focus went from community to commodity." (211) "Branding
isn't just a matter of brochures and website designs. It's the story of your organization
expressed through customer service, building design, uniforms, procedures and
policies, employee training, and much more." (224) |
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