On some promotional blurb I heard about yesterday: the suggestion that companies can use blogs to “reinforce brands”.
I ignored it at the time but it stuck in my mind.
I think that blogs are better used to soften brands. To move away from shouting at people and towards conversation. From saying “this is who we are and this is our big idea” towards “what do you think of this?”.
Reinforcing also seems to belong to a worldview that treats brands as solid things, to be controlled. Just like “brand building” and “brand architecture”. I think it’s more interesting to see them as organic, to be influenced.
[AFTERTHOUGHT]Maybe even talk of “softening” a brand is the same mistake in new clothes. More on this later.
[UPDATE]As I say in below in response to Aleah, I think using blogs in a calculated to change the brand sounds like barking up the wrong tree.
