BEYOND BRAND ADVOCACY...PASSION CUTS BOTH WAYS

We hear so much about the power of Brand advocacy and influencers. And that is justifiable. They certainly drive Brand meaning into our culture. Passion Branding is a huge opportunity. But, recently, I've been wondering if we think enough about the dark side of passion in our Branding. What happens when we disappoint or dismay? Sometimes it happens when we're part of a category that elicits derision, liked sugared sodas right now. Or, because we're BIG FOOD, swimming against the tide of joyous local. Those are huge issues, needing huge solutions. What I'm thinking about is of a smaller scale: When we take actions that seriously compromise our Brand's value in the minds of just a few consumers? We seem to be able to ignite Brand destructive behaviors I'm coming to think of a Brand Terrorism. Not the legions of 'antis' that have triggered countless marketing campaigns for categories and industries. No, just the lone wolf who now can release Brand mayhem through social media. Are we taking our consumer comments seriously, working night and day to make it right for the one, so we don't enable negatives to spread and infect the many?