celebrity or athlete. There is colossal risk involved in aligning your brand with a single spokesperson, or entrusting your career or business with one individual for that matter. For that reason, I have very few exclusive contracts with any of my vendors.
In its new campaign, Accenture aptly chose a completely new and diverse array of “pitchmen†to represent its brand moving forward. Animals are pretty much risk-adverse. If you recall, Aflac uses ducks, Taco Bell used a Chihuahua, Geico uses reptiles, Energizer uses a pink bunny, and (my favorite) Chick-fil-a uses cows. Animals do not misspeak. They do not embarrass. They do not do anything they are not designed to do. You know what you are going to get, which speaks to reliability. Animals also allow the company to have complete control over the messaging. In this instance, Accenture created animal-inspired imagery that represents the essence of high performance. They not only lowered their risk, they now have the ability to raise their profile with campaigns that are entertaining, inspiring, and thought-provoking. So, while the concept of using animals in brand messaging is not new, I do think Accenture’s new direction will yield rewards greater than what they have experienced in the past with Tiger. You, too, should think of refined strategies that will take you in a new, improved, and less risky career direction.
Be Creative. Remember that if everyone is thinking alike then someone is not thinking. Being creative and thinking outside of the box are critical to rebranding and brand survival. The best part of falling is that everyone is watching to see exactly how you plan to get back up. It is a perfect opportunity to take a captive audience and captivate them with your uniqueness and the value you bring to the marketplace. If everyone is watching you, you might as well give them a good show.
We all make mistakes, but we can rebound. For additional insight on how to recover from any type of set-back, sign-up for my free ME Unlimited® e-Newsletter featuring daily “Motivate ME†affirmations and reinvention advice at www.marshawnevans.com, and you can follow me on Twitter for quick tips.
Now it is your turn. Do you think Accenture made the right move in dropping Tiger Woods? Do you think Tiger will ever get his endorsements back? What do you think about Accenture’s new advertising campaign? I look forward to hearing from you.
Reinvention Strategistâ„¢ Marshawn Evans is a former Miss America beauty queen turned Donald Trump Apprentice, turned Georgetown University trained sports & entertainment lawyer who equips the motivated to live without limits. She is Founder of ME Unlimited, a management consulting and performance strategy firm, and author of the bestselling book, SKIRTS in the Boardroom: A Woman’s Survival Guide to Success in Business & Life. Subscribe to her FREE empowerment e-newsletter at www.marshawnevans.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.