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Distance running has been part of my life since I was a teenager. Beyond keeping me healthy, it has introduced me to some nice people and has been a wonderful tonic for my varying moods. I also find, deep into a route, tucked into a comfortable, consistent pace, that my mind turns inward and begins processing. It's a not-so-guarded secret that many runners do their best thinking while in motion. 

I was about 8k into my regular run one bright and sunny morning, and I was thinking about a marathon that was coming soon on my calendar. I was considering all the variables and it occurred to me that preparing for this race was a careful balance of three things – getting fit, preventing injuries and staying motivated. A few hundred meters later I realized that is what branding is about too. Here are 10 ways that branding is like distance running.

Getting fit

1) Have a goal

The old phrase “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else” applies here. It’s relatively easy with running. Pick a race, pick a distance, pick a time and try to achieve it. I picked a marathon I had to qualify for by running a certain finishing time in another marathon. This meant the goal had to be broken into sub-goals. With branding, your goals can come in many varieties. You can look at the big picture to increase your brand’s differentiation, relevance, esteem or admiration, but undoubtedly you will need develop smaller goals in order to achieve them. Be clear about what your goals are and why they are your goals.

2) Measure

I don’t consider myself a data wonk, but I do like my running log. I track every run to the second, track temperature and humidity, how I felt, and with new technologies I can see elevation gain and loss, and compare my run against other people’s runs. How true that you can’t manage what you can’t measure. Gut instinct goes far, but not all the way, all the time. In branding, my experience is that most companies don’t measure enough or they measure the wrong things. Big companies tend to measure with fervor, so you may wonder if there’s a correlation. There are dozens of things you can measure, but the keys are how your customers and employees think about you, why they choose you (and don’t), who they are choosing and why, and how strongly they feel about you.

3) Change things up

A lot of middling distance runners fall into the ‘garbage kilometers’ rut. They do all their runs at the same pace, day after day. After your body becomes conditioned, it doesn’t change or improve. This is not something your brand can take. Your brand is a dynamic, living thing under constant pressures from internal forces, competitors and fickle customers. Don’t do ‘garbage branding’. Innovate constantly. For running, this means doing sprint workouts, hill repeats, weights, cross-training and the occasional lung-searing track session. For branding, constantly assess and adapt your product portfolio and look for ways to improve their effectiveness, design, channel penetration, price or margin. Is your business model complete, or open for adaptation? Speed is now a core competency in branding. Are you making decisions fast enough, getting to market fast enough? All of the innovation, in the end, should be coordinated, prioritized and directed to achieve your goals.

4) Sacrifice

Getting your brand fit implies ‘fit for purpose’. Your goals are important because they keep all your people and resources directed and working together. In achieving those goals, you invariably will need to sacrifice. No brand can be everything to everyone. By clarifying who you are and what you want to do, you also clarify who you are not and will not do. So you also define how your brand should behave. It takes discipline and longer-term thinking to make that work. For running, that can mean sacrificing eating unhealthy food and drinking alcohol more than sparingly. It can mean not running short races if the goal is to run long. For branding, it can mean not producing certain types of products even if there’s a market opportunity. It can mean not targeting a certain group of customers even though they have spending power. It can mean taking a more transparent, difficult and expensive path when competitors take shortcuts. In the end, there are no shortcuts to getting fit.

 Preventing injuries

 5) Listen

To prevent injuries you have to improve your listening skills. You have to listen to coaches and friends and learn how they got injured. What did they do too much or too little of? Next, and most importantly, you have to listen to your body. Little pains – a niggle in your Achilles, a twinge in your back – is your body telling you to pay attention. Do something about it before it turns serious and sidelines you. For branding, listening needs to become a systemized way of work. Listen to employees, suppliers, partners, investors and customers. Look for the early warning signs and take action to protect your brand. When your team is telling you things are good, that’s the time to push and go even faster.

6) Improve your form

Distance running can be hard on the body. One way to minimize the damage is to work on running form. Your biomechanics can help or hinder your efficiency and energy requirement. Runners go to some lengths to analyze their gait, work on posture, arm carry and stride length. No exertion should be wasteful or extraneous, and all movement should be coordinated to work in rhythm. For branding, you should look at the broader way the company is structured, the way brand decisions are made, and the way the brand is expressed and delivered to the market. What is the boardroom view of “brand”? How are budgets allocated? What silos exist that may be wasting time, money or people’s energy in getting the brand activated and communicated? If you see inefficiencies, do what a running coach would do. Identify the problem, correct the problem, and then train the improvement.

7) Rest

Taking a day off is one of the hardest things distance runners do. “Nonsense,” most sensible people say. But true. Taking a rest day is one of the most important parts of any training schedule. The ‘off day’ helps muscle tissue repair and rebuild, and energy stores to be replenished. For branding, companies too must think about the way they repair and replenish. From restoring physical plant to refreshing retail outlets, rebuilding is essential. As important is to let employees have the time and space needed to learn new skills, absorb lessons from their projects, and adapt to new circumstances and requirements. Giving employees the kind of flexibility they need to recharge occasionally also helps them deal with injuries, or setbacks, when they do happen.

Staying motivated

8) Be social

Everyone’s motivation suffers now and then. One of the best ways distance runners stay motivated is to train with others. Whether it’s a track club or just a couple of friends, the camaraderie and shared spirit is palpable and meaningful. For branding, ‘social’ represents a whole new way of going to market. The media landscape, consumer behavior and increasing importance of content-led marketing compels brands to change their mindset from one-way messaging to real exchange with their audiences. Brands can’t lurk behind big budget television advertising anymore.  The always-on conversation is daunting to some brands, but exciting, and motivating, to many.

9) Be competitive

For a good number of distance runners, the simple joy of running keeps them going. Wind, rain, sleet or snow won’t keep them inside. Well, some days it does. But knowing you have a race, a competition ahead, focuses your intent, clarifies your purpose and magnifies the intensity of the task. Confident runners will tell you they only compete against themselves. Rubbish. Competition against others is like jet fuel for motivation. Know all of your brand’s opponents, not just competitors. If you are a soft drinks brand, your opponents are juices, water, timing and places, not just other soft drink brands. Know thine enemy, and then go out and kick their butt. It’s motivating.

10) Be proud

Crossing the finish line after a grueling effort feels very good. Achieving goals offers up a unique kind of satisfaction. The pride a distance runner one has for himself is much more powerful and enriching than the pride others have for him. This is a powerful motivator. For branding, it can be cultivated. A brand culture built on pride for the brand’s purpose and achievements is the most powerful competitive edge you can have. Figure out what your brand does to make your employees proud to come to work, to tell their friends about, to share with each other. Do more of it, do it better. You’ll see your brand’s internal motivation spill out to your customers too.

So there you have the 10 ways distance running is like branding. If pressed to say if getting fit, preventing injuries or staying motivated was more important, I couldn’t. All three are essential, and managing all three is what branding is about.

NB: I ran the Boston Marathon in April 2012 with a finishing time of 3 hours, 4 minutes and 49 seconds. I took a rest day afterward.

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I am not sure where this came from, but it is startling how much of our brand choice is consolidated into a small number of companies.

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How The Grinch Hacked Christmas!

A modern telling of the classic ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’

By Dr. Seuss (with all due respect)

Every Woo

Down in Woo-ville

Liked Christmas a lot…

But the Grinch

Who lived just North of Woo-ville

Did NOT!

The Grinch hated Christmas!

The whole Christmas season!

Now, please don't ask why.

No one quite knows the reason.

It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right.

It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.

But I think that the most likely reason of all

May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.

 But,

Whatever the reason,

His heart or his shoes,

He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Woos,

Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown

At the warm lights of computers in their homes.

For he knew every Woo in every house in between 

Was busy now, busy with some kind of screen.

"And they're ordering gifts online!" he snarled with a sneer.

"It'll soon be Christmas! It's practically here!"

Then he growled, with his grinch fingers nervously drumming,

"I MUST find a way to keep Christmas from coming!"

For, all the while, he knew...

…Everyone in the Woo houses

Would be quite busy with their wired or wireless mouses!

Oh, the clicks! Oh, the clicks! Clicks! Clicks! Clicks!

That's one thing he hated! The Clicks! Clicks! Clicks! Clicks!

Then the Woos, young and old, would grab their mobile phones.

And they'd text! And they'd text!

And they'd TEXT! TEXT! TEXT! TEXT!

They would start with one word or two, and get to a small book.

This, the Grinch couldn't stand!

He couldn't even take a look!

And THEN

They'd do something he liked least of all!

Every Woo down in Woo-ville, the tall and the small,

Would flip open their iPads and tap on their apps.

They'd spend hours with snowflake wallpapers and holiday games,

and check for the Best Buys on Google maps!

Their brothers, mothers and sisters would be happy, this wasn't hard,

to receive an Amazon gift certificate and a funny e-card.

So they'd swipe and they'd pinch! Pinch and swipe!

They'd PINCH! SWIPE! SWIPE! PINCH!

Half the day would go by swiping and pinching. It was a cinch!

And the more the Grinch thought of this electric Woo fest

The more the Grinch thought, "I must put this whole thing to rest! "Why since Steve Jobs came along I've put up with it now! I MUST stop their digital Christmas!

...But HOW?"

Then he got an idea!

An awful idea!

THE GRINCH

GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!

"I know just what to do!" The Grinch Laughed in his throat.

And he made a quick Santy Claus hat and a coat.

And he chuckled, and clucked as he donned his red lid!

"I'll wear this coat and hat as I bring down the grid!"

"All I need is a reindeer..."

The Grinch looked around.

But since reindeer are scarce, there was none to be found.

Did that stop the old Grinch...?

No! The Grinch simply said,

"If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead!"

So he called his dog Max. Then he took some red thread

And he tied a big horn on top of his head.

THEN

He grabbed a large magnet

And a some wire cutters

Put them in a ramshakle sleigh

And he hitched up old Max.

Then the Grinch said, "Giddyap!"

And the sleigh, which was rather large

Careened down to where the Woos

Had plugged in for the night to get re-charged.

It should have been dark but there was a pulsing sleep light.

Oh and a camera's battery box had a steady green glow.

The oscillating screensavers were really quite a sight.

In fact, the whole place was bright enough for plants to grow!

"This is stop number one," The old Grinchy Claus hissed.

And he checked the house's wiring and switches.

He didn't bother with the chimney. It was a rather tight place. He strapped on his Grinch tools. And donned rubber gloves, just in case.

He had to cut the electric power, he mulled and he mused.

"Forget the stockings," he said, "I will remove the fuse!"

Then he slithered and slunk, with a most unpleasant smile, Around the whole room, and he deleted everyone's files! Whole folders! Hard disks! Backups and thumbdrives! Apps! Preferences! Passwords! and Bookmarks!

He deleted them now in the dark.

Then the Grinch, very nimbly, zeroed out the disks, leaving them quite stark.

Then he slinked around to every Woo's devices and did unspeakable things! He removed their decorative blings!

Their bumpers and backs were off with a fling.

No more rhinestones or dangles, leather cases or strings.

Why, that Grinch even took their Angry Birds wings!

Then he stuffed all the gadgets into his sleigh, his toothy smirk really quite sour.

"And NOW!" proclaimed the Grinch, "I will cut the power!"

So the Grinch grabbed his cutters, and he started toward the main

When he heard a small sound like the patter of rain.

He turned around fast, and he saw a small Woo!

Little Suzie Loo Woo, who was not more than two.

The Grinch had been caught by this little Woo daughter

Who'd got out of bed for a cup of cold water.

She stared at the Grinch and said, "Santy Claus, why,

"Why are you taking our iPhones and iPads, our iMacs and Apple TV? WHY?"

But, you know, that old Grinch was so smart and so slick

He thought up a lie, and he thought it up quick!

"Why, my sweet little tot," the fake Santy Claus lied,

"There's a software update you need," in a tone rather snide.

"So I'm taking it home to my workshop, my dear.

"I'll do a patch it up there. Then I'll bring it back here."

And his fib fooled the child. Then he patted her head

And he got her a drink and he sent he to bed.

And when Suzie Loo Woo went to bed with her drink,

He snipped the broadband line and dropped every link!

Then the last thing he did

Was to cut the main power.

He went outside and gazed at the main feed.

And he made sure no juice would get in, no matter the need.

The one speck of power that anyone could tell

That he left in the house

Was a smidgen of charge left in a small triple A cell.

Then

He did the same thing

To the other Woos' houses

Leaving no thingamoabobs and no power.

He grinned as the final hour of night fell

He knew, for the Woos at least,

things would not be at all well.

It was quarter past dawn...

All the Woos, still a-bed

All the Woos, still a-snooze

He packed his sleigh with their contraptions!

He had so much it was tough to grapple.

Full of everything Android and Apple!

He had it packed alright!

The latest versions, black, silver and white! 

Three thousand feet up! Up the side of Mount Crumpit,

He rode to the tiptop to dump it!

"Pooh-pooh to the Woos!" he took the mickey.

"They're having a Christmas without their doohickeys!

"They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!

"Their mouths will hang open a minute or two

"The all the Woos down in Woo-ville will all cry BOO-HOO!"

"That's a noise," grinned the Grinch,

"That I simply must hear!"

So he paused. And the Grinch put a hand to his ear.

And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.

It started in low. Then it started to grow...

But the sound wasn't sad!

Why, this sound sounded merry!

It couldn't be so!

But it WAS merry! VERY!

He stared down at Woo-ville!

The Grinch popped his eyes!

Then he shook!

What he saw was a shocking surprise!

Every Woo down in Woo-ville, the tall and the small,

Was singing! Without any iTunes at all!

He HADN'T stopped Christmas from being fun!

All were smiling, every one!

On Christmas morning they were looking at each other, not at some thing.

They didn't need a whatchamacallit to make them sing!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,

Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?

They can enjoy themselves without 200 channels or instant downloads!

Without wifi or Blu-Ray players with 40 different modes?

And he puzzled three hours, `till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!

"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from an app store.

"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

And what happened then...?

Well...in Woo-ville they say

That the Grinch's small heart

Grew three sizes that day!

And the minute his heart didn't feel quite so tight,

He joined the Woos in the Christmas morning light!

And with one on each side he joined hands after removing his rubber gloves,

…THEN HE HIMSELF...!

Sang songs with the Woos about the true meaning of Christmas - love!

Original Classic by By Dr. Seuss

A humble re-telling by Michael McComb

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I have always felt that Apple hardware and software didn't always behave according to the defined laws of mechanical or electromagnetic physics. Sometimes, truth be told, Apple stuff acts more biological. Fans of the brand often will tell you they have a "human" relationship with their devices. There's a reason for that. Over the years, my Macs have thrown temper tantrums, dug their rubber-footed heels in, and sometimes just got downright petulant. But they also got over it. And for the most part, they are charming and compassionate little things that you love and make you feel loved. OK, weird, but true.

So it came as no surprise, really, when I dropped my iPhone and discovered it didn't work properly - and had to do some funky fixes to coax it back to 'good behavior'. After the unfortunate incident, the lock button on top didn't work, and the phone speaker didn't work, so I couldn't hear or be heard while using the phone normally. After quick search for remedies, I found others had run across the same issues. For the lock button, I had to plug in a USB power cable - but not one attached to a computer, it needed to be attached to a power convertor. Plugged in and removed and presto, lock button worked again. And the phone speaker, well, this took a bit more time. I read that some people had some success in plugging/unplugging their headphones 7-8 times, and it worked. But it didn't with mine. Then in some remote support group post I found that the headphones had to be an original Apple set...and mine was an aftermarket set. I found the original white earbuds, plugged/unplugged 7 times (not 8) and Bob was indeed my uncle. I apologized to it for being so careless and dropping it. Hopefully it will forgive me.

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This new design by Frank Gehry, built by Swire Properties, looks OK perched up on the rarified heights above Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. But it'll likely fetch re-freakin-donkulos rents...like oh, say, US$700,000 to $800,000 PER YEAR....or more. If you have that kind of money why rent, and if you're a key banking executive and your company is paying for you...well, you are indeed a master of the universe. 

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