I recently had a group member ask me a question about how we as strategist make connections with people. His question was quite simple, what do you think of when you think about something being raw? What immediately pops into your head? What does that look like? What does it feel like? How do you uncover it and use it to connect with people?

At first glance I didn’t think much about the concept. I mean, raw is essentially that which you deem to be authentic, right. Simply the absolute basic, stripped down, purely organic content that makes up something. Not really much to it! But as I began to contemplate on this idea of understanding the nature of raw, I wonder if something intrinsically powerful resides behind the simple concept.

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to witness N.E.R.D. perform live here in Richmond for the first time. The show was simply incredible. The energy, the love, the anticipation, and the camaraderie among avid fans was breathtaking. The whole experience had the making of an urban myth centered around the best hip hop concert of our time. Like it had somehow been pulled directly from a Spike Lee Joint or something. Without a doubt, the strongest aspect of the show was Pharrell’s energy, his sincerity when spiting his lyrics, and his natural ability to intimately engage the audience. I walked away that night knowing that somewhere in the venue, there were some young cats who would remember this show for the rest of their lives. That it would somehow shape the way they looked at life and how they viewed their futures.

And so it’s this phenomenon that I found so intriguing. I’m not even really a fan of Pharrell or N.E.R.D. I had followed some of their earlier music from like four years back, and had appreciated the fact that they were creating a new style and sound within the game. But truth be told, I never really rocked with them beyond what little songs they managed to get on the radio. But for those three hours while I was in the thick of the concert you would think I had been apart of the camp from day one. Like I had been somehow involved with the creation of the group and now I was just there number one fan. So…Why is that? How is that even possible?

I didn’t realize it at the time but now as I reflect on it, it becomes quite obvious. They did a phenomenal job with telling the story of the N.E.R.D brand and engaged the audience the whole way through. They embodied the very characteristics of this absolute raw concept. There wasn’t any tracks being played over the speakers or any studio produces sound effects. Just simply a blend of the band, their lyrics and the raw passion they brought to the stage. It was this encounter with the absolute rawness of what N.E.R.D. was and what they stood for that was so powerful not the notoriety of the group. And this is the god honest truth, if they would have been selling any of the bands merchandise at the end of the show, I very well might of, bought every Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream t-shirt they had available. The connection was that strong!

So I wonder what might happen if strategist could reproduce that same kind of encounter with consumers and other brands? What if we could harness those fillings people get when they encounter the raw nature of a brand and use it to help grow a company? Is it even possible? I wonder is there even any substance to this idea of encountering the raw nature of a product, or was I just overtaken by a sense of heightened emotions stimulated by rhythmic beat?

The last couples of weeks have been entertaining, as I have watched America debate and analyze over the controversial black liberation comments of Reverend Jeremiah Wright. And even more so, how they have become linked and essentially a representation of Obama himself. The Barack backers will tell you that it’s wrong to link the man to the views of his supporters while, the conservatives will argue, you are who you represent.

Truthfully, I think both points are valid but the one thing that we must take into consideration is the simple fact that Barack Obama in himself has become a brand. He has worked tirelessly to make himself marketable among the American youth and in all honesty he has succeeded. People have followed him, they have supported him, and they have worn their shirts proudly to proclaim his cause. Along with his charismatic charm he has been able transform him self from an articulate politician into a beloved brand. So the real question I think we should be asking ourselves is simply this, Are brands responsible for the actions of their supporters?

We’re living in a world now where advertising has outgrown its simple past. It’s all about building strong brands and allowing your consumers to experience your brand at all touch points. It’s about building communities around your brand and transforming your customers into brand ambassadors. But what happens when those beloved ambassadors step out side the core believes of the brand. Should the brand itself be forced to address the situation? Do they have a responsibility to publicly decline the endorsements of these people?

I don’t think that there is an easy answer to this question but it is my opinion that brands on their own merit shouldn’t be linked to the philosophies and believes of its ambassadors. I would like to reference one of America’s most beloved brands, Harley Davidson, and look at how they have addressed the situation. In a time when Harley Davidson was in serious financial trouble they found themselves being endorsed by an unlikely tribe of social outcast by the name of The Hell’s Angels. There’s no doubt that society wasn’t pleased with the groups menacing personality and vigilante form of justice but, that didn’t mean that people could looked to Harley as being an advocate for their cause. They were simply a brand that stood for quality American made motorcycles. Their values and core believes hadn’t changed even if they had become the unofficial brand of choice for a group of outcast.

Now, I’m not saying that companies shouldn’t address situations in which their ambassadors cause negative perceptions of the brand but I do think that people should look beyond the supporters and look into the heart of the brand. In terms of the political arena I would think all four candidates have some kind of link to controversial supporters. Just look at the Clintons and their dealings with anti-gay pastoral supporters or Mcain and his dealing with Jack Kemp (A former vice president nominee who supported the views of Louis Farrakhan).

But, I think Barack-O-Brand presents a unique situation. Because he has worked so hard to establish himself as this brand of change, I think he must work twice as hard to protect and ensure that his brand doesn’t become damaged. Like a brand his campaign has become a living-breathing creature. So to answer the question should he be held accountable for the actions of his supporters...No…but if he wants any a chance at wining the nomination, I think he must.

-LTS

And so it is finished...The first semester of gradschool is done and in the books. It came at the cost of an all nighter to complete our dvd presentation but it was worth it. To see the shear amount of determination of students to put out the best work possible was inspiring. To see people in class wearing the same cloths from last night, to see your group members passed out on the couches and table, and to watch 1/3 of the class dosing off during your final class is an awe inspiring feeling. I must admit I think we stumbled across the finish line and just couldn't wait for the fall break, but the truth is in about a week I think I'll be so anxious to do "work" it will be miserable. I guess I'll just have to do all my creative thinking in Houston... perhaps some art, or maybe some ads... anyways here is my latest little bit of art work I did for my internship application.

~LTS

Thank God it is finally Thanksgiving break! Although, like my social life, the adcenter has somehow found a way to dominate this also. So there will undoubtly be some concepting of ideas, many emails, a couple of surveys and some creative thinking but I might find some time to lay around and be indolent. And who knows just for fun I might throw in a " Now lets go around the room and say what were all thankful for!" Oh, goodtimes!

When does fear turn into complacency and how does humility find refuge within pride. How could I of ever become comfortable within an institution that challenges the bounds of excellence? Somewhere down the line, as the semester progressed I found my niche within this school and developed the infamous “I too belong here” mentality. The result… my work may be good but its surly not, reach for the stars great. In the beginning, I worked my butt off in hopes that I would just survive the first week, and now I’m already overlooking the last two weeks of class in anticipation of the holiday break. Excellence hates complacency… and in truth, they can never coexist. Their will always be a struggle between the two, and for excellence at least… you can’t just tolerate it, you must love the struggle. James more inspiringly put it when he said… “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” In all of your obstacles and achievements consider the character within the struggle, and love to learn it. If I leave you with anything it is simply this, complacency is the great equalizer among our people… supercede it with excellence.

Alright, so as I'm sure you all are aware of the numerous different styles of advertising. As generation Y millennials, were prime targets for the direct mail, TV, you tube, social network, and interactive media advertisement bombardment! But there is one type of media execution that I love to work with: A concept we call in the advertising world Guerrilla Marketing! I love it because it doesn't just promote another product but rather it adds to the outdoor experience. True its rare ifyou ever see one of these promotions in person but if do...it sure to be an image you'll remember. I grabed some pictures for you guys to check out, I think you'll find that the executions speak for themselves. If you wanted to see some more of these nontraditional advertisements check out the books "Advertising is dead, Long live advertising" and " Hoopla".

So this challenge is for you kid, you know who you are! So how about it...are you game!