A Business, Branding and Marketing Lesson
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From Legendary Rockers ZZ TOP!
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With hit-singles like "La Grange," "Cheap Sunglasses," "Legs," and "Sharp-Dressed Man," and with smash-hit albums like El Loco, Eliminator and Afterburner, ZZ Top has firmly cemented its place among the immortals of Rock ‘n Roll. There is not a list of "greatest rock bands" which doesn’t bear their name, and in 2004, they were inducted into the pantheon of legends, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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Yet, in terms of Branding, Marketing and Advertising, there is a component of ZZ Top which is just as prominent as their kick-ass style of music.
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Those Trademark Beards:
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They’re unmistakable, impossible to miss and they give ZZ Top high visibility. They can be associated with one musical act and one musical act only. Ask any rock n’ roll aficionado, and those only passingly familiar with the genre, "I have two words for you ‘Rock ‘n Roll’ and ‘beards’ what comes to mind?" They will say ZZ Top, guaranteed!
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ZZ Top Trivia: Frank Beard, ZZ Top’s drummer is, ironically, the only band member without a beard!
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ZZ Top on Business:
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In the world of Business, there is almost nothing as important as visibility. Sure, you’ve got great products and great services, sure you offer great prices, but without that all-important visibility, who will ever find what you have to offer. You sell computer parts, websites or legal services. Guess what? So do ten-thousand other people!
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So go ahead, use all of the modern tools that are available in business. A website. Profiles on sites such as LinkedIn. Social bookmarking. A blog. Twitter and Facebook.
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But keep in mind that there are millions of other businesses that utilize these resources. What is needed is a way to capture a bit of attention and stick in peoples’ minds. Every business needs that little something extra to increase their visibility and recognize-ability. Without these aspects, any modern business risks becoming lost in the crowd; that proverboal needle in a haystack. So turn things up a notch and get people to look. Turn up the quality of your blog content. Have an impossible-to-miss logo created for your business. Re-design a tired, stale website. Stop using that generic "silhouette" avatar on your profile sites.
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Think of ZZ Top’s music as their backbone: great content on a blog, a fantastic website, and a great product. Jam along with "Doubleback" next time you catch Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future Part II. Play air-guitar next time "Give Me All Your Lovin’" comes on the radio.
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But remember, that along with their awesome, music, there is one component of this iconic band which makes them impossible to overlook. It is their brand. It is their logo. It IS their beards!
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What are you doing to set your business apart from the crowd?
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How are you bringing added visibility?
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What is your "beard?"
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Image Credits: Opening ZZ Top Image: www.smokestacklightnin.com; In Concert: www.assets.nydailynews.com; World: www.imba.nccu.edu.tw
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Yonatan Maisel is a Business blogger, history buff and author. He specializes in all aspects of Business writing.
From speeches to resumes, from corporate bios to research, from blogging to website content, from articles to ghost-writing, he provides the highest level of quality at a very reasonable price.
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Shoshana,
It does work for ZZ TOP. Aside from their music, it is their most identifiable characteristic and what keeps them in peoples’ minds.
Yoni
Reply
I’m glad you liked the trivia too, I think it’s kind of interesting and ironic. By the way, Beard is his real name!
Yoni
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Braden,
Thanks for the kind words.
Thanks for reading and I’m pleased you enjoyed!
Yoni
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Heidi,
Thanks for a cool comment from a COOL reader!
Yoni
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Ben,
I agree. The metaphorical beard can be there to bring visibility, but there has to be plenty of substance under the hair, lest everything goes to pieces.
Flashiness has a plce in business, but customers can detect an empty shell miles away!
Yoni
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Emory,
He really does look out of place without one!
Thanks for reading and for your kind comments!
yoni
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Ronika,
You are right about the logos standing on their own. it means a business has arrived. That’s marketing power.
I also read however that the NIKE SWooooSH is the most pirated brand of all. Success does have its drawbacks I suppose!
Yoni
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Thank you Rebecca,
I am proud to have you as a reader 🙂
yONI
Reply