WHO'S YOUR AMERICAN BRAND IDOL, BABY?
The Fabulous Honey Parker and I had an unusual experience last week.
We'd gone to Vegas.
Yes, Vegas, baby!
Not that we were all that interested in gambling.
But it was Valentine's Day week.
And we had Southwest points to burn.
And going to Paris Las Vegas for a two-day Valentine celebration makes a lot more sense than going to Paris, France for two days and, well, Southwest doesn't fly there anyway, and even if they did, I didn't have that many points. And some of the food at Paris Las Vegas is almost as good as the French Paris, even if the Eiffel Tower is only half the size. (And unlike the actual French Paris, Paris Las Vegas sells actual, two-foot tall, Eiffel-Tower shaped plastic novelty drink containers filled with luridly colored alcoholic slushy drinks. Can you say, "Mais oui, garcon, un autre bucket of daquari, si'il vous plait.")
But I digress.
So, we went to one of the best branded cities on the planet, the one where we all know by now that what happens there stays there. (Unless, of course, nine months after your visit you have a Vegas baby. That zygote will come home with you on the plane at no additional charge, but for 18 years will prevent any further trips to Vegas and will eventually blame you for everything that is wrong in the world and demand you pay for a college education.)
On our second night in Paris Las Vegas, on the spur of the moment, we decided to see Taylor Hicks.
YES, THE WINNER OF AMERICAN IDOL SEASON FIVE
If you're not a follower of American Idol, and you're not sure who Taylor Hicks is, here's an easy one for you: he's the first-ever Idol winner with gray hair.
Seems Mr. Hicks' hair started going gray when he was 14.
When he was 16, he came to the sudden realization that he has perfect pitch.(There's a useful gift for a singer.)
And after three years of college, he dropped out and essentially became an itinerant working musician.
All this to say that by the time this tall, gray-haired former varsity athlete escaped from hurricane Katrina in the last taxi cab out of New Orleans, went to the airport, and randomly picked Las Vegas as his next destination and happened to find himself in a town acrawl with the season five American Idol auditions, Taylor Hicks was something most Idol contestants are not: a seasoned, hard-working, musical pro. He had worked with the likes of Percy Sledge, Widespread Panic and Keb Mo (to name only a few), and produced two of his own albums independently.
You can't say that about many of the American Idol winners.
BUT WHAT YOU CAN SAY IS THAT EACH ONE OF THOSE WINNERS IS AN EXCELLENT STUDY IN BRAND
Like pop icon Kelly Clarkson.
Or R&B/gospel phenom Ruben Studdard.
And hip-hop chart topper Fantasia Barrino.
Taylor Hicks is no exception.
A singer of blues rock and blue-eyed soul, Taylor Hicks is a shining example of a personal brand that is not only rock solid, but a personal brand that has transcended the corporate brand that launched his success--and is an unusual brand in a town riddled with deftly branded excesses.
Let's look for a moment at what it takes to stand out in Vegas. The place is an exercise in explosive neon sensory overload.
Every message being sent out to you in Vegas is a pointed dart of information designed to make you feel one thing before separating you from your hard-earned cash.
Competing for your entertainment dollar in Vegas is an array of Cirque de Soliel branded shows.
There's any number of pointedly branded outrageous magicians, like Penn & Teller, David Copperfield, and Criss Angell of MindFreak fame.
There is a raft of distinctly branded comedians, like D.L. Hughley, George Wallace and (yes) Jerry Lewis.
There are various musical acts that are monumental brands in their own right, like Elton John, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, and Donnie & Marie.
There are shows drafting off the branded success of other musicians, like Jersey Boys, bringing you the songs of Fankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and Smokey Robinson bringing you four white Australians singing Motown hits. (Really.)
AND IN THERE AMONG ALL THAT OTHER NOISE IS THE TALL, HANDSOME, GRAY-HAIRED TAYLOR HICKS KICKING IT OUT
His image is on billboards all over town, looking soulful, talented and American Idol fresh.
And yes, American Idol is part of his billing. Even though it's been 8 years since American Idol catapulted Mr. Hicks into the zeitgeist, the American Idol brand still resonates for a large percentage of Americans.
A large percentage of Americans, that is, who can also afford Vegas and are of legal drinking age. There's a reason this man is the first of the American Idol champions to secure long-term residency in Las Vegas.
In other words, this man is not a teen idol.
He's an actual musician playing actual music actual adults actually want to hear.
And there was probably no greater example of that in the show we saw than his rendition of the Elvis Presley song, "In The Ghetto."
It was an extraordinary display not only of musicianship, but of making a song one's own.
It was one of those moments in a music show where you say, "Wow, I didn't see that coming."
Also, the musicians with which he surrounds himself are excellent. They are stars in their own right.
THE SHOW ALSO OFFERS PLENTY OF AMERICAN IDOL ANECDOTES
After all, this is why we're here to see Taylor Hicks, right?
He won the most extraordinary and influential talent show in American history.
So in between songs, we got to hear about the road to and from American Idol.
Here's the irony for me.
In my humble opinion, Taylor Hicks has more to offer than the American Idol brand ever suggests.
His was an extraordinary music show by any measure.
It could have easily been twice as long and it would've been a pleasure to sit through.
And he is just as personable and engaging as his TV persona suggests.(We had a brief conversation with him after the show, and he was a pleasure to talk to.)
IS YOUR PERSONAL BRAND EQUALLY PIERCING?
There are a lot of radio account reps who read this screed.
More than once, an account rep has asked how to rise above the competition, both within his station and within the market at large.
Both the station and the marketplace are filled with performers clamoring for attention.
Accordingly, each one is obligated to offer something unique, distinctive and useful.
The best account reps I've known have been Taylor Hicks.
The radio station is American Idol. It has a brand that opens doors. (One hopes.)
But the account rep performs well above and beyond the expectations created by the brand.
The account rep specializes in a niche, understands his craft, and lives to serve.
REALLY, THIS GOES FOR ANY BUSINESS WHERE A SOLE PROFESSIONAL IS REQUIRED TO STAND APART
We mention radio stations because radio pros constitute such a big part of the readership here.
But the same can go for hair salons.
As a professional hair stylist, you have no control over your salon's brand.
But you do have control over your personal brand as a stylist.
So who's your core styling customer, and what's the one way you want her (or him) to feel about you?
Same if you're a bartender.
Stylists and bartenders often move from gig to gig.
And the good ones, the ones who have a distinctive personal brand that transcends their place of employment, have a loyal following that moves with them.
No matter what your profession, think of the world as the Las Vegas Strip, your employer as American Idol, and yourself as the Idol winner.
Las Vegas is excessive and overwhelming.
American Idol is respectable and engaging.
But Taylor Hicks, the man, is an astonishing performer.
Be Taylor Hicks. Understand how to find and delight your customer. It will pay off in a big way.
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