I admit it. I like to veg out in front of the tv on Sundays and get my share of drama. I avoid suburb drama like the plague in real life but Desperate Housewives have been a Sunday-staple for years. Of course I relate to Susan the most (the artist) even though I'm a bit less clumsy about how I go through my daily life. Bree is just a smidge too together - wound up like a coil ready to SNAP at any moment... great business she has going though! I wish I had a studio the size of her kitchen... woo-wee!
Last night, they broke their contract with me.
I realize that there had been some odd, evil things going on on Wisteria Lane and they were going to have to tie up the "who tried to strangle Julie" plot line at some point... but yikes! I think they borrowed the writers from Dexter for that hour of darkness. I didn't like it - not one bit! It was too far from what I have come to expect and if they keep it up, I'll stop watching.
I had an inspiration while explaining the situation to a friend - there is a lesson in here for us!
Are you keeping your "contract" with your clients and end consumers?
In Paul Brent's branding teleseminar he talks about building and being true to your brand. Not building an expectation and then going off and creating in left field. He should know, he's built quite a brand! To my way of seeing things, Desperate Housewives did just that - they went off into evil land and they better fix it, quick! (In this loyal viewers humble opinion of course.)
Just a little food for thought I felt compelled to share... think about your art brand like a tv show and make sure your audience is getting what they expect. THAT is the key to success!
When I came downstairs to have my son take the latest goofy photo of me for the blog, I have to tell you I scared him a bit. I had my costume on, showed him the cartoon and said, "I have to look like this." He replied, "I'm terrified by how much you do! It's kind of creepy!"
Let's just say I was pleased as punch!
So just WHY had I created a costume and flipped my hair out (burning my finger on the rarely used curling iron!) and dressed up like a cartoon?
Simple... Paul Brent told me to.
(Or, as I say in the video, he 'double-dog-dared me')
I've been doing my homework he gave during the Branding teleseminar and know that others are as well. As I prepare for SURTEX I figure it is a great time to step back and look at the big picture: my art, how I present it, what I will be saying and showing at the show... the timing couldn't be more perfect!
If you, too, want to do a brand analysis, the "Brand Yourself for Success in Art Licensing" teleseminar replay is ready for anyone wanting to to spend the time and money to get big results!
On Wednesday, February 24, 2010 Paul Brent lit a fire in the soul of many an artist. In his hour long Teleseminar, "Brand Yourself for Success in Art Licensing" he gave us his mistakes to learn from, things to avoid and most importantly - lots of things to do to get our brands up and running or working even better than ever.
Taglines were just a part of it but boy have we been having fun with it in the past two days!
On Facebook, Paul wrote:
I have been talking about tag lines recently. Currently mine is "America's best known coastal artist" but I have been thinking about updating it. It could be aggressive "Art going coastal" or Biblical "Let there beach art" maybe short and straight forward "Bathroom art" . Requirements are it must be under six words and must have some mention of art, artist, painter, etc. included. Any ideas?
Some responses from the "peanut gallery" for him included:
"Get Brent Out of Shape"
"Brent's Beautiful Beaches"
"Brent's Gone Coastal"
"Paul Brent: Arts a Beach!"
Skip the bathroom art -- you are so much more than that! The original is still the best.
hah Paul you are funny. (Bathroom art) . How am I supposed to get any work done today... all I'll be doing is thinking of tag lines... the only thing I can think of is "Better than Sand in Your Crack" (oh no she didn't.)
How about "Art from Sunny Florida, while everyone else is experience the global warming"? (oops! That doesn't follow the 'six words or less rule!)
hey Paul..how 'bout.."Coastal art from the heart"
Brent's beach art
One of the things he told us to do was brainstorm and get feedback... good to see he follows his own instructions!
I spent my day doing all the 'behind the scenes' techy stuff so anyone who wasn't able to listen live could still have access to this very powerful hour of branding wisdom. The audio is edited and everything is ready to go!
Here are a few testimonials from people who were on the call...
"I woke up at 4 a.m. this morning with tag line ideas running through my head and thinking about all I need to do to work on my brand. When I went to my computer to jot down my ideas, I saw your email--thanks so much for the lists to help focus on exactly what to do. I am so glad I took this seminar!"
"I'm amazed by not just the quality and quantity of the information; but also the genuine and friendly personality of Paul Brent. I'm fortunate to receive all this information in the early stages of my development; because I know it will give me the most solid launch possible!"
"Tara, it was powerful and I have been so busy. All my answers came like a tidal wave that night. All my answers were in pieces here and there. Right in front of my nose and did not see it. After that call in two hours of brain storming, I saw my style, subject, and created a logo and tag line. It just all fell into place. Great class and I'm looking forward to hearing the replay for things I might I missed. "
A brand is more than a name, a logo and a business card.
Branding affects Art Licensing in multiple ways and it is important to know how this works. Building your brand can be as important as creating your art in order to stand out from the crowd. What makes you different than every other artist with a pencil or paintbrush? A well-crafted branding strategy can help convey your message while you are busy in your studio - providing you know what you are doing.
Branding is how you define yourself to your customers.
If you can successfully do this in a positive way you are on the road to success. Building a brand that will go the distance means more than picking a font and creating a logo. First, you need to analyze your art and how you run your business.
Paul Brent knows branding and will be sharing his tips and insights in a 60 minute teleseminar on Wednesday, February 24th at 5:30 pm PST / 8:30 pm EST. For $57 you will get a lot of knowledge and skills to build or improve your art brand.
I'm excited to announce that Paul Brent has put together an information-packed hour to get you thinking, strategizing and building your brand for success in art licensing.
Paul Brent understands branding.
An artist, interior designer and print publisher, he began licensing his art in 1988. Bookmarks, bed linens and insulated barware were among his first licensed products. Since then he has gone on to work with many, many manufacturers and grown his licensing business to be the 94th largest in the world, according to License! Global Magazine's Top 100 Licensor List for 2008 and 2009.
Paul Brent is the most well known coastal artist in the U.S. He has managed to build and evolve his brand to include so much more than beach and sea life and has done so very successfully. The Paul Brent Designer brand has been in the marketplace for over 20 years and shows no signs of slowing down.
I will be facilitating the teleseminar on Wednesday, February 24th at 5:30 pm PST / 8:30 pm EST. At only $57, this could be the best investment of your time and money you will make to help you build your brand in the market place.
This teleseminar is for artists who want to learn to effectively create a brand for their art that will help them grow their business, with emphasis placed on building a brand for the art licensing industry.
What to expect from a successful branding strategy over the course of the next 30 days to one year.
What the 9 most common pitfalls are in both a visual brand and a business brand – and how to avoid them.
Key strategies of branding to help you:
create and maintain good artist / agent relationships
protect your copyright
keep your brand fresh in the market place
and use your brand to attract attention in the media.
How to commit to your brand strategy and take the first step.
Go to www.ArtLicensingInfo.com/branding.html for further details or to see the long list of valuable freebies you will get in addition to the hour long teleseminar.
P.S. Combine these branding strategies with the SEO (search engine optimization) skills you will learn on the Monthly Ask Call on Wednesday, February 17th and the impact will be even bigger!
The guest blog post by Paul Brent, Branding: The Tiger and the Gate Crashers , on December 15th was so well received, Paul is offering more thoughts on the matter as the drama unfolds. While the situation is a mess for those personally involved, it does provide some interesting insights and talking points as we all consider our own brands... here is what Paul has to say:
If Tiger Woods would be so inclined, I would offer him this advice from someone who has been observing the branding phenomenon for the past twenty years, “Just change you image to fit reality, Tiger.”
While the golfing industry and several of Tiger’s endorsement partners need a squeaky-clean family-man image, there are plenty of products and entities that would be perfect for Tiger Woods new image. To begin with, alcoholic beverages and energy drink with caffeine and all of those other activities that promise heightened performance both on and off the golf course. A Tiger posing as the Captain or sipping malt liquor with an attractive blond on his arm would be a winning combination. The city of Las Vegas should contract with Tiger to be a spokesperson. Who better to say, “What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas. I should have played in Las Vegas.” What customer of those products wouldn’t believe in his endorsement?
Brand building and brand management is a personal journey that all licensing properties and artists have to deal with, as Tiger does. Well, maybe you do not have to deal with it so dramatically and not in the eyes of the world. As you develop who you are as an artist, whether a designer of scrapbooking supplies and children’s wear, or t-shirts and surfboards you need to fit the image of someone who relates to their market and consequently the customers who buy your licensed products.
Christian Reese Lassen and Mary Engelbreit are two artists who embody their artwork and who are brands their customers and fans can relate to yet are very different. Lassen, the surfer who paints the ocean and tropical sunsets has veered from his popular under and over ocean scenes painted in exacting detail to many other subjects and a much looser palette knife style. His fans have followed along.
Mary Engelbreit has had a magazine devoted to home decorating and home style recipes. Her loving characterizations of vintage children with charming quips attract a totally different group of fans. Mary has kept true to her initial image and has not changed her style or outlook. Will she allow herself room to grow and change?
Personally, I have progressed in licensing from a watercolor style that has been called “breezy” by one reviewer in the Wall Street Journal to oil and more tightly rendered watercolors with digital enhancement, all the while keeping close to my coastal roots. I feel that my changes can be considered evolution rather than radical change. Many times a new subject matter or new media use was precipitated by a personal experience, sometimes just a wild idea or my take on an incoming trend. Each time I introduce a new collection I think of the story behind the art and how I can talk to customers about the new work. This adds to the value of the artwork and makes them understand how I relate to the art I create.
So, who are you as a brand and an artist? Does your image allow you room to grow or are you constricted into a limited market due to how you define yourself? How you change as an artist and a brand are part of the natural change of life itself. Let’s hope we all manage our changes better than Tiger.
Here's to your ever evolving brand to help you build your creative future!
– Tara
disclosure: Paul Brent nor I have any vested interest in Tiger Woods, Christian Reese Lassen or Mary Engelbreit - they are simply used as examples in the context of branding.
If anyone has experience in branding and especially building a brand based on an individual and lifestyle, especially in art licensing, Paul Brent is the go-to guy! Paul will be sharing his in-depth knowledge on the subject of branding, to be unveiled at ArtLicensingInfo.com in early 2010. For now, here are some timely thoughts from Paul and lessons to be learned from recent current events.
Well, it seems that today’s news is constantly bringing us examples of how branding works. Licensing artists can all learn from current events how not to build a brand and how to destroy one. The White House gate crashers have sought recognition and brand building by succeeding in their audacious attempt to attend a White House reception. Their brand is now firmly entrenched in the public’s mind. We can only hope that they have a plan for how this will help them secure their place in reality TV or result in jail time.
Licensing artists can learn that audacious acts need to be well planned and researched. Sometimes the risk is warranted other times it can backfire. In the early 90’s I was working with an individual who had a trained Florida panther and who was doing educational presentations with the panther to bring attention to their plight. I painted a portrait of the panther and arranged to have the panther appear in my booth at two trade shows. I did have to clear this with show management and the facilities management. The panther behaved and we were certainly recognized at those shows. Everyone in attendance knew there was a panther on the floor. If the panther had misbehaved the whole gamble could have misfired. Luckily the panther and trainer lived up to expectations and built my name recognition at a time when I needed something spectacular for people to remember me. So when planning an occurrence of this type be sure to think out all of the possible rewards and drawbacks before proceeding. I am not sure that the gate crashers were this astute.
Tiger Woods gives us another lesson in brand management. I have often said that you are your brand in art licensing. In Tiger’s case that extends into marriage partners, family and sexual partners. His brand was built to match his sport where family values predominate in a conservative, business leader demographic of fans. It is too bad he did not live up to his fabricated image and has damaged, possibly irreversibly, one of the greatest brands of all times.
While few licensing artists achieve the celebrity of Tiger, we all must insure that what we promote about ourselves rings true. I once knew a talented artist who painted what would sell but dismissed her work to people who know her, belittling her work and making negative comments about her customers who bought it. While I never heard of that getting back to her customers I think it could have been a potential time bomb for her career in art licensing.
It is far safer to stick with a truthful image of yourself and your art and not risk the pitfalls of negative press. Some of the most negative comments I hear about artists from manufacturers are late delivery, difficulty in contract negations and relentless control issues concerning quality and color. Developing a good working relationship and being reasonable, not a pushover, is going to serve a licensing artist well especially over the years as design directors and manufacturers licensing directors change jobs in the industry. We have many times made lasting friends with individuals who then bring us along as they change jobs and we certainly enjoy the referrals they give to others within the industry.
So just because you are not in the media’s eye, you, too, can learn from our newsworthy celebrities about how to achieve success in art licensing.
I don't know about you, but I have no desire to be in the media's eye in the way that Tiger or the Gate Crashers are! Thank you Paul for letting me share your insights on the blog. If you are interested in learning more about building your brand, be sure to watch the blog or eNewsletter for more information about Paul's upcoming "branding project". For now, it's * TOP SECRET *!
Apparently "Branding" is on a lot of minds lately. I posted about it last week and started a great discussion on LinkedIn. (You do know there is an "Art of Licensing" group on LinkedIn, right? It is very thought provoking at times!)
Paul Brent just told me he wants to focus on Branding on his next "Ask Paul Brent" call... date to be determined so stay tuned...
And my friend Barbara Rozgonyi, a Social Media guru if ever I met one, just did a great blog post called "10 Branding Methods - Butterflies and Rainbows Optional".
What I love about her post is that it is short, sweet and skimable. I can look at it quickly, get ideas and go implement. It's like information for hummingbirds - I can flit in, get what I need and fly off. Perfect!
From identity design to personality to virtual and word of mouth - she boils branding down to some thought provoking questions and do-able action items.
P.S. Barbara is yet another fabulous benefit of taking the Teleseminar Secrets class last year. If you want to learn more about it and why I feel it was such a great investment, click here to go to my affiliate page...
This is a question that has been rolling around in my head since I started licensing my art back in 2004.
Art licensing is an interesting thing... our main client is the manufacturer - without them putting our art on products, we don't have a business.
The manufacturer then has to sell (or pre-sell which is so often the case these days!) the products with our art to the retailer. So they are a customer of ours, once removed.
Then the end consumer is a customer twice removed. When we create art for licensing, we have to please the manufacturer and retailer, while trying to figure out what the end consumer (the shopper with the wallet) will want from us.
Tricky! Sometimes we meet this end consumer - twice removed from our business. They may look like a friend, an aunt, a neighbor... and they often sound like this: "I love your stuff! Where can I find it?" They are full of enthusiasm and ready to give gifts featuring your art...
I regret to say I often have to respond like this, "Well... I'm not sure. You might find it in this store or that store but it really depends..." Eek! Hard to promote ourselves when we don't control the product, isn't it!?!
But the trickiness isn't even done yet! Sometimes the retailers and manufacturers like to license art from artists who are "known" and have a reputation with the end consumer twice removed. You would too. If you owned a store and knew that any product you put on your shelves with art by 'Betty the Great who's been on every talk show known to man and has an amazing cult-like following" would sell, wouldn't you do it? Or would you take a chance on "Brand New Bob who does nice work but isn't as known"?
This post isn't intended to throw you into a panic and make you think there isn't a point to even trying, OK? Don't get me wrong.
The point is to show you that to be really successful (read $ in the bank) in licensing, you can't ignore building your brand with the consumer.
So now we have circled back to my 6 year question: HOW DO I BRAND MYSELF WITH THE END CONSUMER???
For me, this is still a work in progress but I have found one pretty cool strategy that I wanted to share.
I design fabric for South Sea Imports. One day I walked into a local Craft Warehouse and one of the samples was using my fabric. Well I got quite excited and literally started jumping up and down a bit. The woman working noticed, may have been a little concerned, and asked if she could help me. I explained that I had designed the fabric and was just very excited to see it as a sample.
This jumping encounter has led to me going "on tour" at 3 Craft Warehouse stores to date. Each month, the stores have "Quilt Parties" where quilters come together to learn a new quilt block, listen to speakers, see what's new in the store, and form a fun community of like-minded people.
I have had the pleasure of speaking to 7 groups (of end consumers - no longer twice removed) about how I design fabric. How the ideas go from my head to their sewing machines. Most of these women have never met anyone who actually designed the fabric before so they are interested and always have great questions. I get to see "show and tell" and see how quilters are using the end product. That helps me design the product.
So how do I keep in touch with these consumers I have met, once I leave the party?
Many want to look at my website or blog, so do I hand them a business card? I could, but really, how much fun is a business card for a quilter?
I decided to have some blank notecards printed with my art on the front. The back has my logo (branding!), a blurb about me and my website. I told the women that they could have a card if they wanted when the quilt party was over. That way they would have a fun note card and a way to find me online.
THEY LOVED IT! One woman just stared at me, jaw dropped, confirming that she could just "have" the card. She was so appreciative. So am I. I have watched my unique visitors to my website and blog spike after these visits. I also know that if these quilters send the card to a friend, that person will also learn about me or at least see my logo. So it's like double-dipping branding!
Note cards cost a little more than a business card but I think it's worth it. It creates good will and I have a hard time believing over 250 women would stand in line to get my card but that's about how many note cards I've handed out.
Interact with your end user if and when you can. And when you do, have a fun giveaway that they will want, that includes your art, your logo and your website. Little interactions can do big things over time!
Here's to your creative success - I have to get back to working on my next fabric collection.
– Tara
PS - you can find lots of places online to print Note Cards and other giveaways - and usually the more you buy the less they cost. I went with one design and bought lots. For the note cards (called greeting cards on the site but if they are blank inside, I call them note cards) I used www.OvernightPrints.com. (disclosure: no affiliate relationship to this link)
I'm all about 'sharing wheels' instead of recreating them sometimes - you can get more done that way! Below is an excerpt from Kate Harper's blog about branding... it's worth reading the whole entry so I encourage you to click on the 'read more' at the end. (and it's here with permission from Kate of course - always get permission to reprint!)
What do surf boards and greeting cards have in common? Everything.
When I first read the story of Maria and Drew's surfboard design business, Son of the Sea, Inc, I felt like I was reading about my own life: years in manufacturing, working day and night and then finally stumbling upon licensing and a whole new career. There is nothing in their story than cannot also apply to the card and gift industry.
Son of the Sea is a family owned business run by Drew Brophy and his wife, Maria and they have 30 active licensees including everything from beach towels, boogie boards, pen kits, sunscreen to greeting cards!
Drew creates the art while Maria handles licensing, marketing, and runs the operation. They have a wealth of information for artists on their website Business of Art tips.
Maria and Drew made a great success out of branding their designs and I wanted to ask them more about that.
Don't be fooled by Kate's blog title of "Greeting Card Designer Blog" - she talks about a lot more than the greeting card industry so I encourage you to take a look at what she's got to say!
