Monday November 06, 2006

Lessons learned from the MP3 Poll

Following up from the "Power of Sun" MP3 poll I threw out there a couple of weeks back -- there's plenty to say. But I do plenty of talking around here. You guys had your turn, and quite honestly, you've given lots of food for thought. So let's start there.

 While many of you thought this sounded comicly awkard -- my feelings as well -- Fritz makes a great point: "Corny? You bet...I think if used in a self deprecating way, these music art forms have value."

My take is that this is not the kind of sound that should represent Sun on the front door, as the first thing someone hears when they hear the Sun sound. (Although I have a feeling that from time to time it has done just that, especially its presence at ZD Net UK's corporate anthems site.) However, it is a dose of personality that represents some of the people in Sun: just like most of us, they like to let loose a little, and they did so with music.

There's a place for personality in every company. It's usually in the hallways and collaborative spaces that become home to like-minded groups and individuals with something in common. That place is not on the forever-visible public-facing internet. Especially given the legal grey are we venture into when it's a note-for-note song cover. Yikes.

All of which brings us to the larger point -- and this is something every design manager in a large company can relate to, I'm sure: individual creativity must be encouraged, cultivated, and put in a spotlight...all in the right context. And my goal in developing the Sun and Java audio brand is to ensure we have a platform for that context.

Why? Tag explains it nicely: "It's a very obvious example of how a known song can completely obscure
a brand. The message even if it is on brand is never heard and a conection between brand and consumer is never made because of that initial visceral reaction. I would argue that this is also true of songs where the reaction is positive. Isn't the brand message obscured then as well?"

Indeed. Which brings us to the next necessary conversation for all of us: how do you define a clear brand message with music, sound and voice? One that we as an organization can rely on, and one which evolves as our brand evolves?

Brilliant questions! And I have answers. Specifically, some answers, some questions, and some more noodlings, all of which, with your participation, may just lead us to that promised land we like to call Clarity. Stay tuned.