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What Is Every Angle ... What Needs To Be Covered
February 7, 2012
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Sammy Simpson has some lasting impressions from the Super Bowl.
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It happened that while the Big Game was building up to kick-off on Sunday, I was on a flight between New York and Los Angeles. And, like anyone stuck in the air for over five hours, I had plenty of time to really focus on something to occupy my mind for the long plane ride.
During this super-weekend, I would fill the hours with football coverage on the satellite TV feed on Virgin America.
I watched NBC as they covered the game, and uncovered the stories from every angle, to bring one of the most topical moments of Sunday (and our pop culture each year) to life.
It was again another reminder for me that the game of media and marketing has changed drastically, and anyone not evolving to connect the moment in meaningful ways, unique to your passion and purpose, will have very few of them left to share with anyone.
And I know many of you will say, "Well Sammy, how can you compare this moment when NBC has millions of dollars invested in this game, an expanded staff, more resources for this event, and it's the *&%^ Super Bowl!!"
Well, my message to you is that every day has to be super now.
Here's what I believe can help you make the difference as you look at yourself and your brand knowing the championship is now on the line in every moment.
Ask yourself this simple question, "What Is vs. What Needs To Be?"
Most look at strategy in one of two ways.
- Looking back to model past success.
- Looking forward (one to three years) to find a desired end result for the future.
However, in this new environment, the opportunity is in the present moment or NOW.
Here's the difference.
The first strategy looks at What Needs To Be and all the focus will shift to whatever the current leadership has presented as the ultimate goal (ratings, revenue, etc.) with the idea of building top down for tomorrow; slowly and careful. It's faceless, non-inclusive, has no personality, and will typically change at the first sign of a dip.
The second one, which you see coming to life on social pages, mobile devices and more each day now is that of What Is. People and companies who have a clear, consistent confidence around their passion and purpose are able to surround each moment in a bottom-up, 360-degree fashion to create value for others in an inclusive way. It always stays centered on the mission; it's breathing (or seems to be), alive, and doesn't panic with the ebb and flow of business and life.
Another way to look at this is thinking about a culture around a mission vs. a staff executing a business plan.
Here are a few examples of companies and people who are doing it well.
- Facebook / Mark Zuckerberg..."Help the world to be more open and to share."
- Dyson... "We solve the small problems others ignore."
- Dropbox..."Revolutionize the way people think about file sharing."
- Louis C.K (comedian)..."A perpetual victim of life."
- NBC... "premier content provider for television and digital platform."
How about you? Are you focused on What Is or What Needs To Be?
The reality is that most won't have time to spend hours watching your plan unfold any longer, because if it's not adding value in the moment, or creating anticipation for them ... why bother.
And here's hoping that your moments in this big game of business and life will always be super.
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