Recently, I’ve been noticing brands that are trying too hard to protect an image that doesn’t quite fit with everything else they are trying to do. Protecting a brand is one thing but the rules around how a brand must be presented, even while under your control seems like a constraint too far. More so in the age of social media where the boundaries of brands and people connected to them become even more blurred.

IBM are one such brand, the rules governing how you can use their brand if you do get permission are strict to say the least. A bad thing? Depends on what side of the fence you are sitting. In real media terms, probably not, as it has helped them build consistency over the years. However, now look at this landing page from IBM.

It is well designed in many respects and goes someway to making a for me at least disinteresting subject look more interesting. I’ll admit I’m not the target audience and therefore will remain reserved on judging the design to match their key audience. Where this design goes wrong for me is the draconian top navigation that they have used. Sure a standard template for the website, but for this landing page so out of character, that they may have as well lost all colour in the page. Whatever they were trying to achieve in branding, if it were any more than the status quo then it failed. As I left with much the same perception of IBM as I entered.

I’m sure I could find other examples but really I wanted to use this post as place to think about the way in which social media is carrying brands into the 21st century and the brands that we love now, and that we will continue to love, are not the rigid brands that are constantly protective, rather than brands that are engaging and flexible. Brands now really do have personalities and voices, in most cases multiple voices that reach further and wider than ever before. Managing the communication of a brand now is harder than ever, although let it be said as social media grows into whatever it will become the more flexible, will be those that win out with loyalty and perceived intrinsic value because it will be true. Social media your brand can’t hide!