Sometimes, I am in a conference with a client only to discover “usual channels” are not considered as media.
Everyday things like bags to carry product. Or walls to display messages. Or uniforms or clothing that employees wear.
All of these are channels of communication.
The Most Overlooked Channel of Communication
Want to get real basic? A person’s face is a channel of communication that is possibly the most overlooked form of media saying more in a glance, or in a moment of choosing to ignore a person who’s just a few feet away (who would gladly accept your help if offered).
To see what I have to say about channels of communication, you can read about that in my Fast Company article and view the video I wrote about channels here.
Yes, there are channels that are different. Like unexpected body piercings (I am referring to the ones above the neck, ok?). Or psychedelic tattoos. Yup, those are channels too and, in the right communities, are excellent uses of those channels.
Opening Your Eyes
Oftentimes though, the most rudimentary channels are overlooked. Sometimes they are not overlooked and are horribly overpopulated leaving NO room in the dialog with customers to ever breathe without “being pitched.” (Look at the above Times Square photo for a good example of this. Or a Nascar racing car or one of driver’s outfits.)
Like a well written song, it’s combination of notes and space between the notes that makes it work and, when done brilliantly, it’s magical.
So recently, I had the opportunity to add to the Brand Vocabulary of the Mega Co-op brand which I first wrote about here and followed up with here.
This newest chapter goes into the wearable category. (To see another example of using media channels, check out what was done for this incredible dance company in Seattle.)
And this is all part of their Summer branding campaign (instead of “promoting stuff,” we decided to own the entire season with this “Taste of Summer” campaign series).
Photo credit: Andrey Bayda / Shutterstock.com
