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IMHO here's what's not changed — branding smarts! The ability to crisply express your brand value. And Pete is right when he says that is old as the hills.

Here's what's changed – everything else like; 1) digital listening versus research based listening 2) social media engagement versus one to many marketing 3) iterative brand execution versus "big brand launches".

More and more I have found myself having to throw out most of what I thought I knew about marketing execution in favor of an updated model. In this new model, it's that not you don't do these other more traditional tactics but what's changed is WHEN AND HOW you use them.

Some companies have long understood all about social media branding like Harley Davidson, as one commenter on my piece explained.

The struggle for marketers today is that you still need maturity of branding smarts that typically comes with experienced folks but now these strategies must be developed within the context of a new branding engine that younger "techno geners" are better at understanding.

There are few marketing people with strategy depth coupled with social media competency. At least as far as I have observed.

Judy Shapiro

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