On Mondays and Fridays I feature someone or some company who understands what it means to be a brand champion. This past weekend I read the cover story about Ashton Kutcher's media plans in the Dec/Jan issue of Fast Company magazine. A person and a company who clearly get it. After reading the piece I thought it would be appropriate to support Fast Company's story by naming Ashton Kutcher as the Brand Champion of the Day. The in-depth article tells of Mr. Kutcher's company, Katalyst Media, and the innovative projects the organization is embarking.
Like me, you were probably first introduced to Ashton Kutcher as the goof ball, Steven Kelso on That 70s Show. That show and that character are still a couple of my favorites. As someone who went to high school and college in the 70s, I can relate to the music, fashion and other antics displayed on the show. After its seven year run, Kutcher has arguably garnered the most attention and evolved from his role more than anyone else on the show, or any show for that matter. He clearly understands who to balance his personal brand with organization brands. A subject that I am speaking on at a local university tomorrow night by the way.
Not knowing the full story (until I read the Fast Company piece) behind Kutcher's attempt to become the first person to acquire 1 million followers on twitter, I thought that was some odd publicity stunt or maybe a different version of Punk'd. After embracing digital media as a key driver of brand a few years ago myself, I am impressed with what Kutcher is doing with his online ventures.
I encourage you to read the full story. But, here is my favorite Kutcher quote from the article. "My theory is, you have to engage the constituency and let them be the voice of the brand." As someone who advocates that sustainable brands are based on mission, core values and stakeholder engagement, I could not agree more. I have become a champion of the Ashton Kutcher brand.
Rex Whisman
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