I’ve never really understood the fickleness of fashion, especially when it comes to women’s hemlines.  Economists try to tie the trends to whether the economy is rising or falling (pun intended).  Perhaps to match the confusion over whether the recession is actually over or not, and we’re finally on the road to recovery, this year has been quite different, with maxi, mini and everywhere-in-between lengths in vogue.  For those of us who’ve passed the age when wearing mini skirts is anything but gross, this is really refreshing - we can choose what actually fits who we are, instead of what the runway crews choose for us.

So what does this have to do with branding?  A lot, actually - many follow the trends when it comes to brand personality and style, rather than following the personality that best fits their brand.  Just because Red Bull embraces the mini skirt personality with fabulous style, doesn’t mean it would be consistent or believable coming from Dr. Brown’s; it wouldn’t, because that’s just not who they are.  Your brand’s personality is core to how your customers see you, and when that changes frequently, they’re no longer sure of who they’re dealing with. Consistency goes a long way toward brand loyalty.

So whether you go mini, maxi, or play it safe just above the knee, stay true to who your brand is, regardless of the fashion winds of change.

The Muhsin Muhammad Foundation for Kids hosted “M2009” last night at the grand opening of the Big View Diner in Ballantyne.  We’ve all been to at least a few of these types of events, and although we’re biased because we’ve been working with this fabulous group of people, something special was going on here.   

First of all, it wasn’t only about raising money - sure there were lots of opportunities to donate to this worthwhile charity; a live auction, a raffle, and a silent auction were part of the event, but they actually wanted to say thanks to their sponsors and volunteers, and did so in a big way.  This felt like a big family gathering with great food and milkshakes, music and fun, lots of hugs, and lots of laughter.  Muhsin and Christa Muhammad, and foundation director Nicole Holtz were generous and welcoming hosts, making everyone feel like they were a part of the larger family caring for the special kids that M2 mentors.  The supportive, enriching environment they provide the boys in the M2 program certainly existed last night.

You’re kidding me, right?

I don’t think anything makes me angrier than truly bad, clueless customer service.  To the point that perhaps I shouldn’t write a blog post when I’m this mad. Maybe it will motivate some otherwise great company out there to mend their ways.  I’m willing to bet others have experienced this before, too -- cell phone companies finally have to get a clue that they are in a seriously competitive market place.