BUILDING AN ONLINE IDENTITY
Prepared by Alex Johnson
For Power to the Pixel
Digital Distribution & Film Innovation Forum, London
23 Oct 2008
www.alexjohnsononline.com

BRAND is not a dirty word
Filmmakers, projects &/or companies need to present themselves
as strong & recognizable brands

Term BRAND has a bad reputaJon
Why?
• ver used term
O
• ssociated with unreliable authors – marketers, fakes, those in
A
front of camera not behind
Reclaim it. Guide it. It’s important.
Why?
• imply how you are described
S
• or a strong brand there is overall consensus
F
• eople associate themselves with a brand as an ID marker
P
• tronger brand, more recognizable you are – opportuniJes will
S
come to you
• llows you to know what partnerships & choices are right for you
A

Brand as an ID marker
Levis Wrangler Diesel

BRAND PERCEPTION
A BRAND is a promise
Walter Landor

BRAND PERCEPTION

BRAND PERCEPTION
“a gilded invita0on to join the show's
universe”
“the perfect amuse‐bouche” Newsweek – True Blood: the lost art of opening credits

BRAND PERCEPTION
A brand is a collecJon of
percepJons in the mind of
the consumer
Why? It is:
• ntangible. Not a product or service
I
• oyalty ladder – different percepJons
L
• bout the total experience, not just iconography &
A
communicaJons
hWp://www.buildingbrands.com

BRAND PERCEPTION
Brand tags
The sum of all thoughts in a consumers
head

BRAND PERCEPTION
Why & how does this apply to me?
You are who google says you are Branding has become a mainstream individual pursuit

BRAND BUILDING
So how do I create a brand online?
1. LOOK AT YOUR PEERS / COMPETITORS (POSITIONING)
2. DEFINE YOUR BRAND ATTRIBUTES
3. DEVELOP A VISUAL IDENTITY
4. CREATE A SINGULAR BUT DISTRIBUTED IDENTITY
6. GET USED TO ONLINE SPEED (LOYALTY)

BRAND BUILDING
1. LOOK AT YOUR PEERS / COMPETITORS (POSITIONING)
How are you different? What are people saying about them? Buzz report
2. DEFINE YOUR BRAND ATTRIBUTES
Ask yourself quesJons, list keywords

BRAND BUILDING
3. DEVELOP A VISUAL IDENTITY
Mood‐board from keywords, look at references from all over, logo, color choice –
cymbolism site
hWp://www.usabilitypost.com

BRAND BUILDING
4. CREATE A SINGULAR BUT DISTRIBUTED IDENTITY
• Website as a casing for social media: Literal example – modernity agency site & bud
caddell friend feed; felicia day

BRAND BUILDING
4. CREATE A SINGULAR BUT DISTRIBUTED IDENTITY
• Entry points–stumble on, Google rise–findability, Bandwidth sharing, Community
parJcipaJon
Delicious
Behance Flickr
Google
VS
12 seconds Your
Youtube
Your website
website
Blog TwiWer
Ning
Dopplr

BRAND BUILDING
5. DEVELOP YOUR ONLINE PERSONALITY
• Choose the tool mix that’s right for you
• Learn what makes a page valuable (copy, insight)
• How I do it
• Respect the house: speak differently in different places
• Consider a handle
• Rise up google through press, own sites,
consistent presence on mulJple social media plaborms

BRAND BUILDING
6. GET USED TO ONLINE SPEED (LOYALTY)
• The feedback loop – moJve, dr horrible
• Track & talk offsite & onsite ‐ google/twiWer alerts, web analysis tools
GOOD ONLINE IDENTITIES
Tom Green, Kevin Smith, Miranda July, Rosie O’Donnell