Time picked up on an SF Chronicle story and wrote about the marketing of the Occupy movement. How Marketers Would Brand Occupy Wall Street is rather hilarious. They claim:
To build a brand—or a movement—that is successful over the long haul, marketing experts say that it is essential to establish definable goals, spread a simple, clear message to the masses, and have leaders to oversee the agenda. So far, the Occupy Wall Street protests, which by now have spread far beyond New York City, aren’t doing any of these things.
So, let me get this straight. The movement has spread globally AND has failed to brand itself properly? And? Despite? Because?
Time’s unwritten assumption: nobody has tried to start this movement, these people have succeeded because the world was ripe for their message, no matter how unpolished.
Time’s omitted truth: sophisticated nonprofits have spent hundreds of millions over the past few years trying to leverage public sentiment to support their advocacy efforts. Organizations like MoveOn have this organizing work down to a science, and part of that science includes hiring the marketing experts quoted by Time.
The more interesting article: How did Occupy capture the hearts and minds of millions without depending on the mainstream channels for marketing and communication? How do they continue to achieve this despite their insistence on no heirarchical leadership and no specific specific goals and priorities?