To cite an old saying that still rings true, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” It may be hard to muster up the energy to move beyond this state of inertia induced by economic meltdown, but Jewish organizations need more than ever to push their brand’s value to keep supporters believing in them. Here are a few brand building tips targeted to these hard times and to helping you better link your brand to your constituents needs. Take a look at your portfolio of services/programs and give them away to your supporters who need help. Every organization has in-house and volunteer expertise - job retraining, resume writing, financial planning, budgeting, marketing and sales skills - that can easily be offered to those in your community who are out of work and struggling to stay … Continue Reading
Revitalizing the Federation System
excerpts from Howard Rieger's presentation at the Federation Leadership Institute earlier this week: Our situation is further complicated by our ambivalence to spend money to make money. Sunday we heard the first results of our branding study, supported by a research and development fund included in this year's budget - a provision attacked by some, who wanted to discredit a UJC proposal to seek data to inform our future direction. Where would be today if those critics had won and those who advocated for data collection to inform strategy had lost? No facts. No data to help drive decision-making. Meanwhile, we are stuck in a competitive paralysis as we watch our mobile donor base shrink up before our eyes. Communities of origin are loathe to relinquish a donor who moves - that one I know from … Continue Reading
Bad Times Beget Bad Decisions
As the February 1st editorial in The New York Times, “Art at Brandeis” notes, hard times force hard choices on everyone. In both its editorial and in a stinging article, “In the Closing of Brandeis Museum, a Stark Statement of Priorities,” by arts pages writer Roberta Smith, The Times joins the growing chorus of lament over the university’s decision to close the Brandeis Rose Art Museum. You may ask what all this has to do with a blog on marketing for the Jewish community. It is simply the latest example of how smart people and revered institutions seem to never think through the implications of their actions to their institution’s reputation. Brand building and reputation burnishing are important responsibilities for every organization and their leadership. As important as balancing … Continue Reading
Israel as a (Negative) Brand
If you concur with our thoughts, we encourage you to pass this post along; post on list-servs, your blog etc. Encourage other publications to investigate and publicize this story. Those of us who have been around the Jewish world know that Israel's attempt to market the country have often not succeeded. I am not speaking about efforts during the current - or past - wars. But rather, our day to day image in the press. How Israel, as a country, is regarded. In 2005, a joint project was initiated by the Directors General of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister's Office and the Finance Ministry. The intent was to rebrand Israel in the eyes of both Jews and non-Jews. The driving concept was that Israel will win supporters only if it is seen as relevant and modern rather than … Continue Reading
Sustainability and Philanthropy—Can Walmart Show Us the Way
Sometimes things crystallize all at once. The New York Times reporter, Stephanie Rosenblum writes this week that Walmart, the behemoth retailer whose ethical, environmental and worker treatment record has been so poor that it will now require its manufacturers supplying goods to its stores to adhere to stricter ethical and environmental standards. This is big news. If Walmart is capable of raising its bar I am hopeful that our ethically and morally strong but often-slow-to adopt-change community will soon make some headway here as well. … Continue Reading
Managing Negative PR in the Web 2.0 World
Negative pr has always been a thorn in the side of those of us who work hard building and protecting the reputations of Jewish organizations that do good work and put a high value on maintaining the trust of their constituents. Yet, from time to time, even the most highly respected organization is faced with a situation that has the potential to seriously damage its reputation. I know because I have had to handle my share of negative pr situations over the course of my career. It’s never fun, difficult to get through and yet, if you follow the time-tested protocols for dealing with a pr “crisis,” you will get beyond the storm. The best “crisis pr” advice I ever heard was from Howard Rubenstein, the venerable crisis pr maven, who always started with “be prepared before a crisis strikes … Continue Reading
The Birth of Jewlicious
From the very beginning of our planning almost two years ago, the Jewlicious blog was highlighted in our business plan as one of the prime innovative projects emerging from a new generation of communal entrepreneurs. It would be much later before I would meet the man behind the project, ex-Montrealer and Shuk resident, David Abitbol, who would become both a friend and connector to many of the innovative programs popping up here in Israel. This morning (it's already Monday here in Jerusalem) and just in time to welcome in 5769, David (aka ck) is featured in the Jerusalem Post. May the publicity go to his head! Mr. J-Blog from J-town Back in the early days of the new millennium, the "cool Jew" movement was just warming up, thanks to ironic, self-deferential, post-traditional brands like Heeb … Continue Reading
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