Solving the Mysteries of Brand Strategy with Scott Monty


scott monty

Was Dr. Watson from the Sherlock Holmes stories the original brand manager? That’s the theory Scott Monty posed at the top of the show. Scott is the executive editor and co-host of the Sherlock Holmes website and podcast I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere. He’s also a leading digital marketing strategist and consultant at Scott Monty Strategies. On top of all of this, Scott is a speaker at this fall’s Social Brand Forum. I couldn’t wait to chat with him on this week’s episode of the On Brand Podcast.

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About Scott Monty

Scott Monty is an internationally recognized leader in digital communications, digital transformation, social media and marketing. As principal of Scott Monty Strategies, he counsels brands and agencies on strategy, executive communications, influencer management, the customer experience, and digital initiatives.

Scott spent six years at Ford Motor Company, as a strategic advisor on crisis communications, influencer relations, digital customer customer service, innovative product launches and more. He also has a decade of experience in communications and marketing agencies, where he had clients that included IBM Healthcare and Life Sciences, Coca-Cola, American Airlines, T-Mobile, and GE Software.

He is a board member of the American Marketing Association and an advisor for RPM Ventures in Ann Arbor and Palo Alto, My Dealer Service, and Crowd Companies. He writes about the changing landscape of business, technology, communications, marketing and leadership at ScottMonty.com and is the executive editor and co-host of the Sherlock Holmes website and podcast I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere.

Episode Highlights

Elementary my dear, Monty. I couldn’t resist starting the show with a discussion of the Sherlock Holmes brand, which is a fun subplot in the new film Mr. Holmes starring Ian McKellen.

Why Alan Mulally is the “spirit animal” of the Ford brand. Scott and I discussed one of my favorite outputs from his time at Ford — a video featuring CEO Alan Mulally eagerly participating in a Twitter Chat. Monty also shared that Mulally’s One Ford strategy, leadership, and commitment was key to the auto brand’s survival during the recent “carpocalypse.” Here’s the video:

Avoid brining old tricks to new places. “The days of using social media as a mass communication or interactive billboard are over.” We have to find new ways to communicate with our customers. As Scott said, “People don’t want to be advertised to but they do want to be communicated with.”

Consistent communication builds confidence. “Like politics, you have to get in front of the story or the story will be made up without you. In the absence of information, customers will fill the void — often with something negative.”

What brand has made Scott smile recently? “Financial institutions don’t usually make you smile …” but Scott loves the personalized approach that TD Bank has been using for putting their customer at the center of their experience.

To learn more about Scott, check out Scott Monty Strategies or follow him on Twitter. Remember, you can also see Scott this fall at the Social Brand Forum in Iowa. Save $100 by using promo code ONBRAND when you register #SocialBrand15.

As We Wrap …

Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our listeners …
Recently our friend J. Alex Sánchez gave us a shout on Twitter about our recent episode focused on brand unity featuring Josh Miles. Thanks for listening!

Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show.

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Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!