In re-reading my 1995 paper, Publishing Models for Internet Commerce, I came across a few bits that were worth retrieving across the sea of years and putting forth again. One was this paragraph, very relevant to the subject of this year’s ETech conference:
Trademark may turn out to be a far more important form of intellectual property protection for the net than copyright. An intellectual property-based brand or trademark is a kind of “standing wave” through which a changing body of content flows. A news magazine doesn’t own the news it reports, it owns its name and the point of view associated with that name.
Here's a fuller excerpt, with the quote above in context:
In an information glut, it is not content but context that is king. Someone chooses the New York Times over the New York Post not because of any kind of proprietary lock on content (though to be sure there is a role for scoops and special features) but rather because it has developed an editorial point of view that appeals to a particular class of reader. In a similar way, there is an enormous role for the establishment of “information brands” on the net–publications that have established relationships of trust with particular audiences.
(An important aside here: Trademark may turn out to be a far more important form of intellectual property protection for the net than copyright. An intellectual property-based brand or trademark is a kind of “standing wave” through which a changing body of content flows. A news magazine doesn’t own the news it reports, it owns its name and the point of view associated with that name.)
A key part of what we established with GNN was a brand and a subscriber list. The actual content is valuable–but far more valuable is the relationship with the people who like the same kinds of things we like.
This relationship runs all through publishing–and not just magazine publishing. Publishing marketing is always affinity marketing:
“If you liked Steven King’s last novel, you’ll like this one even better.”
“If you like Steven King, you’ll like Peter Straub.”
“If you like Steven King, you’ll like these other books from the same publisher.”The most successful publishers always create brands whenever they can. It’s certainly been a major part of O’Reilly & Associates’ success.
For information products, a brand is far more than a trademark, though. It must also represent a consistent point of view, a consistent selection of information. The animal on the cover alerts a reader to the fact that he’s picking up an O’Reilly book, but it’s the consistent subject matter and treatment that makes many customers buy everything we publish.
In short, honesty and consistency are a key part of brand development. The surest way to dilute an established brand is to put it on a product that doesn’t measure up.
I think that the importance of brands is already well recognized in the Web community, though often poorly executed, mainly because so many sites are plowing the same ground. There’s only so much room for “the coolest site.” Differentiation is key.
When trying to make my mark on the Web, I’d opt for a site with a narrow focus and an audience that can grow over time, rather than going for a big splash.