On 08/03/10 13:11, Martin Owens wrote: > On Mon, 2010-03-08 at 10:31 +0000, Mark Shuttleworth wrote: > >> *Hopefully* that converges with our assumed brand values >> (reliable, precise, free, collaborative for Ubuntu, and adding >> accountable and adroit for Canonical). >> > I'm concerned about this marketing speak. >
The way we use words is important, and there's a certain rigour and discipline to it. Engineers often miss the value of good messaging, but that doesn't mean it's not important. We've always tried with Ubuntu to be clear about who we're talking to, what assumptions we make, and how we present our case. There's no need for cynicism about that. In this case, the important meme is that *a brand is what people think about you*, not what you /want/ them to think about you. Of course, you try to stand for certain things, but if you fail, your brand is what it is. An identity, on the other hand, is the way in which you present yourself (and specifically, terms, words, graphics, logos, colours, fonts etc). So, this latest work has been an Ubuntu Identity refresh, not an Ubuntu Brand refresh. Technically. > I'm fairly cynical to marketing though so maybe it's just me. Lists of > words, how were those picked? > Long discussions, mostly between me, Jane and members of the design team. A public thread on the subject would not have been more productive. > OK so I understand we've got to explain to people what we mean with > Ubuntu, position ourselves for non-community folk. But I'm just baffled > by these words, recently I picked my own set of words and most of them > were about FOSS rather than just Ubuntu: > > http://doctormo.deviantart.com/art/DRAFT-Ubuntu-AnimeBos-Flyer-1-156027211 > > That's great work, and for that audience it may be perfect. Most consumers don't want to think too much about FOSS, though, so for a broader audience it can't be our primary message. It's there, and important, but it's not our primary message. We focus on the ways in which we're better (as a result of being FOSS). > But I consider things like 'precise' and 'reliable' as being too common, > predicable and there is the danger that those things can be very easily > disproved with testing. Bad PR if we don't live up to them. > > Instead I think we should be playing to our strengths as leaders of a > smart, compassionate, scientific community, developing amazingly good > software. > > Perhaps we all see different things. But should I be worried that I'm no > longer in coherent agreement with the Canonical's Ubuntu brand message? > No, you needn't worry. If you're making materials, make them to tell the story in your own words about why Ubuntu is amazing for you. Chances are, you will be using the words which will most resonate with that audience, because you'll be invited to speak at places where you are in tune with the audience. Mark
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