We talk a lot in this blog about strategic consistency and staying on focus.  Now and again we see a brand do something out of character that actually works because it adds emotional dimension and differentiation to its focus rather than confusing its audience.

An example was Malcolm Forbes.  His motorcyling exploits and hot air balloon racing made him more human and thus differentiated him from other business pundits as “adventurous.”

Now we have the news that Bob Schieffer, host of TV’s Face The Nation, is a country song writer on the side, and is performing with the band, HONKY TONK CONFIDENTIAL.  His potential hit song is “Anchor Man.”  This discovery about Bob changed forever the way I think of him.  This is not a lark for Bob.  He is 70 years old, and acknowledges that he will not make it as a singer, but states in his own words that he thinks he can make it as a writer.  I was not surprised to find that he was born in Austin, Texas.

Now the man who intimidates Presidents and World Leaders seems approachable to someone as lowly as I am.  His brand (with a band) has given me a reason to like him as well as respect him.

I will try to think of non-human brands that have also accomplished this in a similar fashion.