Comments on: Brands building their own social nets – surely that is cart before horse? http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/ Nic Brisbourne's view from London on venture capital and exploiting change in technology and media Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:08:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Scott Eblen http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-768 Scott Eblen Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:31:52 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-768 Nike creating a "soccer" social network (it is an American company after all) was an effort that I suspect didn't play to its strength or core market. There are Nike fans and there are football fans but do they intersect? When I said great brands I may have been too general. I think you literally need to have 'brand fans' to make something like this work, but Apple fits that category. There's a crowd that lives and breathes all things Apple and I think they could sustain MyAppleSpace. Definitely a small market though – probably only a few high end fashion and car makers that could do this. Nike creating a “soccer” social network (it is an American company after all) was an effort that I suspect didn’t play to its strength or core market. There are Nike fans and there are football fans but do they intersect?

When I said great brands I may have been too general. I think you literally need to have ‘brand fans’ to make something like this work, but Apple fits that category. There’s a crowd that lives and breathes all things Apple and I think they could sustain MyAppleSpace. Definitely a small market though – probably only a few high end fashion and car makers that could do this.

]]> By: Scott Eblen http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-10665 Scott Eblen Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:31:00 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-10665 Nike creating a "soccer" social network (it is an American company after all) was an effort that I suspect didn't play to its strength or core market. There are Nike fans and there are football fans but do they intersect? When I said great brands I may have been too general. I think you literally need to have 'brand fans' to make something like this work, but Apple fits that category. There's a crowd that lives and breathes all things Apple and I think they could sustain MyAppleSpace. Definitely a small market though – probably only a few high end fashion and car makers that could do this. Nike creating a “soccer” social network (it is an American company after all) was an effort that I suspect didn’t play to its strength or core market. There are Nike fans and there are football fans but do they intersect?

When I said great brands I may have been too general. I think you literally need to have ‘brand fans’ to make something like this work, but Apple fits that category. There’s a crowd that lives and breathes all things Apple and I think they could sustain MyAppleSpace. Definitely a small market though – probably only a few high end fashion and car makers that could do this.

]]> By: nic http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-762 nic Tue, 06 Mar 2007 14:59:42 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-762 Hi Scott - I'm not so sure that even Apple could sustain a social network. Unless they worked really hard to keep adding content I'm not sure there would be enough there to keep people coming back. Nike's failure with Joga, the football focused social net is a good lesson. I reckon they will give it a go though, so we will probably find out who is right! Hi Scott – I’m not so sure that even Apple could sustain a social network. Unless they worked really hard to keep adding content I’m not sure there would be enough there to keep people coming back. Nike’s failure with Joga, the football focused social net is a good lesson.

I reckon they will give it a go though, so we will probably find out who is right!

]]> By: nic http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-10664 nic Tue, 06 Mar 2007 14:59:00 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-10664 Hi Scott - I'm not so sure that even Apple could sustain a social network. Unless they worked really hard to keep adding content I'm not sure there would be enough there to keep people coming back. Nike's failure with Joga, the football focused social net is a good lesson. I reckon they will give it a go though, so we will probably find out who is right! Hi Scott – I’m not so sure that even Apple could sustain a social network. Unless they worked really hard to keep adding content I’m not sure there would be enough there to keep people coming back. Nike’s failure with Joga, the football focused social net is a good lesson.

I reckon they will give it a go though, so we will probably find out who is right!

]]> By: Scott Eblen http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-760 Scott Eblen Tue, 06 Mar 2007 14:37:41 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-760 I disagree – I think there are some exceptions to your last point. I’d argue that GREAT brands attract people; it’s all the rest that are the other way around. What if Apple or 37 Signals created a social network? They have great brands and could attract quite a crowd. However, your incredulity at the NYT article is justified. There are too few “great” brands to justify Cisco’s moves in this market. I disagree – I think there are some exceptions to your last point. I’d argue that GREAT brands attract people; it’s all the rest that are the other way around. What if Apple or 37 Signals created a social network? They have great brands and could attract quite a crowd.

However, your incredulity at the NYT article is justified. There are too few “great” brands to justify Cisco’s moves in this market.

]]> By: Scott Eblen http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-10663 Scott Eblen Tue, 06 Mar 2007 14:37:00 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-10663 I disagree – I think there are some exceptions to your last point. I’d argue that GREAT brands attract people; it’s all the rest that are the other way around. What if Apple or 37 Signals created a social network? They have great brands and could attract quite a crowd. However, your incredulity at the NYT article is justified. There are too few “great” brands to justify Cisco’s moves in this market. I disagree – I think there are some exceptions to your last point. I’d argue that GREAT brands attract people; it’s all the rest that are the other way around. What if Apple or 37 Signals created a social network? They have great brands and could attract quite a crowd.

However, your incredulity at the NYT article is justified. There are too few “great” brands to justify Cisco’s moves in this market.

]]> By: leafar http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-758 leafar Tue, 06 Mar 2007 10:15:10 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-758 I agree. My space made some moves on these paths (with profile like "red"). A very few number of company have the power to create some "metcalfe" but using it is another story. Best comment on the subject! I agree.
My space made some moves on these paths (with profile like “red”). A very few number of company have the power to create some “metcalfe” but using it is another story.
Best comment on the subject!

]]> By: leafar http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-10662 leafar Tue, 06 Mar 2007 10:15:00 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2007/03/06/brands-building-their-own-social-nets-surely-that-is-cart-before-horse/#comment-10662 I agree. My space made some moves on these paths (with profile like "red"). A very few number of company have the power to create some "metcalfe" but using it is another story. Best comment on the subject! I agree.
My space made some moves on these paths (with profile like “red”). A very few number of company have the power to create some “metcalfe” but using it is another story.
Best comment on the subject!

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