Be different... like everyone else.

Listened to another Age of Persuasion episode again today. This one was called "Old Media, New Media, Borrowed Media, Blue Media" and was about the fall of television and the rise of, well, other things: events, the web, viral video, and other wacky things. This was a very entertaining episode. You should listen to it.

Of course, I had to listen to it with my librarian-ears. This is what I heard:

1. Just like some companies are "marketing" with things other than "media", such as GE's purchase of a water recycling plant to make an impression for their sponsorship of the Beijing Olympics, librarians and libraries could do something to make ourselves known and liked. Given the non-profit nature of librarianship, we can't go out and buy utilities for the townsfolk, but maybe volunteering time in some way would help?
2. Like I said before, this episode talks about how TV advertising is dropping. I've always thought that libraries should advertise on TV given how popular the medium is. But if it's dropping (and I'm sure it is) off the map, then perhaps we can hop on other media without missing the boat this time.
3. "No brand can afford not have to have it's own web site." Now pretty much all libraries have web sites nowadays. But we're certainly not treating them as the seat of our "brands". We need to do that. Somehow.
4. Finally, be different. Just like stunts like the counterfeit Mini Coopers or the Honeyshed shopping channel.

C'mon people... these ideas are golden! Or are they? Hmmmm...