Sure, Toyota’s brand is in peril. We’re reading about this all over the place. But here’s a thought beyond the conventional wisdom about the fall of Toyota and its brand. It will bounce back, and fast. Here’s why. Toyota has spent the better part of 40 years building its reputation in the U.S. market. It has millions of brand-loyal customers. And for the most part, Toyota has maintained its brand with a focus on customer safety and satisfaction, with the goods to back it up.

It wasn’t just a made-up story Toyota wanted to tell. It had the customer-satisfaction scores and consumer-testing-agency scores to back it up. The Toyota brand was real, believable and of the highest integrity. Most important, it came from within, not from customer focus groups. This built a tremendous amount of brand equity in the U.S. market, equity the company will rely on for the next few years.

Unlike the U.S. automakers, Toyota (and its luxury division, Lexus) is a solid brand, and it will weather this storm. In a few years, Toyota will regain its market share and be back with a vengeance. Its leaders have made it their objective to regain their No. 1 brand position in the hearts and minds of American consumers, and you can be sure the company’s commitment to return to glory is job one. Nothing less will do for this company.

This year, I did something completely different on Super Bowl Sunday. I watched the game in its entirety. When I needed a drink or other break, I did it during the commercials. There was nothing compelling about the commercials, so why bother, I asked myself. I’ll do what I’m supposed to do and watch the game. (As a former New Orleanian, I was completely engrossed.)

Afterward, I wondered what was lost from those great years of Super Bowl ads in the 90’s and before. And then it hit me. Advertising as a marketing strategy is only one prong of building a company’s brand today. There are online strategies, PR, social media and a host of more effective ways to generate awareness and visibility for brands beyond the tried-and-true methods of marketing.

The most creative marketing solutions today are happening with integrated online and offline strategies. Take, for example, the Colorado Tourism Agency’s “Snow at First Sight” campaign. This brilliant campaign (it should be noted that it was developed by another agency) did a great job of generating awareness for Colorado and its wonderful snow through media coverage and online awareness. And the CTA didn’t even have to spend $2.5 million on media alone.

I’ve never been a big believer in the idea of a Super Bowl ad to generate buzz. This year, I’m even less taken with the idea. The integrated marketing and PR tool box is simply too rich now with ways to reach the targeted consumer without huge advertising outlays. It is my belief that this is where the real creativity will be found in the years ahead. So relax — it’s now safe to run to the restroom between plays of the Super Bowl. You won’t be missing anything.

Doppelgänger. Dopple what? Doppelgänger – it’s a German term for your look-alike. It’s also the biggest trend on Facebook. Sharing your bra color for Breast Cancer Awareness? That was so two weeks ago. And next week? It’ll be your Urban Dictionary name.

What is with these massively viral Facebook crazes? Suddenly, Facebook is the new Twitter – a trending topic on Twitter will now spread just as easily through Facebook statuses. Why? It’s shining light on the fact that Facebook now has more than 350 million users, and that of those 350 million, more than 35 million users update their status each day. Read the rest →