Ralf Weiser's Blog – Shake Up Your Snow Globe! ©

What should businesses learn from Miley Cyrus and Co?

 What should businesses learn from Miley Cyrus and Co? 

I did not even watch the VMA event and I know about Miley’s performance. It should do wonders for her record sales and an increase in popularity. One big question that pops up though is if and how sustainable this kind of “success” is. Isn’t the lesson learned for businesses that sugar rush success through being controversial is unlikely to last?

Businesses are so much after more clicks, likes, web site traffic, and in general their marketing departments spend so much time and effort in keeping their products and companies in the minds of consumers and customers. What better way than sprinkling a little dash of controversy over the social media landscape.

Well, think of all the famous and infamous folks who have tried this avenue. Where are folks like Ozzy Osbourne, Allen Iverson, Mike Tyson, Emimen, Garth Brooks, etc today? How about the once famous Enron story? Even Miley’s “achey breaky” father could probably say a word or two about how tough it is sustaining a whole career based on one / few superlative successes. It simply isn’t.

Business leaders who are interested in long term and sustainable success should read up on the topic reading one of three books of my favorite author Jim Collins. “Built to last” for instance illustrates how companies survived and thrived for decades and decades by building up habits and leadership that was visionary and inspiring. The short sugar rush of being the top tweet and most FB liked person is unlikely ever going to get businesses there.

Ralf