Creating and Living Branded Content

I recently went one on one with Chris Gernon. Chris is the founder and CEO of Fugitives, a creative agency that rebuilds brands by using visual identity through logo design and digital content. Over the past several years he has worked extensively with leading brands, including Disney Parks and Disney Vacation Club, and on the new SAHARA LAS VEGAS rebrand.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your story and your advice. First things first, though, what is something about you that your social media followers don’t know?

I think that I surprise people when they begin to look beyond the surface that I’m a genuine person who’s always looking at the positive side of life and that I love to support everyone’s journey. My social media presence is one side of who I am but I’m also a thinker with a tremendous amount of empathy.

Adam: What are the best lessons you have learned on marketing and branding from your career in the space? What should entrepreneurs and executives understand?

The biggest lesson that I have learned in my career is that the answers always reveal themselves. In other words, when you force a preconceived notion, your team will have already limited their choices based on your recommendation and a more thoughtful choice will be harder to see. Perspective is important and playing the ideas out in a safe environment inspires bigger thinking. It’s a hard lesson to learn, as most people assume that as a leader you always have an answer or need to be the biggest voice in the room. This is not true. Listening to thoughtful reasoning and making good decisions makes for stronger leaders.

Adam: How did you become a micro-influencer? How can others learn from your journey?

The crude answer is that I post shirtless pictures, sad but true. Over the years I have tried to refocus my social media following with a marginal level of success. The trap with social media is keeping a high level of engagement while battling a previous version of yourself. Basically, your followers expect you to deliver the same kind of content they signed up for but when you begin to want to change that image your engagement tends to go down, at least temporarily, while you attract a different type of follower. My suggestion would be to steer away from images that come across as one-sided and to always  try to show the breadth of your experiences and life overall.

Adam: What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your success and growth in business?

As a child growing up, I’ve always had a small business mindset. In fact, my father and all of my siblings (I’m one of six) are all business owners and are entrepreneurs themselves. Growing up, my father worked every day in a dusty hardware store deep in Louisiana. He was constantly worried about the cash flow and fought for everything he had. We watched him slowly build a business that was able to support his kids and eventually allowed him to retire, which he is now enjoying. What I appreciated the most was how he was in control of his destiny and our future. The lessons he taught us every day were about determination and the slow careful choices you make along the way.  This lesson I found most valuable, when you don’t have money to lose, you must be thoughtful with your choices as it’s directly related to the stability of your future, but indecision is a recipe for failure.

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? Who are the greatest leaders you have been around and what did you learn from them?

Leaders come from all walks of life, some are hands-off while others are in trenches with the team. I heard a story when I first started managing teams that stuck with me: a good leader is one who makes goals clear, establishes flexibility to the path, and supports the team to get to the final result. If it was equivalent to a race, a captain of the team would be the one who is handing out water and cheering them to run. If one stumbles, pick them up, cater to their needs and send them on their way. A leader is only as good as the team they have around them and they should be championed and given the opportunity to excel. 

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders?

Don’t think you have all the answers, leave your ego at the door, and be curious.

Adam: Can you discuss the brand strategy for the Sahara Hotel? How did you and your team approach the project, develop a plan and execute on it?

The SAHARA project was the best combination of challenges. We needed to delineate the new brand from its previous identity and walk a fine line between honoring its long Las Vegas history while also not living in the past. In other words, we never wanted the hotel to seem old or retro. This was key to the new brand and identity. Our project included the strategy as well as the identity (naming, logo designs, and hotel collateral) and marketing campaigns. In the strategy portion, we discovered the cornerstones of the brand as 1) Intimate, this is by Vegas standards of a boutique hotel, 2) Iconic, as this was one of the last original hotels standing, where performers like Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand, and Louis Prima all played and 3) Unexpected, to play against the checkered history of the property as a surprise to see all the new interiors and service. These three cornerstones gave us the foundation and point all the branding opportunities to these three ideas. For example, the logo and its icon are carefully designed to give elegance and a modern flair, but with the removal of the crossbars on the A’s, it gave a level of unexpectedness to the property.  Another is the icon that is a graphical representation of the brand is the combining of the letter “S'' with the shape of an upright infinity symbol, together these also form the power number 8. These are just a couple of examples of our work on SAHARA but you will find the same level of detail and consideration infused in everything from the signs that hang outside the building to the cards that you use to get into your room. The embodiment of a brand lives in the details and due primarily to strong strategic thinking.

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

The best piece of advice that I have ever received is something I learned from a hero of mine in the industry. He said to me one day over a career talk, “know one thing you do well and keep doing that until it’s perfect.” For me, I’m at my best when I’m problem solving. I thrive on challenges and I won’t ever turn one down or walk away. That, in my opinion, is the recipe for success. I was never a strong student with grades, I was always more involved in the arts but my strengths were in visualizing and playing through scenarios. Comprehension was my ticket to finding a career that I love.

Adam: What is one thing everyone should be doing to pay it forward?

Mentoring. I’ve been given so many opportunities in life because of a genuine curiosity to know more. I wouldn’t be where I am today without someone who knew more than I did, showing me a better way. I feel it’s my (our) duty in society to help those who ask, as I’ve been fortunate enough to have had that opportunity and always make it a point to try to give back. 

Adam: What are your hobbies and how have they shaped you?

There are a ton of projects that pass my desk every day. All of them are heavily reviewed by the clients, their lawyers, and business affairs teams before it even gets to the big boss who has  their own opinions. Let’s face it, reviews and changes on a project are the majority of the work. How you handle it is what makes the project go smoothly or not. I have found over the years as a creative that you need to have ownership of something to keep the mind working. For me, it’s woodworking. When I’m in my shop, I get inspired and my mind begins to recalibrate with sawdust, nails, and glue. Without any approval or changes outside of what I impose on myself, I can return with a full heart and active mind, ready to get back to my work. Everyone should have a hobby that inspires them.

Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Every day, running a company, managing creative, and paying the bill can sometimes feel like you’re pushing a rock up the hill with your nose, but to have the ability to create your own path and be in charge of your destiny, is everything. It takes work, you struggle, and there are many sleepless nights. But you know what? I wouldn’t change it for the world. Thank you for having me.