Ever seen Kiss play live? I have. A couple of times. And I’ve also seen a Kiss tribute band. Every time it’s been a great night out. But I’ve always been struck by how crap their songs are. I mean, really, really crap. Yet Kiss has sold over 100 million albums. Why Kiss? Why can I hum my way through heaps of Kiss tracks, but not many of the other 97 million songs in the world? What made Kiss radiate?…
They know who they are
Kiss is very clear on what they are and what they’re not. They’re commercial, not arty. They love pyrotechnics, not diminished chords. They deliver the big shows, the big power chord, and the big hair. Time and time again. Because they know who they are and deliver on it, I know who they are.
They stand out
You’d have no trouble picking Gene Simmons in a line-up. I find it hard to even compare Kiss to another band. They have the confidence to be remarkable.
They own it
There’s no backward steps. Kiss start live shows with the intro - Alright (insert city name), you wanted the best, you go the best, the hottest band in the world, Kiss. Imagine if you started your next presentation with that kind of self-proclaimed swagger.
They deliver
There’s no moment of judgement on the claim of being “the hottest band in the world”, but when you see a Kiss show you go home knowing they’ve thrown everything at you. It’s the ‘all you can eat’ of rock n roll shows.
They connect
Albums and t-shirts, there’s nothing particularly unique about that. But Kiss clearly go a long way further in terms of products and maximising every opportunity to connect. This gives them so many more opportunities to be noticed than you’re average band. They even have a name for their fans - the Kiss Army. It’s like being conscripted. It’s not 'you' and 'them', it 'us’. Before you know it you’re wearing a Kiss Army t-shirt and writing blog posts…
There's so much to love about the Kiss brand and how they go about it, that I forgive them for writing crap songs. Even though good songs is the core offering of their industry. Follow these simple steps and you too could have a brand that rocks.
