News Archive December 2010

Simmons' Speech To Highlight Branding
From: Times & Transcript
Posted: December 23, 2010

Amid all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds legendary rock star Gene Simmons, one could be forgiven for forgetting that he is, at the end of the day, a businessman.

Underneath the face-painted demon playing bass in rock band KISS is a man who came from next to nothing and turned himself into a successful, world-renowned business mogul.

One could draw a comparison between Simmons' alter egos and the Atlantic Brand Confabulation, the event the rocker will be appearing at on Friday, Jan. 14 in Moncton at Casino New Brunswick.

While the event promises a three-course dinner, paparazzi, red carpet, swag bags, music, speakers, prizes and more, the event also serves as a business function, says organizer Brad LeBlanc of The Momentum Group.

If you're a businessperson looking to establish or market a brand, LeBlanc says the Confabulation is the place to be.

"He is one of the best," LeBlanc says of Simmons' branding finesse. "Yes, he's sold 100 million albums, and yes, he's sold over 3,000 branding rights for the KISS logo alone, but he's also a master of personal branding for himself. He even branded his family, with (his hit reality television show) Family Jewels," he says.

LeBlanc points out that Simmons built his business empire from nothing.

Born in Haifa, Israel in 1949, Simmons was the only child of his mother, a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp. Mother and son emigrated to New York, where in 1972, Simmons founded legendary face-painted rockers KISS.

Over nearly 40 years, he has turned the band into a marketing machine, with merchandise including comic books, lunch boxes, pinball machines, computer games, wine, clothing and even toilet paper and coffins featuring the faces of KISS's four members.

"I've never been to a KISS concert, I've never seen a KISS concert, but when someone says 'KISS,' I picture the KISS logo in lights," LeBlanc says. "I can't tell you why that is. I'm not a rock music fan, but the brand supersedes even the brand 'Gene Simmons.'"

The rocker operates his own record label, can be seen weekly on the hit reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels, has released best-selling books and has dabbled in acting and producing bands.

"Gene is not going to stand there and tell you what makes a good logo," LeBlanc says. "He's going to stand there and tell you what it means to be a brand, to set a brand, to live a brand and to never differ from that brand."

Simmons will give his speech, entitled "Gene Simmons, Rich & Famous," and will also take some audience questions at the Atlantic Brand Confabulation.

Also speaking at the event is Nova Scotia-based musician Dave Carroll, who slugged it out on the music scene for years before shooting to stardom seemingly overnight a few years ago when he released a music video online for his song, United Breaks Guitars, after U.S. airline employees broke one of his guitars and refused to reimburse Carroll.

A successful and sought-after speaker, Carroll turned a negative experience into something that forced an airline to look at its own business practices. At the same time, Taylor Guitars, the maker of Carroll's beloved six-string, benefitted from the attention.

Carroll will speak about branding, customer service, social media and social responsibility.

And a third speaker has been added to the bill in Gair Maxwell, a Moncton author and entrepreneur who released his first book, Nuts, Bolts and a Few Loose Screws: Common Threads of Remarkable People and Seamless Brands, earlier this year.

Maxwell travels as a professional speaker, delivering close to 100 presentations a year. He is also the businessman behind successful branding company The Seamless Brand.

In addition to all this, Gene Simmons is expected to make an appearance at Moncton Chrysler, the event's presenting sponsor, sometime in the future for an exclusive meet-and-greet.

* The Atlantic Brand Confabulation takes place Friday, Jan. 14 from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $249. They're available at The Momentum Group's offices, 260 Champlain St., or by phone at 854-8759. For more information, visit www.thebrandedtour.ca online.