I have an idea to develop a global brand that sells the creative people of Maine's products and services.

What will this brand look like?
Who will benefit?
The advantages?

The global brand is both an online and offline property, where Maine's creative works are displayed, sold and distributed throughout the world via multiple channels. The online brand is an online venue of buyers, sellers and wholesalers. Where people and businesses from anywhere in the world can communicate directly with and purchase from a Mainer a retail product or service.

The offline brand has a physical presence both in the state of Maine and throughout the world.

Local incubators (art-cubators) properties with in-house technological resources, human expertise and marketing and educational resources to assist Mainers in communicating and selling to the world, creative studio space, combined with a retail and wholesale outlet for commerce within the state of Maine.

Worldwide retail storefronts that sell products and services of the creative people. The strongest brand will mesh both online and offline markets together into one seamless presence.

Any creative person, business or organization that creates, manufactures, builds, promotes, markets or sells a product or service that is made with ones hands or mind will benefit from this brand.

The creative economy workers of Maine will have a huge advantage over other American workers and industries in the future as America continues to evolve into a global economy. We need to recognize our advantages and then capitalize.



Idea Premises
Advantage #1: Creative works cannot be easily replicated. I believe this is Maine's number one competitive advantage, individual artistic talent with the ability to create a one-of-a-kind product or service. I am referring to foreign competition, commodities and outsourcing and how the ability to create will trump the ability to replicate.

Advantage #2: Creative works are difficult to automate. We see automation everywhere. Jobs that once were service industries are now being automated by technology. The American middle and upper class is slowly being automated. Many service professionals are in for a rude awakening in the next 10 years. Technology has its strengths and weaknesses. You can't stop it, it's all about how you utilize technology to your advantage.

Advantage #3: Creative people are by nature innovative and entrepreneurial. We've got the stuff and our culture breeds it. Some call it the Maine way? Since moving here I have started to say to friends outside of Maine, that all Americans could learn from Mainers as their independence and survival skills are second to none.

Advantage #4: A global economy is transcending what were once poorer countries into wealthier countries. China, India, and Southeast Asia are starting to develop a middle class. Two billion more people with disposable income equals more discretionary purchases and imports. Mainers will have the biggest opportunity in the history of our state over the next fifty years to sell the world our creative works.

Advantage #5: A local green economy may be coming. Its too early to tell but I believe that as Americans feel the penny being squeezed and traditional work changing, Americans will look more local to purchase their food, clothes, and home needs. This economic effect will play into the hands of the creative individual and away from the big corporations and conglomerates.

These are five competitive advantages I view we have over others as creative people living in the state of Maine. I believe these advantages can be leveraged as the foundation for building a global brand.

I welcome your comments and feedback to my idea. I also welcome you to connect to my idea.

Note- At MaineCreates.com you can connect to a person in two different ways, one through their work and two through their idea. If you are already connected to my work and you would like to connect to this idea you must Request Connect to my idea. You are not automatically connected to my ideas even though we may have a work connection. These are separate connections.




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Toni, Seger I think your idea is very interesting. Maine has a long tradition and reputation for quality handcrafted artisan work that, properly marketed, could have real value in the creative marketplace. Indeed, there is a Maine brand already. For example, there are businesses in NYC with Maine in their name that have nothing to do with Maine because for many people, it stands for integrity. (Not that using something in your name that is irrelevant has anything to do with integrity...) Even as we use technology to reach across the globe, our local connections will grow more important as the limitations of fossil fuels are felt. A fascinating and frightening film called "The End of Surburbia" lays out a compelling case for this. While corporate consolidation appears to grow and grow without limit, consumers crave something personal, intimate, real. Corporations can pretend to offer a community experience or personal service, but it never substitutes for the custom attention offered by micro-businesses.

Posted Date: 2008-05-15 04:45 PM