Jorge Cruise

April 21, 2005

Jorge_cruise The only thing better than succeeding yourself is watching someone you know and respect succeed. And Jorge Cruise is doing just that. Growing up, he was an overweight kid but today Jorge has become a fitness and diet guru. First with Jorge’s 8 Minutes in the Morning book and now with his 3-Hour Diet book, Jorge is on the verge of a mega branding success.

Al and I got to know Jorge because of his interest in our books. He has taken many of our principles and used them in building his own brand. Here are a few strategies that Jorge used. (You might consider using some of them yourself in building your own brand.)

1. If your name is not right for your brand, change it.

Having a simple, easy-to-spell and memorable brand name is the first key to branding success. Jorge’s original last name of Mauier was not simple, easy or memorable. So he changed it to Cruise. His Mom was most likely a little upset, but in the long run I think it has given his brand a tremendous boost. (Some actor dude named Thomas Mapother IV did the same thing a few years ago. And today most people recognize him as Tom Cruise.)

2. Focus your brand on one idea.

The key to Jorge’s fitness program and his book was his focus on 8 minutes. It empowered people to believe that they could accomplish fitness without spending hours everyday at the gym. Most books and experts say the same thing: eat less and exercise more and you’ll lose weight and look great. But the difference between a best-seller and the scrap heap is the ability to focus on one key element of a fitness program and build your brand around that. The key to success is differentiating yourself from the pack by focusing on one key.

3. Publicity builds brands.

Advertising doesn’t build brands, PR does. Jorge is a tireless self-promoter. Which is another necessary key to success.  Featured on Oprah, CNN, Good Morning America, USA Today, and The New York Times among other places creates credibility and fuels word of mouth about your brand.

Last Sunday, The New York Times did a cover story on Jorge and his diet book best-seller in the Sunday Styles section. This is a indication of Jorge being on the verge of mega success.

4. Be patient. Building a brand takes time.

Brands that become too hot too fast usually die quickly. They are fads and not powerful long lasting brands. Think malt-alternative beverages like Zima and Smirnoff Ice, most definately fads and not brands. It takes time to build a brand with word of mouth and PR. But this slow build-up is the key to success because brands that are built with a strong foundation of credibility can usually stand the test of time. Jorge has been working very hard for many years building his brand.

5. When the time is right, use massive advertising.

Now is the time to promote the heck out of Jorge. And that is just what his publisher plans to do with his new book The 3-Hour Diet. Because he has the brand, the credibility and the word of mouth already going, now is the time to light the fire. With huge in-store displays at Barnes & Noble, a massive PR tour and advertising, Jorge’s book entered The New York Times best-seller list at No. 3 among How-to books.

6. Don’t overlook the power of timing.

No brand, book or idea can really succeed without the help of good timing and a little luck. Good timing means that the public is ready for your idea, the press is willing to cover your idea and no one else is promoting a similar idea. All of these things are working in Jorge’s favor. People are tired of the South Beach diet, it is yesterday’s news. The press is looking for the next big diet craze. And no other competitors have come on the scene is a while.

Jorge’s website:

http://www.jorgecruise.com/home/index.php

Buy The 3-Hour Diet at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060792299/ref=ase_satisfactiong-20/002-0536715-4736855?v=glance&s=books

Sunday’s New York Times profile on Jorge:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/17/fashion/sundaystyles/17diet.html?