Group, Hefty Profits

But following KISS became a lifestyle for a lot of fans. Much like the Grateful Dead’s Deadheads, the KISS Army, as its most dedicated fans were known, followed the band from city to city in full makeup and dress and communed with other zealots.

Unlike the other bands featured in this article, however, KISS’s rise to stardom didn’t bring with it a number one record or great critical acclaim. Nor did the band go on to win a coveted Grammy award, or many other major awards, for that matter. KISS did, however, win over fans and score big at the cash register, generating hefty profits for the band.

Fast forward 30 years and picture yourself in a meeting with a group of millionaires, and you probably wouldn’t envision yourself walking away thinking, “All I ever really needed to know about how to build a brand, I learned from KISS.” But underneath all of the makeup, spandex, and hair is a group of intelligent people who carefully crafted the evolution of the KISS brand. At the helm of the organization are Gene Simmons-the long tongued, fire breathing, marketer extraordinaire-and Paul Stanley-cofounder, visionary, and philosopher. Perhaps the greatest business lessons they offer lie beyond the marketing and branding tactics the band employed; rather, they lie in the area of strategy. KISS is living proof that you have to get the strategy right before you can get the brand right.

Sound complex? Au contraire. The beauty of the KISS equation for mass acceptance and financial success is in its foundation of simplicity. Have vision; define an image; talk to people; give them what they want; package it with a dose of fantasy; and make them a part of something bigger and more exotic than they could be on their own.