God what's that smell?

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Adam Levine, the lead singer of the pop group Maroon 5, is launching his own fragrance line and I smell a rat. Or maybe I’m on the scent of a new phenomenon-let’s coin a phrase for it –brand transcendence.  I like Adam Levine but he is more than a pop singer. He is a brand.

Brand Adam has gained Q-score points from being a judge on the hit tv  show `The Voice’.  He has gained wide market share by producing hit songs for his band and lending his skills to other pop groups like Gym Class Heroes and collaborating with artists like Alicia Keyes.He has also acted in cult t.v. shows like American Horror Story:Asylum And he has appeared nude with a super model on the cover of Russian Vogue. He’s an all-round talented guy. But he can't rest on those laurels.The search for brand optimization is always moving,like a shark in a tank.  Fragrance.  Then what? A fashion line? Cosmetics?  Pharma endorsements? A line of non-stick pans? The possibilities are endless for Adam to connect with us on every level of our existence. He’s a bit like Jesus. Poor old Jesus came at the wrong time. There just were not the media opportunities there are now. The birth at Bethlehem needed angels and stars moving in the sky to get promoted. No chances of cross-cultural immersive maketing unless you count the social media value created by healing lepers and talking to Samaritans or tax men.No guest appearances on other religious leaders’ shows. Imagine it, showing up at an event for the prophet Mohammed and doing a theology duet. Or hanging out with the Buddha. His disciples were definitely not into the integrated mind-set that’s a must for now. What kind of icon creates such a following and his only consumer engagement platform is crowd

sourcing. That’s what crucified him. Yes the brand has endured. There is a promise that he will come back to judge the living and the dead so maybe that will be the perfect time to exploit the other media options to make the Jesus brand truly 360. Take a lesson from Adam Levine. Jesus should have had the fragrance. I can see it now. Godsmell.