LIVESTRONG: Is this the worst ever brand crash?

A few days ago I asked the question “Can LIVESTRONG survive Armstrong?” in this blog.

I feared not. But it looks like a momentum of destruction is forcing an even faster implosion of the LIVESTRONG brand than I’d imagined.

Charities need support. For support they need money. And none of us hands over money without trust. Trust must be at the very heart of any successful brand. The brand must do the job you hire it for. And charity brands are no different. They must do the job they are supposed to, or you vote with your money and your feet and take your support and donations elsewhere.

1) So the first undoing of a charity brand is when people don’t feel they can trust it.  In this situation, many donations simply shift to another good and more trustworthy cause. For LIVESTRONG, to another cancer fighting charity.

But what about this next event…?

2) The more rapid undoing of a charity brand is when [..]

Here’s a quick update from just beyond the finish line of the 2009 Flora London Marathon. I can’t quite believe how ‘alive’ I appeared to be – only 4 minutes before I was in absolute agony trying to sprint (haha) down Birdcage Walk and up back up The Mall to finish in under 4 hours. Didn’t quite make it 4:02 was the time but that does bring my marathon sponsorship total to over £4,000. Thanks to all my many sponsors – you kept me going when energy drinks did not!

Yes you read it right. But it may not be what you think…

Please support my marathon effort. 26.2 miles running around London with 35,000 of my closest friends – all in aid of the Shaw Trust.

You can find my Just Giving secure online sponsorship page at www.justgiving.com/samwaterfall – please give generously!