This past Sunday, the Denver Broncos extended their nonsensical streak of wins to seven straight.  

For those who don’t have a Denver-centric frame of mind and may not know, the Broncos were led at quarterback by Tim Tebow – a controversial player with a pristine image (not only because of his devout faith but also because of his poor mechanics).  Throughout his conquests, Tebow has been equally trashed and praised by opposing players and the media alike.  

Despite any negative press, Tebow has always maintained a cool head and done a perfect job of responding to criticism he faces.  Should he fail to do so, he’d spoil the brand that his multiple media appearances, book, and various press conferences have worked so hard to cultivate.   

Take for example his response to Chicago Bears star middle linebacker Brian Urlacher.  When Urlacher was asked about Tebow’s recent performance at quarterback, Urlacher replied that “He’s a good running back,” thereby alluding to a lacking of quarterbacking skills.  

When this comment was relayed to Tebow, he responded by saying “Coming from a really good player, that means a lot.”  For a player that never disparages anyone and champions positivity, this response was completely in line with how he’s built his personal brand.  Tebow’s ability to think on his feet, deflect praise and turn trash talkers on their head demonstrates his uncanny ability to stay “on-brand”. 

His quick thinking also highlights an important, oft-overlooked side of branding.  Whenever we think of brands and the image they create, we think about what’s being pushed out by the company on a premeditated basis.  However, it’s reacting to things that are inbound – whether it be praise, criticism, or some unfortunate circumstance, that can really help define a brand.  

As a company, being nimble isn’t something that just happens, it’s something that you manifest by way of your culture and the tools you use.  This is why having a social media content management system is important.  Even though you may be employing this type of tool for a specific campaign or product, you never know what sort of challenges may be hurled at you.  

By employing a system that allows you to quickly update content and messaging, you’ll be prepared for the other side of branding – the reflexive side.  So while many people may not always find themselves agreeing with the Tim Tebow brand, we can all agree that he’s done a great job of being nimble and sticking to it.

- Jared Holst