We LOVE brands. For their ability to unite customers and culture.
We believe branding is one of the most important aspects of any business, large or small, corporate or nonprofit, retail or B2B. An effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in an increasingly competitive world.
We often ask our clients what a brand is. We get such a variety of responses. A brand is a logo, a name, features and products…and the list goes on.
None of them are incorrect of course. They all convey an aspect of branding.
In its simplest form, a brand is a promise to a customer.
Brand = Promise
But what’s in the promise that sets one brand apart from another?
There’s clearly more to branding than meets the eye. And we know from personal experience that the most powerful brands connect with us at an emotional level, far beyond physical attributes alone. And perhaps in this increasingly dynamic world, where disruption is the new constant, that’s the only way for a brand to survive.
Our definition of a brand is broader than most. It encourages organisations to be more purposeful in their actions. It also brings in the important context of people and culture. After all, brands are created by humans – for humans (mostly)!
So, here’s our definition of a brand:
Brand = Promise (Purpose + Products & Services + People & Culture)
A brand is a promise made up of a purpose delivered through products and services and people that work in a culture.
This is a visual form of our Brand Purpose Model.
We believe this definition enables brands to be physical and emotional, tangible and intangible.
It gives brands the opportunity to connect more deeply with people within an organisation and the customers outside.
Ultimately, it empowers brands to influence culture and make a more meaningful mark on the world.
