Strong brands don’t happen by accident. That’s why branding agencies, brand managers, and tools like brand platforms and brand positioning exist. There is a lot of “brand speak” out there, and I consider myself an expert in most of the terminology and methodology that commonly gets thrown around. That said, in my several decades of this work I had never been put on the spot to list the three principles of branding.
Until a few weekends ago at a neighbor’s Bar Mitzvah. On a Sunday evening.
My son was planted at the kids’ table. I, on the other hand, was seated at the table reserved for solo people who don’t really fit into a group. You know the one.
Small talk can be painful, so I felt genuine relief when the woman sitting to my left turned to me and asked, “What do you do for work?”
I told her I’m a brand strategist and co-own a branding firm.
Without skipping a beat she followed with, “What are the three key principles of branding?”
Just like that. Zero to 60.
My relief was replaced by a small but very real panic. I wasn’t prepared to justify my entire professional existence in three clear and concise bullet points between hors d’oeuvres and my second glass of wine. But there it was. A fair question. A good question.
So I gathered myself, took a 5 ½ second breath, and here’s what I said:
Principle 1: Branding is Foundational
Think of a brand like the foundation of a building. Branding isn’t the layer that you add once the business is built. Branding is the structural integrity that supports everything you build.
It’s not just something you see and hear. It’s something you feel, believe and want to join.
And to go a little deeper than I did over polite conversation: A well-built brand should be so rooted in the core values and long-term vision of the business and leadership team that it can stand the test of time as the business evolves and grows. This clarity is the result of intentional brand strategy consulting services.
I often ask people to think about their favourite brands, the brands they will pay more for because they are so loyal. Then, I ask them to tell me why. Do you know what they almost never say? That they love the logo. It’s almost always something much more foundational. Apple is often named because their products are intuitive and beautifully designed. Dawn dish soap saves birds from oil spills. BMW because it’s the ultimate driving machine truly delivering on performance, precision and luxury.
This is where many companies get it wrong. They lump branding in with marketing when they are two very distinct functions. Campaigns capitalize on trends to bring energy with a beginning and an end. Sales needs change and a new campaign is launched.
The brand anchors the marketing, guides culture and even informs business decisions in many cases.
Principle 2: Branding is Scalable
A strong brand needs to have a visual and verbal identity system that is built with the capacity to support every communication, every product and every experience across all touchpoints.
To achieve this, it must have a kit of parts that is simple, clear and can be consistently used.
Once again, nerding out past polite conversation: Think about the Nike brand. From shoes to billboards, wherever that simple swoosh appears, you know it’s Nike. The swoosh has to work big, small, reversed, across colorways. You get the picture.
And then it needs to be supported by so much more. A unique voice, typography, the supporting graphics, photography style and that bright orange shoe box. The system works internally and externally growing recognition, gaining equity and compounding with each passing year.
It takes deep pockets and decades of time to get a brand to the level of a Nike. But I don’t fault anyone who has a dream and wants to get started.
Principle 3: Branding is Personal
I believe this is the most important principle. If people inside the organization don’t connect personally to the brand, no one outside ever will.
It has to start with the C-Suite. Brand building is introspective and the C-Suite must believe the work is necessary, participate in the creative process and place full trust in the team that is doing the work for it to be successful.
How do I really feel about this? The only time we have failed to bring a brand rejuvenation to launch is when the leadership team, or a key a decision maker, was not involved in the beginning and came into the project too late.
Because branding is personal and the solution is never black and white. No leader wants a brand that they didn’t have a say in shoved down their throat. All voices must be heard, considered and brought along.
Once leadership is unanimously aligned, stand behind the decisions and are excited about moving forward together, they must bring employees along. Structured brand workshops and collaborative ideation sessions can help build that alignment. You can’t manufacture emotional connection. It must be championed and earned through clarity, authenticity, and trust.
Only then, when the internal work is done, can it be launched externally to customers and outside audiences.
When brands are foundational, scalable and personal, they become more than marketing tools. They become long-term business assets that drive alignment, loyalty and growth. That level of clarity does not happen by accident. It is the result of intentional brand strategy and leadership commitment.
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I finished, exhaled and felt a moment of gratitude.
That question, asked casually and unexpectedly, was a good exercise in the articulation of what our team works towards every time we start a new brand invention or rejuvenation.
And sometimes the best way to get to the heart of what you do is when you’re put on the spot. On a Sunday evening. At the awkward table.
Even better, I made a really smart new friend. Turns out she’s a college professor. Go figure. I should recruit students from her because I’ll bet, she makes sure they know how to think on their feet.
For more visit https://willoughbydesign.com/.
Original Source: https://bit.ly/4brp9P9
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