A journey through mediumship.
The art and science of building a great brand are one of the most fun and creatively rewarding parts of growing a business. Done well, the process gets to the heart of what your company stands for. It captures the practical and emotional promises you make to your customers every day and it even defines how your employees (including your future hires) identify with your company.
However, all too often the brand-building process starts and ends with that big strategic and creative unveil. However, the promise of that work is never fully realized on a companywide level. Sure, the marketing team has plenty to do. They have to update websites, apps and, other collateral, refine PR strategies, and possibly charge ahead with the creation of new social media campaigns or ad campaigns that reflect your sparkling new brand image. But elsewhere in the organization, the energy dissipates and there is no clear plan on what to do next. You could say the “strategy of the brand” does not exist. You’ve got this new, potentially powerful competitive weapon, but you may only be using a small part of it.
After 10 years of building companies and brands, there’s a question I hear a lot from other CEOs and executives. What is the process of building a great brand once you’ve defined it and how do you get started? There’s no silver bullet answer, but it’s almost never “go buy a social ad!” or “Let’s make our social media campaign go really viral!”, or a classic, “make the logo bigger”.
Have four simple questions for you.
1. Can your brand last without all those social connections?
2. Can your brand make it through the noise without paid advertising?
3. Is your brand for a community or is it just a product/service?
4. Dose your target community even know you exist.
Great brands are built from the inside out, not the other way around. Every situation is unique but, in this space, I would like to touch on some pointers to lead you into a very clear frame of mind. As I do this, I will feature brands I have had the pleasure of working with over the years and how our thinking has focused to build timeless identities.
Welcome to the “Art of Brand”.
#artofbrand #lotusroomafrica
inspiration: Dave Williams via ChameleonCollective.com
