Topics

Brand Promise

Does Your Business Need a Brand Narrative?

June 16, 2014 —

Does Your Business Need a Brand Narrative?

Here we explore the brand narrative as a key element of brand strategy, by explaining what constitutes a brand narrative, demonstrating how it supports the overall brand strategy, and showing the brand scenarios which call for a strong brand narrative. What is a brand narrative? A brand narrative is a central building block of a meaningful brand strategy. It is built upon the insights and information gleaned during the kickoff process, with a particular focus on the business-related shifts the brand seeks to make. A brand narrative contains four elements: Truths – four or five...
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Brand Promise: The What, Why, and How of Great Brand Strategy

June 9, 2014 —

Brand Promise: The What, Why, and How of Great Brand Strategy

There’s a lot of talk about the concept of brand promise. But, what is a brand promise? Why does my business need one? How would it make my business stronger? How does it relate to my brand strategy? Here we explore the answers to these pressing questions. What is a brand promise? And perhaps more important, what kind of a brand promise does your business need in today’s world? A brand is a promised delivered. A contemporary brand promise articulates an idea that goes beyond the rational benefits that worked in the past, and extols a higher-order emotional reward. A brand promise is...
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You Need to Hire Great People. But Why Do So Many Bypass You?

April 30, 2014 —

You Need to Hire Great People. But Why Do So Many Bypass You?

New talent is the lifeblood of most companies. Recruits bring in new skills, energy, and passion. They not only help companies deal with what needs to get done, but also discover what can be done. They not only fill leadership gaps, the upgrade the level of leadership within your firm. But the best recruits are quite naturally a demanding lot. They know they are valuable, and from that position they know that they can afford to be discerning about where they choose to work. Increasingly, the bar for companies needing to recruit has been risen, as more and more talent looks for purpose and...
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Five Key Differences Between Emotional and Emotive Brands

April 10, 2014 —

Five Key Differences Between Emotional and Emotive Brands

It’s not too hard to spot an emotional brand. It uses emotions tactically to either make people laugh or to gently tug at their heartstrings. These brands typically only do this through their advertising. Emotive brands are far more rare. These are brands that forge meaningful – and valuable – emotional connections through everything they do. So while someone may happily buy a brand based on its emotional advertising, they are likely to be left bemused when dealing with the emotional brand’s crass customer service people. The resulting brand dissonance will, no doubt, prompt them...
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The Power of Being Stubborn Around a Single “Beacon” Idea

November 8, 2013 —

The Power of Being Stubborn Around a Single “Beacon” Idea

George Tannenbaum is a noted advertising copywriter and prolific blogger. In his wry, and often acerbic way, George chronicles the tension of being a creative thinker in the world of business. In a post, he recounted the experience of being at a client’s annual shoot for a celebrity TV spot. Anxiety is the king of such events, and George talks about the problem of working with inexperienced and politically-driven executives who do nothing but worry and create chaos. He offers this advice to people who want to remain cool, collected, and purposeful in such an environment: “Never...
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Who’s Driving Your Brand Promise?

July 28, 2013 —

Who’s Driving Your Brand Promise?

One of the essential components of an emotive brand is a brand promise. Yes, we’re always talking about emotional responses and getting people to engage, but people don’t engage with fluff. They engage with something they relate to, and that comes from a driving idea. You can quickly test whether you have a brand promise – and a potentially emotive brand – by asking two questions. First, what is the brand promise? This should be the easy one. If you’re Zara, it’s fast fashion. If you’re Pepsi, you’re “living for now.” If you’re Starbucks, you’re the world’s café. The second question is a...
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Rebrand? A Perfect Time to Adopt a “Purpose Beyond Profit”

April 22, 2013 —

Rebrand? A Perfect Time to Adopt a “Purpose Beyond Profit”

A rebrand is a great opportunity to scratch below the surface to discover how your business can truly matter to people. Seize this chance to do more than simply apply a new layer of paint over your business. There are numerous reasons why companies choose to rebrand. It might be due to a merger, acquisition, or divestiture. It may be because of tired sales, a less-than-desirable image, or heated up competition. It might be a change in guard at the CEO level. Whatever the reason your business needs an update, the rebrand process offers a unique opportunity to go beyond a new name, logo, and...
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Why We Love the Power of Inspiration

February 8, 2012 —

Why We Love the Power of Inspiration

One of our greatest pleasures comes from unveiling to our clients something they’ve never seen before: the meaning and emotional power that’s been hidden within their brand. When our clients suddenly see their business as a purposeful, emotive and gratifying force in the world – when they see it can hold a “meaningful position” in the hearts and minds of people – their eyes open wide, their pulses quicken and their imaginations ignite with possibilities. But, for us, the most gratifying aspect of our work will come as our clients bring the power of their “brand...
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