Principles for a powerful brand

‘Brand’ means many different things to different people.  Here are the three main principles that will guide our work together.

1. A strong brand knows it must show, not tell

Your brand shows itself in the way you answer the phone, or if you choose instead to reply on Messenger. It shows itself in the feel of your product in someone’s hand, or in the way they swipe the UI of your app. It’s there in the way you respond to audiences when things go wrong, and in the way you celebrate with your team when things go right. It’s in the partners you choose to work with, and the suppliers you don’t. The right brand strategy informs all of these day-to-day product, people and marketing decisions. It also helps your audience create a complete and consistent picture of who you are and where you fit in their world.

2. A strong brand can balance user needs with business objectives

Strong brands focus on understanding and delivering on user’s needs. But they also need a strong understanding of themselves. Without this fundamental understanding, you’ll make brilliant – but anonymous – experiences. Your users might love your product or service, but they may not remember, or care, who made it. The right brand strategy will ensure all your efforts build equity in your brand.

3. A strong brand shuns subjectivity

I don’t believe in assessing your purpose, your product interface, your latest white paper or campaign as either ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ A strong brand strategy is either right or wrong; it either aligns to your objectives, supports your growth, resonates with your people (internal and external), or it doesn’t. That doesn’t mean there’s only one right answer, but the right answers will all be different paths to the same (agreed upon) destination.