Who are we?
We help clients discover their stories so they can create a love
affair with their customers.
What a brand is notLogo like Nike swooshColor like IBM blue
Tagline like takes a licking…Character like Ronald McDonaldEmployee uniforms like UPS man
Coke bottle’s shapeHow Disney cast members treat guestsWhat people think/know about Harley
What RC is in relation to Coke
What a brand is
Logo like Disney’s signatureColor like Mickey’s shorts
Tagline like Where magic livesCharacter like Mickey Mouse
Employee “costumes” -Pirates of CaribbeanMickey head shaped everything
How Disney cast members treat guestsWhat consumers already know/think they know
about DisneyTheir plot of land in the marketplace
Shorthand…
Your brand is the shorthand that your customers, potential
customers, employees and vendors use to describe you in their own
minds.
They arrive at this shorthand by observing both what you say AND
what you consistently do.
In the good old days…
Why does branding matter?
Everyone sells/does the same thing
• You can create/identify a brand to differentiate yourself
• Or you can just be the cheapest/generic one
Which would you choose?
The brand as a beacon
"Ultimately, strong branding is about using a brand as a beacon, as a compass, for determining the right actions, for staying the course, for evolving a culture, for inspiring a company to reach its full potential.”
Carly Fiorina, former CEO, Hewlett-Packard
The brand as an experience
"The secret to our enduring brand lies in delivering an experience rather than just a collection of products and services.”
Harley-Davidson annual report
The brand as an asset
"A company's brands are amongst its most valuable assets. Do you know how to manage, grow & value these market-based assets?”
DuPont internal training program
It’s all three.
Make a promise….to create a consistent experience.
To keep that promise…you have to re-think the way you do business.
When you keep your promise…you create measurable value.
You create preference.
LogoColorsVisualsTagline
Shared visionShared purposeEfficientEffectiveEmployee retentionClient referrals
Shorthand…
Volkswagen Bug
Dodge Ram
Volvo Sedan
Shorthand…
It begins with a conscious decision.
Are you willing to do what it takes to be great?
A company with a strong brand stands for something. Are you willing to say no?
It’s not about being small. It’s about being narrow.
What do these brands have in common?
They inspire stories
Your brand should inspire stories
The power of storytelling
They capture a moment of truthThey are never ordinary moments
They are viralThey give the customer pride of
ownership
But they don’t happen by accident
Scripted serviceEngineered experiencesPassionate promises
Singular stuff
Truths about brand storytelling
#1 You tell the “master story” which will inspire other
stories.
Apple was created to free creative spirits…
Truths about brand storytelling
#2 Your master story becomes like an echo chamber
Nordstrom is all about personal service…
Truths about brand storytelling
#3 Stories are not just told in words.
When you walk into a Target store…
Truths about brand storytelling
#4 Tell a truth that your competitors are denying and create
buzz.
Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign...
So why doesn’t everyone do it?
ArroganceIgnorance
Lack of follow throughSuperficial effortStart on the outside
Don’t know howWant to be everything to everyone
Are you bold enough to brand?