If brands are about people rather than products, then the big idea around which they are formed is more to do with what it does for people rather than the company.
There are a million models of a "brand" - however in common are three simple components - functional, comparative and emotional. By collectively defining what it does for people, differently from anything else, and how it makes them feel, then we articulate "the essence" of the brand. To be compelling and enduring typically involves a far more profound idea than product, company or even sector-related benefits. It reflects aspirations rather than just needs, it provokes rather than just informs.
The brand idea is then delivered through every possible medium that the organisation can utilise - from names and logos to leaders and buildings, products and services to advertising and brochures, colours and packaging to uniforms and interiors, culture and behaviours to training and rewards. Every aspect of the corporate or product "experience" can deliver the brand in tangible and intangible ways. As Jan Carlson, former CEO of airline SAS said "every person, every promise and every action is a moment of truth".
Whilst business strategy will typically include logical mission statements and objectives, corporate brands capture the essence of why the business exists, and what it does for people. They use language and symbols that capture the essence of business concepts and customer promises, they use these symbols as compelling short-hand to convey them. There should of course be strong alignment between the strategies and brands, both define the business, rationally and emotionally.
Howard Shultz set up Starbucks out of frustration at the coffee quality in his native Seattle, however the brand he created is much more than coffee. Shultz explains that he "identified a third place, which I really believe sets us apart, not work or home, it's the place our customers come for refuge." This drives the product range, the interior design, the service philosophy, the communications: the tall skinny latte is good, but the known routine and comfortable environment mean more.
Similarly, other brands give their organisations a core, engaging purpose, which connects all audiences emotionally in "why we do business". Internally, brands stir emotions and energises people internally and externally to reach for the higher-order benefits that they are working towards.
- For Nike - "to do your best"
- For Coke - "to refresh"
- For Microsoft - "to help realise your potential"
Even the most dull, boring industrial sector, dealing in so-called "commodities" like cement or fertilizer can still create strong and compelling brands - look at Ultratech or IFFCO, bringing real differentiation to the worlds of cement that dries faster, or fertiliser that makes your grass greener.
However the brand is more than what you do - in fact it is not even what you do. In reality a brand is defined by how it is received and perceived - the image and reputation that forms in people's minds. A corporate brand is the reputation of the company. A product brand is the reputation of the product. Whether you think you are more likely to achieve a personal best with Nike rather than Adidas, or whether you believe that Coke is more refreshing than Pepsi.
A brand that does more for people, that reflects their personal needs and ambitions, that stirs emotions inside and tingles the hairs on the back of their necks has the making of a powerful brand. And of course, if you seek to be special for some people, you will inevitably not engage others.
A great brand is therefore rarely liked by everyone - it stirs up passions, it polarises people, it alienates some, but is loved by others. As Kevin Roberts, worldwide CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi, and author of "Lovemarks" says about a brand and its core audience, "a truly strong brand is one that you love deeply and unconditionally."
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