The Brand as an Asset – The Five Evolutionary Steps to Creating a Brand
By Stephen Abbott, Senior Brand Architect at WOW! A Branding Company – 02/21/2003
There is a considerable amount of talk these days about "brand value". Stories of inflated corporate bottom line numbers grab headlines in business and design journals, and yet business leaders are not quick to jump up and say that there is no truth to it. Many are doing just the opposite and examining how a brand actually contributes to the bottom line performance of a company. In fact, the successful ones are actually creating a strategy for understanding, implementing and managing their brand as an asset. The intangible value of a brand, it seems, is real.
And it's not just for major corporations anymore, either. The idea of implementing a brand strategy is starting to infiltrate organizations of all types. Not-for-profits, governments, educational institutions, social movements and even armed forces are all considering the power that a properly executed brand strategy adds to their cause. Ever-increasing global competition has made attention to the brand necessary not only to thrive, but also simply to survive.
That being said, a focused, differentiated and emotionally loaded strategy should be the goal of every modern business, young or old.
So How Does a Brand Add Value?
First we must understand exactly what a brand is. As daunting as it may sound, a brand is everything. It is all aspects, tangible and intangible, which create an impression in the mind. A brand is not created simply for customers, but rather it works for all stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders, vendors and even the communities in which the brand lives. Simply put, the brand is that which is memorable.
A brand is neither good nor bad – it is simply the personification of an idea. The goal of the brand is to inspire consistent emotional responses that speak to a particular cause. A brand lives in all of the senses, but more importantly, a brand thrives because of how it makes us feel.
So it is fair to say that a brand adds value because it is a shortcut around intellectual proof. Elements of the brand are designed to trigger our memory or make positive references to existing beliefs, and stakeholders no longer investigate the choices. The promise (and all of the details about it) is already made. Our goal then in creating a brand is to understand what it will stand for, create the clues to its existence, and consistently reinforce the promise. As more and more stakeholders align themselves with what the brand stands for, the greater the value of the brand. We call it the Expansion of Influence, and it is very powerful.
This brings us to the exposure cycle and evolution that every successful brand goes through. By its nature, a brand is not static. Organizations that create a powerful brand to start and then rest on its original strength will not succeed.
Now, I recognize that it is easy for me to say that it all matters, and that companies should invest considerable resources to develop exciting, multi-faceted brands. The reality of course, is that most of us don't have as much time or as much money as we need, and we need to set priorities. Understanding the phases of a brand's lifecycle will help to establish those priorities, and enable each of us to leverage the most from an opportunity.
Okay, How Do I Do it?
There are five evolutionary steps to creating a brand that is an asset: Authenticity, Impact, Alignment, Depth and finally, Loyalty. Instead of moving from one to the next, each is layered on top of the previous one as greater understanding and a broader reach is explored. Executed properly, each layer adds significant value to the organization.
Authenticity is the Foundation of the Brand
The single key to every successful brand is to create an authentic, compelling competitive advantage.
"Authentic" is the justification that you are who you say you are. It is a magical mix of the proof that you can deliver what you promise, and a deep faith that what you have to offer makes a difference. True brand leaders started with a vision of something different, and a belief that others would want it as well.
A brand becomes "compelling" when others choose to align themselves with the brand because of what it stands for.
Finally, "competitive advantage" acknowledges the fact that there are choices, and your brand is worth their time, energy and resources. Authenticity lives in the core ideology of the organization. It is a simple, non-negotiable statement of purpose and values, and it must be absolutely passionate. Once it is clear to you, you must now make others aware…
Impact is the Absolute First Point of Contact
Impact is about assigning a collection of basic attributes that will best trigger the appropriate reaction from the target group. These elements set the stage for identifying what you stand for. They are not barriers and they do not cause confusion, rather they stimulate a keen sense of interest.
Assume that you have only three seconds to take in as much as you can about the brand – what would you notice? What can be instant recognition for your brand? Look at the simplest of consistent sensory triggers at critical points of interaction: sight (shapes, colors, fonts, layout), sounds (mechanical, musical or human), smells (inviting or simply distinct), tastes (smooth or intense), and finally touch (temperature, surface materials). Think of this brand moment as a sensory explosion.
The challenge is to keep the design and delivery appropriate and relevant to the target, and not to get too caught up in the details. Remember, this will be the very first interaction with the brand and the core values must be clear in a matter of seconds. Now that you have piqued someone's interest, it is time to help them choose you…
Alignment Happens When Stakeholders Make Comparative Choices
Now that you have the attention of your stakeholders, consider the competitive landscape. Interested stakeholders are going to start making rational (or irrational) decisions based on a variety of different criteria that is important to them: price, perceived quality, status, related causes, historical preferences, community pressures and even the personal behaviors of the company's "ambassadors".
At this stage, messaging is critical. Instead of the three seconds of impact, consider stakeholders now have about 30 seconds to investigate and see if they are compelled to buy into the promise. For a brand strategy, advertising, promotion and PR are critical now. This is the time to get the message to as many potential stakeholders as possible.
It should be noted that in today's economy, this is where most brands exist and struggle. If the brand strategy is truly an authentic endeavor and significant stakeholders are connected to the cause, the brand will thrive and likely move on to the next phase. However, if the brand strategy was simply a marketing tactic designed to grab or retain market share, or a vain attempt to follow a trend wave, the brand will be marked as a fake. Today's consumers are intelligent and passionate about their choices and they will not tolerate an imposter. It may retain a forced market share simply by "being there", but the value of the brand is lost.
It should also be noted that very few individual consumer products ever transcend this mark (people just don't get that excited about laundry detergent). It is at this phase that consumers look past the products and make alignments with the organizations that create them. The exception to this rule seems to be toys, probably because of some deeply rooted connection from childhood that transcends the adult realities of commerce.
Depth Takes the Brand into a Leadership Role
This is an exciting phase in the growth of a brand. The brand infiltrates pop culture it can actually take on a life of its own. Business leaders become mentors, and the articulation of the brand's core values becomes a mantra for a movement of consciousness. Instead of stakeholders looking to see if the brand is in alignment with their values, individuals start to look to the brand for guidance, and the design elements of a brand will dictate the modern trends. Stakeholders now look to the brand for clues as to what is appropriate. This time, you actually set the trends.
At this stage of the brands development, it is the values of the leadership that become the driving force. The brand becomes a source for innovation and justification in a category. At this phase your stakeholders are going to look to see if you will truly make a difference or if you were a one-hit-wonder.
HR policies, growth / new market opportunities and new products (or expanded product lines) are priority. In this phase you are also a leader in market changes and fluctuations. Your brand influences a market ecosystem and strategic alliances based on similar values should be considered.
Loyalty is an Inexplicable Connection to the Intangible
Loyalty is the pinnacle of brand status. Few brands will ever reach this point but it should be recognized because so many aspire to influence the world at this level. The connection to the brand at this stage is beyond explanation, and the icons that represent the brand have entered pop culture status. The brand becomes art. (Consider Harley Davidson)
Beyond super brands, this category is left to the few brands whose insight, longevity, passion, and historical references rival religions. (Author's note: The Brands of Religions is a discussion best left for another day)
Even at this highest of achievements, the strategy of the brand cannot rest. A simple slip from a momentarily misguided leader or a frustrated employee can cause a ripple effect. All of a sudden the Core Ideology, that single nonnegotiable purpose of the brand, comes into question from stakeholders at every level. Alignment is lost, possibly forever.
And then you would have to start over.
It Really is that Simple. Really
So there it is, a simple template for implementing a solid brand strategy. While I would be reluctant to guarantee success, paying attention to the appropriate phase of your brand will ensure that you make the most of your efforts. Better still, you won't miss an important step and cause the brand to jump up and bite you when you least expect it.
I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the other important variables in creating a brand that is an asset: unparalleled enthusiasm for hard work, repeated creative insights, the skills to make it all work, and of course, an unwavering passion for your cause.
I wish you all the success that the world has to offer.
