The core of branding lies not in refreshing logos or writing new company missions, but instead rather in discovering the deeper purpose of your company. Its unique place in this world. What do you bring to society? What are you really here to do?
Such a simple question, yet so hard to define. Some people discover the answer within moments, yet as the weeks and months pass by; realise that that simple truth is not what they imagined it to be. That what they once imagined the purpose of their company to be has once more evolved, become something greater or adapted to changing times.
Even if you’ve got it all thought out, the very nature of business means that things change. And as your company grows, so will your branding need to evolve in order to represent and facilitate that same growth. We get it – it seems like a hassle, something you shouldn’t have to do once your company is already firmly established. That’s why we’re bringing you the Six Tenets of Branding – an easy yet undeniably effective method of discerning where you are in order to understand where you need to go.
The Six Tenets are divided into the two hemispheres of value and experience: so that you can easily examine the core substance of your company. Are you achieving what you need to be doing? Or more importantly, what are you lacking?
EPITOME
The first Tenet of Value is none other than epitome. The ultimate goal of any product is to have its name synonymous with its genre as a whole; or in a nutshell – to have consumers refer to a genre by the name of your product first and foremost. Think Coca-cola, for example – when people want a caffeinated soda, they ask for a Coke.
This is what you’ll want to achieve regardless of industry or target market, and you’ll need to ask yourself: does your branding position you well enough that when people even think of that type of product, they think of you first?
UNPARALLELED
Are you at the top of your game locally, regionally, internationally? If so, more importantly – does the average consumer know it? If you can’t dominate the competition entirely, do you understand your niche in the market? Can you dominate that niche, so that when consumers want that specific value they know there is no other option than you?
Being unparalleled doesn’t mean you’re a monopoly. It means that you have mastered your niche so well, that you provide a very specific value for the consumer beyond what any of the competition can bring to muster. More than that, it means that when the consumer requires that value, they’ll undoubtedly come to you because there is no one better.
Embrace the future of experiential marketing today.
INVALUABLE
The value you bring can, should and must transcend simple monetary terms. When your consumers buy from you, it shouldn’t just be a simple transaction where they pay you and get that one product or service.
So, what else can you offer? Some brands offer extended service, others offer the opportunity for consumers to enter and participate in a community. Simply put, what is it you offer that money can’t buy elsewhere? What is this above-and-beyond quality you offer that makes you unique?
These rudimentary concepts should provide you a strong understanding of what value you bring to the consumer; and by extension, to the world. That’s the very first step you’ll need to take and consistently refine, because in order to sell to the world, you’ll first need to understand precisely what kind of value you bring to the table.
Having gone through the Tenets of Value, we now move on to Experience. Assuming that you’ve a clear idea of the earlier Tenets, Experience is what helps you utilise them to generate income, achieve success, and position yourself as the undisputed industry leader.
IDENTITY
You’ve probably heard of the term Brand Identity before. It’s a common term, but only so because of its sheer importance. Your brand identity is how consumers notice you, recognise you, how they differentiate you, and how they end up choosing you.
We’ll tell you one simple trick: the key to a successful brand identity is consistency. Your identity needs to be consistent across all channels – so consumers can recognise you quickly and effectively with a single glance no matter where they see you. A confusing, inconsistent identity leads to you bleeding consumers, as you present an image of a brand that’s uncertain of itself.
Because, why would anyone buy from a brand that doesn’t know what it’s doing?
POSITIONING
Your identity is one thing, your brand positioning is quite another. Your identity is what illuminates what your brand does, but you position yourself in order to stand out from the competition. We’ve talked about differentiation in ‘UNPARALLELED’, but positioning is how you convey what makes you unique to your consumers.
It doesn’t matter if the value you bring far transcends everyone else if you aren’t able to communicate it effectively. It’s even debatable that one need not have the ‘best’ value if they have good enough positioning – because they’ve already convinced consumers anyway!
STORY
We’ve talked about the what, the how – now comes the ‘why’. You may present a truly compelling image – full of visual flair and attractive options for your consumers – but what truly connects them to you emotionally and keeps them coming back?
Your brand story.
77% of consumers buy brands that share their values, as found in the 2019 Havas Media’s Meaningful Brands Study. Consumers of today don’t buy a product, they buy into a cause. They buy into what your brand stands for.
Your brand story is a direct line to hearts and minds, and it lets consumers understand that when they buy your product, they’re buying into a cause they believe in. It’s that belief that makes them feel a part of something bigger than themselves, and it’s what breeds true consumer loyalty.
With these Six Tenets, you should be able to garner a general sense of how your brand is faring in terms of branding – where you stand, where you are poised to go and most importantly, what you need to do. But as always, for additional insights or a more detailed approach you are always welcome to approach us; for The Fame is always ready to help you achieve your brand destiny.