On Brand

Here’s an attempt at scribbling down my outlook on branding. The ideas and beliefs that lie within are hardly original. There is a long list of smart marketers (below) fighting this same fight who I have collected countless bits of wisdom & inspiration from over the years:

I don’t believe a brand is a tagline or a logo. Rather, it’s the way people feel about a product or company. A brand is both a customer promise and an employee benchmark. Consequently, I believe in brands with a purpose; businesses with a stake in the ground, an opinion or a point of view. I support brands that champion an idea, fully commit to it, and strive everyday to demonstrate this commitment in fresh ways.

I believe the greatest brands demonstrate respect for our world and the people within it. They tell the stories of organizations that empower employees to live out their values. They are driven by the actions and values of humans.  They are real, empathetic, generous and at times foolish. Like the people that steer them, they dream big. They make bold moves and they sometimes fail. But they are always learning.

In this age of transparency, I believe it’s impossible for brands to sustain success without great businesses behind them. Today, great brands are built by responsible people who make remarkable products. They uphold ideals that are reflected in what they create and how they act. They not only build useful products, they build-in something to believe in.

These brands do exist. And the new world of marketing sets the stage for more to surface and succeed in the coming years. This shift is what led me to move from the world of advertising into strategic innovation. My continuing goal is to work with partners & clients who share similar beliefs and want to build these brands. Hopefully you’re reading this.

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If you’re interested, here’s a short list of some of the smart people who have helped shape my professional thinking over the years: Amelia Torode, Bud Caddell, Dan Pink, Ed Cotton, Faris Yakob, Hugh Macleod, Gareth Kay, Mark Earls, Jason Oke, Noah Brier, Paul Isakson, Russell Davies, Seth Godin, Ted Matthews