Be The Brand Uncommon Sense Learnings

Be the Brand is intended to get you inspired and fired up about your brand. We’ll share lessons from key thoughts and plant a few ideas to help mobilize your people and look at how your brand can impact the world. We’ll also highlight the role design plays for brands.

Below are five Uncommon Sense Learnings to inspire you:

1. Brands have meaning
Brand is not a logo or a tagline. It’s a multidimensional platform that can be your greatest differentiator and competitive edge. It represents both a rational and emotional connection to your various stakeholders and the consumer who ultimately decides to engage with you.

2. Brands age and mature
Like a fine wine, brands can improve and mature with age. And like a wine poorly cared for, brands can also age poorly. It’s important to understand how to care for and nurture your brand.

3. Brands have human characteristics
Brands can be smart, hip, trendy, informative, spunky, quirky, trustworthy, ambitious, sweet, humble, focused… and the list goes on. Recognizing your brand’s human side will help create a better connection with the people you’re trying to reach.

4. Design is at the center of your brand
Your brand’s visual identity, and the design language that defines it, are worthwhile investments given the role design plays in most categories of business today.

Every brand should have a story to tell
Developing and sharing a compelling brand narrative is like crafting and telling a great story. Consider the history of your brand, its personality and what makes it unique. Begin crafting your story by finding a consistent voice that’s authentically connected to your brand’s purpose.