In his farewell Op-Ed piece in The NY Times last week John Lewis said about democracy “It is not a state. It is an act.” Well, this statement can be co-opted for brand craft as well.
Branding, the act of making brands, is an active pursuit. It takes the actions of brand managers and consumers. Consumers build brands by consuming but also by advocating. By sharing their experiences with friends. Or, in the online world, with other consumers. Advocates with no agenda are easy to believe.
When I refer to brand strategy as an “organizing principle for product, experience and messaging” I am outlining a simplified way of packaging a product or service, highlighting what is most special about it and what customers most desire from it. This organizing principle helps the product people say on track but it also conditions consumer expectations and repsonse.
When brand managers and cohorts stick to the plan, consumers experience the benefits in expected, replicable and understandable ways. Branding is not a state it’s an act. An ongoing act.
Too many marketers rely on telling consumer what to feel rather than making them feel. A flaw in the system.
Peace.
