If I hear someone say the “intentional” again in a brand strategy meeting I am going to lose my cookies. It’s the most overused word in the space. The other day someone was talking about the word and was able to articulate it in ways I haven’t. In fact, it caused me to invent a new word. Actional. Okay, so it’s not a new word, it’s just underused.
The difference between intentional and actional is the former hasn’t happened. It’s just meant to happen. It’s just talk. As in Make America Great Again. A nice intentional saying, but the actions that result are, well, you know…
It seems anyone who is intentional is a good talker but, perhaps, not such a good doer.
I wrote a couple of days a post entitle “Talk about it or be about it.” Same pew. Years ago I used to argue that people who claimed to be authentic, probably weren’t. Or, car salespeople who said trust me, protested too much.
So don’t tell everyone your brand is intentional, just be and do the strategy. Find a claim you want to plant your flag on and act on the three ways you earn or prove it.
A life lesson I learned early on was that talking about yourself is boring. Being yourself, that’s a good beginning.
Good words for brand strategists. Lose the work!
Peace
