Never has the concept of ‘brand’ been more critical to growth. And not just for products or services but companies, organizations and indeed governments.
The ‘New Normal’ is horrifying – costly, chaotic, crime rampant, climate scared and for now at least uncertainty rules.
Why is this?
We are living through a time where there are way more questions than answers.
Almost every aspect of our life is unclear. And the questions are huge. Should the world transition immediately into green energy and full-scale globalization as proffered by many new country leaders and ‘world thinkers’ at recent world forums. That’s fine but who gets to pay? Ordinary people of course. They are expected to assume the substantial ‘transition’ costs ($7 gallon!), while suffering through fatigued infrastructures (baby food) and dealing with the invisible killers in our homes like pandemics, cyber hackers and, of course the senseless violence now in our neighborhoods.
Who is going to answer these questions and solve the problems?
Hank Ostholthoff, Head of ProHabits, who counsels corporations on work habits laments at the ‘epidemic of lack of leadership.’ Who is going to find the solutions and even more so execute them? Big ideas are wonderful but putting them into action is an entirely other problem. The government can always give out checks but ultimately all this does is feed inflation.
So why is branding so critical in all this?
Simple. Normally, clear minds could turn to the facts. Not anymore. Traditional sources of news and knowledge filter everything through biased ideologies and pile it on with social media disinformation. Regardless of how image-driven a brand is, it’s success through the sales cycle has always relied on information that persuades you to ultimately buy or not? This is now true not only for products and services but for companies and political entities. Who can you possibly believe?
Here’s the key point.
If we can’t decipher what is right or wrong, then all you can do is decide how you feel about something. How you feel about a brand and the company behind it? How you feel about a philosophy or agenda? Who do you believe in?
Brands have always been at their most successful when they have a earned a ‘warm familiarity’ and indeed advocacy with and from their best growth audience. Hopefully this is supported by the product or service experience. With all the uncertainty on earth today and lack of answers we as humans will rely more on our gut, on who we trust.
What do we do?
The concept of ‘brand’ has never been more critical. Brands today must work out how to become more humanly and experientially relevant and feed the feelings that create positive decisions. Which brand do you believe? Which brand truly understands what we are all going through. Empathy and inspiration. Not gratuitous, virtue signaling or back slapping. It’s genuineness. It is authenticity. It is moving forward and making things better if only in small ways. It is becoming emotionally relevant.
So, how do you make your brand more successful in this extremely uncertain and complex world?
Three considerations.
- Study and understand where and how your brand best fits into the lives of your best growth audience and identify the emotional triggers.
- Take a long-term view – 3-5 years and begin working towards a more meaningful brand relationship with your best audience (consumers, customers, users, voters, advocates and do not forget your employees and associates). Remember a string of small victories is more meaningful and believable in this evolving environment.
- Great, iconic brands typically make their biggest brand gains in periods of craziness and large-scale uncertainty. Time to get going.
Call us and we’ll help you get there. Rocket Branding 312 316 5290.
