The 3 Cs of Brand Messaging

Heads up: this is not a proven concept. It’s not been tested, it’s not taught at universities. It’s a literal shower-thought I had that seemed interesting enough to share in this humble newsletter.?

I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes a good brand message.?

We’re all taught how to read and write at school, which leads a lot of people to believe the act / art of copywriting is easy. Yet nobody seems to think “I learned maths at school so tax accounting must be easy”??

The truth is, bad copywriting is easy. You see it everywhere. ChatGPT produces a lot of it (no offense to our AI overlords, who produce perfectly cromulent copy)

The reason people often believe copywriting is easy is because good copy flows like water, whether it's a gentle stream or a raging torrent. You don’t question why it’s there; it’s natural.?Part of the landscape you're surveying.

I love copywriting and I especially love the art of crafting compelling brand messaging: taglines, manifestos, short stories and tall tales. I’m obsessed with words and the power they hold.

That’s how I found myself drawn to marketing, where you can use words to influence people; to make them take action. I guess that’s also why I find myself thinking about brand messaging in the shower on a Wednesday night.

The 3 Cs of Brand Messaging

Here’s my thinking: brand messages are usually confusing, clear, compelling, or an overlapping of the three.?

Brand messages are confusing when they try to jam too much in. Or when a tagline has gone through several layers of approvals and every team from product to finance has felt the need to hack at it.???

Confusing brand messaging by itself falls flat, but copy that is both confusing and compelling somehow works. It’s those “I don’t really get it but it sounds interesting” messages.?These are usually flash-in-the-pan messages and don't have a long lifespan after the initial curiosity has worn off.

A lot of brand messages are simply clear. They tell you exactly what the product or service is, but it's often all head and no heart. There’s a place for this logical messaging, of course. You don’t necessarily want medical pamphlets waxing lyrical when all you need to know is how long until the itching stops.?

The absolute holy grail is when a brand message is clear AND compelling, telling you exactly what you need to know in an attention-grabbing, memorable, funny, moving, maybe even shocking way.?

Here’s an example using Gathar :

• Finally! Something worth celebrating (confusing - what is it?)
• In the mood for good food? (compelling but confusing - is it a restaurant?)
• Catering worth celebrating (compelling and clear) ??
• Elevate your event with quality catering (clear, but yawn)

Yes, I absolutely used this example because ‘Catering worth celebrating’ is one of the best lines I’ve ever come up with, alongside a few gems from my days at Youfoodz. I’ll describe this even further in the best way I know how: with Simpsons references.?

Okay, so how do I hit that sweet spot of clear and compelling brand messaging?

A lot of agencies are built on brand messaging that is clear and compelling. What would these ads be without the copy that supports them? They’d be photos of a box of cereal and a watch, that's what.

Personally, I like to start in the camp 'logic' then sprinkle in the emotion. I start from my side (the brand side) and then link it back to the customer. I know what I want to say, I just need to figure out the best way for it to be heard. Like so:

1. What is the key message I need to get across? The functional, practical, clear message. Distil it into a bunch of keywords, e.g. health, convenience, ease, time.
2. What problem am I solving for the customer? This is the important part. It should be a lovely, simple statement, and just the one. e.g. "Helping them choose a cereal"
3. How do I want the customer / end user to feel? A lot of the compelling part comes from this emotional connection. e.g. "Not overwhelmed by notifications"

?? Tell me: what are the most impactful brand messages that live rent-free in your head? And what do you think of my 3 Cs concept? Agree or disagree, I'd love to hear your hot take!

TL;DR The best brand messages are a winning combo of compelling and clear. If you're ready to cook up some copy, start with what you want to say in cold, hard facts, then sprinkle in some emotion, connected back to the problem you're solving for the intended message receiver.