Branding - Are You Doing it Wrong?

(Hint: probably.)

I'm not a big fan of most branding organizations. If you work for one, don't bother arguing because it's you, not me. And I've written a lot over the years about personal branding, which makes some people grit their teeth in anger. The thing is, I feel like most people get branding wrong. And it's for a reason that's fairly easy to fix. Only, most people don't.

Most People Try to Figure Out Their Branding BACKWARDS

A brand is about what others feel about you. It's all about your buyer, not you. It's about how someone feels when interacting with or thinking about what you bring to them.

Sitting on my table is a big Yeti mug. What I most love about it is that it keeps my cold drinks cold and my hot drinks hot. But when I think of the brand, I think "rugged, dependable, built for the outdoors." It makes me wish I were having my coffee by a campfire somewhere looking out on a lake. The brand, to me, means durable and lasting.

But where Yeti has become a very household name comes for just one extra shift in their efforts. They added all kinds of colors. (My mom and dad have something like 11 different colored Yeti mugs at their house.) There are some fun designs. In a word: personalized. You can make the mug YOUR mug, not just a Yeti mug.

See? The brand is about ME, not them. Or more accurately, it's about MY take on them.

The Stories and Language and Legends DO Matter

I've been on a crazy Wu-Tang Clan kick lately, and I blame that Wu-Tang Clan: An American Saga. There were plenty of rappers out when the Wu started up their efforts, and plenty would talk about how rough they were in the streets, but none were bringing in stories of Shaolin and of sword masters and about legendary fighting techniques. A rapper would have one nickname, but the guys in Wu-Tang Clan had as many as ten. Asking eight different rappers (I think they've had like..15 or more guys in the Wu since the start) their ten or more names each is nuts, and yet, it's fun and exciting and part of the magic.

Each member of the Wu-Tang Clan brings something so unique, so standalone, but because they blend it all together, people have favorites, and people gravitate towards one member or another, again mixing those ideas of great branding PLUS personalization.

Branding is a Buyer-First Event

I like thinking of branding as an "event." I don't know that I've said it that way before. The concept of it being a verb, being actionable, that lends a hint to what branding needs to be about. I saw the results of a branding agency introducing some new logos to a company recently, and they fell flat. They didn't speak to the company's story, nor did they feel like something a buyer would make their own.

I'm partial to the Appfire logo. Look how the logo shape is ours, but we use colors to make it match the projects we're collaborating on:

That's our guy Piers Morgan, by the way. Great design indeed. Stylish, works in all kinds of colors, and most importantly to THIS conversation: it's a logo you can make your own.

(And I know: logos aren't the be-all end-all of branding.)

Branding For the People

Go forth and work on brands personal or corporate all you want. But never think about what makes you stand out as much as you think about what makes you draw people to you. A brand is the first opportunity for people to collaborate and feel like they're part of what you're building. That's what makes a great brand.

Or, I could be wrong. ;)