A Breakthrough on What a 'brand' Really is?

I was talking to the head of brand at Nike, on what a brand?really?is

-A company or product?

-An identifying symbol or name to distinguish from other products?

-Telling your story

-Creating an emotion, or ‘emotion by design’

-The mind-space you occupy when consumers think of your niche

But these have always left me confused. Or that something is missing. Too generic. Could never put my finger on it?

Too weak? Not sure.

Back to this in a moment.?

From age 11, when I was the fattest kid in my year at school, I was always the outsider. Picked last for sport. Last or never to get the girls (or girl), as I felt the burning sensation of loneliness form my personality through my teens and tattoo my soul black.

Ridiculed. Rejected. Ostracised. As much in my mind as in reality.

The only way I could handle this; survive even, was a learned coping mechanism of non-confrontation. Compliance. Agreeableness. Rapport. Before rapport was even a thing. I learned to get on with everyone and avoid conflict at all costs. Because anything other than that was rejection.?

The problem with that is, given the choice between pissing others off, and pissing yourself off, you piss yourself off every time. And that builds up inside you.

But hey it got me through my teens and 20s. However the problem with this, is these traits are the?worst?for being an entrepreneur. The worst for building a brand. They will cost you hard money.?

Why? Because you have to confront challenge and stare conflict in the face, otherwise you get bullied and beaten in business. It’s a street fight, and compliance will lead to your blood on those streets.

What had taken me 15 years to learn, as a coping mechanism, to avoid rejection and ridicule, to piss myself off to avoid pissing others off and facing the rejection of that, I now had to UN-learn fast, or it meant guaranteed business and brand failure.

I had to learn to face challenges. To square up to confrontation and stand my ground. To face my demons with the courage to accept being criticised, disowned and hated.?

To choose to piss people off rather than piss myself off.

According to Pew research, 53% of Americans dislike Donald Trump. The most famous person in the world, and former president of the USA.?

According to IMDB Justin Bieber is the most hated celebrity in the world. yes his net worth approaches $300million and he’s sold 150 million records.?

JK Rowling has been cancelled for her truths.?

These three mega brands are perfectly OK with pissing other people off in the pursuit of being themselves and building their personal and business brand.

And so back to the discussion of brand. It’s not just a logo, product, story or emotion, it’s a choice of who you piss off.?

If you piss yourself off, you have absolutely no brand, because you become a rapport building, conflict avoiding Chameleon of changeable and confused identity.?

It should go without saying that you don’t want to piss off your ideal clients, fans and followers. So get clear on exactly who they are, and then set about politely and positively pissing off the brands, companies and people who stand against what you stand for, who criticise who and what you are, and who are the opposite of your ideal clients and community.

You need more haters; because that means you have more fans.

A strong brand probably pisses off a quarter or a half of the population.

So, after a 32 year journey of conforming through to rebelling, trying to please everyone and pleasing no-one, I humbly propose a new definition of a brand:?

Be clear on who you want to piss off...

...and choose to piss them off over yourself every time

Rob Moore