Entry 02: “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig!”

I professionally grew up in the world of advertising in NYC. My track was art direction, which meant that I received creative briefs from the account team and went off with my copywriter partner to concept ideas and tactics to meet the brief requirements. It was a very specific job, and over the ten years as I climbed the creative ladder, I learned a lot about production, execution, etc., but I felt limited. No client interaction (that was for the Account Managers). No brief input (that was for the Creative Directors). Just coming up with ideas for specific tactics that were dictated to my partners and me.?

There were a few colleagues, who had the role of ‘strategist’, that I befriended and learned so much from, specifically the questions they asked, the insights they gleaned, and the depth of their discovery into a client’s problem. They honestly shaped my approach to branding today.

Once I left the corporate world, I collaborated with the brilliant strategist Rod Alanis to service clients in a way that I was not able while in such a specific role when with the agencies. Through watching him interact with our clients, he taught me how to uncover and define a brand’s foundation.

Rod used to always say, “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig!”?

That’s not to say that being a pig is bad by any stretch. I personally think pigs are adorable! The statement simply implies the pig should embrace being a pig in all its snout-snorting glory.

A brand’s foundation is the most important thing to understand about a brand. It’s the authenticity. It is the truth.

Have you ever thought about the structure of an iceberg? As you can see in the photo above, the iceberg above the waterline is maybe 25% of its total mass. Your brand is 75% what people cannot SEE but rather what they can FEEL.?

This is what we refer to as your BRAND DNA.

It is the starting point for all my branding clients. Before we can even think about a logo design, we have to know who you are, what you stand for, where you see yourself in the future, and how you’ll get there. What irks you? What lights you up? What keeps you going when times are tough? What are your struggles? What are your strengths??

I will be covering each of these questions in upcoming articles, because every question has a specific way of getting answered, and I plan to share my methods with you so you can make sure your brand is aligned with the bottom of your iceberg.

Rod used to tell our clients, “Everything you do either elevates or denigrates your brand.” That means EVERYTHING, from how you treat the cleaning crew vs. your No.2, to whether you talk the talk or walk the walk.?

Maya Angelou said it best…

“At the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” ~Maya Angelou

In terms of personal or professional branding, this is why it is so important for you to know who you are (your DNA), and THEN express it in ways that are authentic and unique to you, yet too many folks skip this step. They go right to designing a logo, putting out content, and not paying enough attention to the foundation, usually out of laziness, or quite honestly, out of fear. When we take a good hard look at ourselves, our business decisions, and our dreams, we might find truths that are uncomfortable.?

If you can approach this work with the vigor of an anthropologist, I promise you, you will feel more empowered and more motivated to grow your personal, professional, and company brand.?

I’ll leave you with this quote from the wisest modern sage of our times…

“...I had spent most of my adult life, through my hit or miss approach to…growth, honing this way of being, and the finer the point I put on it, the more beautiful life became. The more comfortable I became in my own skin, the more choices I made that were in alignment with my own personal integrity, and the more I told fear to F the F off, the more my purpose revealed itself to me.” ~Dana Sardano

As you can see, my knowledge is pulled from experiencing what other brilliant people have taught me. While I will not take credit for the initial wisdom, I share it because I have implemented it and experienced its truth time and time again.?

????♀? Hi, I'm Angela DiMarco. I specialize in guiding businesses to express their unique brand with authenticity and creativity. With over 30 years of experience in branding, marketing, and advertising, I possess an intuitive knack for uncovering the soul of a company. From shaping your visual brand to connecting with your audience, my goal is to empower you and your organization with a sturdy foundation. Learn more at UniquelyPhenom.com or follow Uniquely Phenom Collaboration for our latest news.

??? Dana Sardano and I are your super professional and buttoned up ??co-hosts of Going Commando with Angela & Dana Podcast. Check us out for a good dose of authenticity and wisdom, and the occasional epic burp.

I am also the author of Uniquely U. Update #52: The Birth of a Bright-Eyed Entrepreneur, available at Phenom-Publishing.com or an Amazon near you ??. In my debut book, I share the tumultuous journey of starting a business.

“Angela reveals herself without inhibition…We can feel her angst and the insecurity of her inner child holding on for dear life as her warrior spirit takes over with fierce determination…a true window into the evolution of Angela’s soul and each update gives us a greater glimpse into her star power and creative genius.” ~ Dana Sardano

#branding #foundation #creative #entrepreneur #creativeservices #entrepreneur #founderstories