The Untethered Brand: Part 1, Shifting Paradigms

The interpretation of branding, innovation, and design is highly contextual. In this article, we will explore the various contexts and interpretations to establish a shared understanding of these terms within the realm of brand-driven innovation.

Brand

The term 'brand' carries as many interpretations as there are volumes dedicated to its exploration. Its essence pivots on the context of its application. Is it articulated by a practitioner or a consumer? Does it serve a strategic purpose or manifest operationally? Is it wielded within marketing, sales, research and development (R&D), or design spheres? Does it pertain to fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), durable products, or services? Is its domain business-to-consumer or business-to-business?

In various contexts, the concept of a brand can take on different roles and meanings. It might simply represent the company's logo, or it could encompass the broader corporate identity, of which the logo is just one element. Some view the brand as a set of perceptions moulded by clever advertising, while others confine its significance to the realm of marketing. Its purpose may be perceived as adding intangible value to the company's core offerings, or its expression may be limited to the realms of graphic design, advertising, and packaging. While these perspectives might suffice for many, they fall short from the standpoint of brand-driven innovation. To leverage the brand for innovation, a fresh understanding of its role is essential.

In our context, the brand extends beyond mere visual representation like a logo; it embodies the values, insights, or vision that the logo symbolises. These values ideally permeate various aspects of the company's operations, from its business practices and treatment of employees to its stance on environmental and social issues, and indeed, its approach to developing new products and services. It's important to note that the brand isn't solely constructed by the user's perception; rather, it's rooted within the organisation itself. While users form an image of the organisation based on its actions, this image isn't synonymous with the brand but rather its representation. Although the brand may prioritise user-centricity, it remains an integral part of the organisation.

For the brand to propel innovation, it must transcend the confines of the marketing department and be embraced by all involved in the innovation process. Furthermore, its impact shouldn't be limited to intangible benefits; it should also drive tangible advancements and shape the very nature of the products and services offered. This multifaceted expression of the brand manifests through various channels such as service, product, retail, interaction, and experience design.

To comprehend brand-driven innovation effectively, we must adopt the perspective outlined earlier, which aligns with the evolving paradigms of brand creation and management prevalent in contemporary design management discussions. This viewpoint reflects the dynamic evolution in our understanding of branding.

Innovation

Similar to our examination of branding discourse, a parallel analysis can be applied to the topic of innovation. This term, too, is employed in various contexts, carrying diverse connotations contingent upon its usage.

In different contexts, innovation is frequently perceived as involving sophisticated technology, sometimes regarded as the realm of research and development exclusively. Its outcome is often equated with the creation of new products or technologies. Regarding the motivations for organisational innovation, many view it as inevitable—necessary to stay competitive or adapt to evolving user demands. Moreover, innovation is commonly conceptualised as a process initiated by an idea, which then progresses to market implementation.

While the conventional perspectives on innovation are prevalent, brand-driven innovation necessitates a slightly nuanced understanding. While innovation can indeed involve cutting-edge technology, more often than not, it doesn't. Innovation revolves around creating sustainable value, and at times, reimagining the use of existing technology generates more value than developing entirely new technologies. Innovation transcends the confines of R&D laboratories; it's a domain open to all, regardless of their department—be it human resources, accounting, sales, or marketing.

The outcomes of innovation extend beyond just products or new technologies; they often manifest as processes (new approaches), services, or innovative business models. Some innovations, known as internal innovations, remain unseen by users, shaping internal operations and procedures.

In the realm of brand-driven innovation, the innovation process doesn't commence with a singular idea; rather, it initiates long before the conception of the first idea. The exploration of processes and insights leading up to the idea is integral to innovation, as much as the subsequent development and exploitation of that idea. This holistic approach to innovation mirrors the evolving meaning of innovation in the post-industrial Western world, where emphasis is placed on both exploration and exploitation phases within the innovation process.

Design

The third theme to be examined in this article is design. Few words carry as many diverse connotations as the term 'design'! Designers frequently find themselves clarifying their role due to this ambiguity: design can function as both a verb ('to design something') and a noun ('the design looks good'), while a designer can encompass roles ranging from engineer to artist to philosopher, and everything in between. Let's delve into some prevalent perceptions of design and examine how the concept is viewed through the lens of brand-driven innovation.

Design is often perceived as the visual appearance of something, emphasising aesthetics. It's noteworthy that this perception isn't a layman's view: many designers themselves regard their profession as primarily concerned with enhancing the visual aspects of products, environments, and identities. Some also view design as an embellishment to existing entities, leading to the notion of design as a luxury addition to a "standard" product, such as a "designer" corkscrew or garden chair. When the term "design" is mentioned, some may immediately associate it with product design, while others may lean towards interior design or graphic design. However, for most individuals, design is likely considered an expression of personal taste or opinion.

Once again, many of these perspectives are widely held and reasonable. However, within the realm of brand-driven innovation, it's imperative to redefine our understanding of design to fully grasp its significance. Primarily, in the context we're addressing, design functions predominantly as a verb rather than a noun: when we refer to 'design', we typically mean it as an active, practical endeavour or conceptual process. This process encompasses far more than aesthetics alone; it also encompasses functionality, interaction, usability, material usage, and construction. Design, in this context, isn't merely an embellishment to pre-existing entities; rather, it's a creative process that defines the essence of objects, expressions, services, and environments. Viewed from this perspective, design serves not to express an individual's worldview, but rather to tackle challenges, foster meaningful interactions, and generate value for both users and organisations.

This perspective on design aligns with the ongoing discourse on design among scholars and many practitioners, although there remains considerable disagreement regarding the precise definition of design.

Conclusion

In this introduction, we've delved into the broader significance of branding, innovation, and design within the framework of brand-driven innovation. While this interpretation may diverge from some conventional understandings, it undoubtedly mirrors the evolving paradigms within the realms of branding, innovation, and design, echoing ongoing discourse in these domains. The aim of this discussion has been to provide insight into how branding, innovation, and design can hold varied interpretations across contexts and have evolved over time, ultimately leading to their commonly accepted meanings today.

Do you agree with the interpretations of how branding, innovation, and design have been explained?

If you disagree, can you shed light on why you see things differently?

Can you provide any examples the oppose the reasoning?