Want to build an enduring brand?

In Feb 2020, my son played the title role in his seventh-grade’s production of Agamemnon. Huddled closely with other parents, we were treated to the musings of the ancient Greek playwright, Aeschylus. “He who learns must suffer,” proclaimed the chorus. Days later, we were all in lockdown.

Learning is change, and change is difficult. Even in the most mundane of times, it requires a degree of discomfort. This pandemic has forced change and learning on all of us. Resilience, however, is the ability to bounce back in the face of turmoil or hardship. Resilience calls for flexibility, suppleness, and a strong core.

As a marketer with an interest in brand building, I often think about what makes a resilient brand. Why do some brands become heritage brands and others disappear? While many executional components to this have been well documented, I’m compelled to reach back in time for an alternative lens on the answer.

The Romans of antiquity had a god for everything— Neptune, the god of the sea; Cupid, the god of love; and Apollo, the god of the sun are among the most renowned.

As a marketer, my favorite is a lesser-known deity, Janus, who held the key to gateways between what was and what is to come. Janus was the god with two faces. One of his faces always looked backward, to the past, ever mindful of where he had come from, of those who had come before. He recognized that in times of adversity, he could draw on their strength. His other face perpetually looked forward, to the future, comforted in his knowledge of the past and the legacies of his ancestors. While the past was always in sight, he was not fixated on what was; instead, he looked to the horizon—focused on the possibilities of the future.

Like all marketers, Janus held many roles. As the mythical ruler of Latium, Janus was responsible for the Golden Age that brought trade, financial systems, and agriculture to the region. As the doorkeeper of the heavens, Janus was the route to all the other gods. To the ancient Romans, Janus was the god of gates and doors.

As marketers we may glean perspective from the duality of Janus. This pandemic, the economic upheaval, and the crisis surrounding racial inequity are stress-testing our resilience and provoking us to look to our brand purpose to find a firm foothold from which to elevate. This period is also presenting a portal to a new future, to cultivate creativity, to forge new relationships and unlock new ambitions.

I’ve learned from observing venerable brands that enduring relevance demands a steadfast reverence for heritage AND an adaptable and inspiring vision for the possibilities of tomorrow.

To learn about resilience through the experiences of five enduring brands you can listen to this episode of “How CMOs Commit” on Spotify or Apple.

I’d be delighted to see what you think makes an enduring brand. Please share in the comments below.

You can listen to all our panels by subscribing to the “How CMOs Commit” podcast on Spotify or Apple. You can request a guest invitation to join the Siegel+Gale Future of Branding live panels here.