Some companies think that as long as they have a company name and a logo, they have a brand. What they really have at that stage is just a name and a logo. No more.

The promise is your brand

A brand's task is to make the name and logo mean something, to reflect what the brand stands for. So how do you get there? Yes, by creating a really good product, offering really good services and by using the company and the tools you have to change what you said you wanted to change. It's not hard. It only requires a certain amount of effort.

Of course, it helps to have a good name and a good logo, but do you not think Apple would have done just as well if they had been called Peach? Of course, they would.

Find out all about the relationship between brand, logo, identity and branding here.

In Mission, we see the brand as an unwavering promise to the market and the consumer: "I promise to make the best running shoes on this earth: Nike", "I promise to deliver faster and more relevant searches: Google", "We promise to give you the best shopping experience imaginable: Amazon ”. What is your promise about? The promise is your brand.

"I promise to make the best running shoes on this earth: Nike"

How do you create excitement for the brand?

We often get this question when we talk to companies. The answer is surprisingly simple: You have to be all over yourself with excitement.

In today's society, it is to appear honest and genuine and with a clear purpose that applies. Customers notice it when a company appreciates its customers. And commitment is valuable. That is why we say that brands with a clearly defined purpose do it better and mean more.

Let's look at an example:

I want to think you know Kleenex. Kleenex experienced a decline in sales for several years. No one understood why, but the fact was that the product no longer had any value to consumers. It was just paper in a box that was associated with the common cold!

It turned out that Kleenex had two core segments: mother and child, and the so-called millennial generation (the latter were born just before or after the turn of the millennium, they are fully digital and they check their mobile at least 100 times a day!)

These again had something in common: They were caring!

Kleenex had forgotten the piece of care, and they had to start again and at the same time define their purpose: Caring for generations to come. (care for the future and future generations.) They made TV commercials and used social media, all communication focused on consumers from the two core segments in everyday and real situations characterized by care - because providing care is a human trait. We are born with a desire to help, protect and care for each other. Feel free to take a look at Kleenex's message about care here..

Suddenly, it was not just the core segments that regarded Kleenex as someone who cared - everyone did! This story has a happy ending. Kleenex radically increased sales. History also confirms our view that the best brands not only change something for consumers, but also have a well-developed and natural ability to communicate their purpose in a real and thus good way, so that it means something to consumers. Put another way; when one succeeds in connecting internal culture (what is the purpose of the company) with external communication, then it is no longer just about brand building, but raising the focus to be about building the whole business with inspiring actions.

"What is your promise about?
The promise is your brand. ”

The brand is not what we think it is, but what consumers think it is

That brings me to why storytelling is so important. A brand is a story, and you have to tell it in a good way. The advantage of our digital world is that good stories are quickly spread. At the moment, they are also distributed free of charge. Whether you are a start-up company or a large company, you have the same benefits. The Instagram feed can be fun and engaging, and tweeting on Twitter can give you a human face.

The ability to tell an interesting and personal story in your own words and your own voice is often what characterizes the best brands. The story will also be helpful when creating a meaningful experience for the consumer. If the story is reliable and you define the purpose well, you will have the best conditions for a long and happy life "in business".
Just like our friend the "Kleenex dog" .