How do clients build brands?

The One Off (Top 10 agency). They are idea agitators. Their team is broad with multiple people across disciplines working together. They live by their promises. The biggest one is respect – you have to respect your client and your customers.

How will AI affect consumer behaviour – people are not dumb. They get what is going on and they will vote with their feet. Your brand has to stay ahead. The branding has to fit with the product.

Things they have learned:

• Manage Risk – evolve and collaborate
• Listen all the time
• Don’t hang out with the wrong people
• Well research your ideas and market
• Good branding and communications

Don’t assume that you know what the competition are doing.

• What’s your secret. Your story? Vision, mission, values.
• What are your promises? (Give them something to believe it).
• Why should I believe you? (Do something compelling).
• How do you tell your story?
• Where should you tell/sell it?

Is it sustainable? It needs to be more than just you and the product. Vision and love – do you fall in love with the idea?

Just GYSD – ‘Get your shiz done’

Q&A, actions, age breakdown. Ask everyone what do you think? Why you? What are your competition doing?

Big Promises: Align the vision/brand promise with the behaviour of the company – have a really strong passion!

Little Promises: ‘By 10:30 AM’ – that’s crap don’t do that.

Brand Matrices – Get these nailed down!

Do the groundwork – why are the customers here! Go back to basics and the history of ‘what the company is about’.

Logo’s

• Don’t get hung up on your brand logo early on. Do get hung up on the name and vision.
• Vision and Brand Values
• Articulate your brand promises and belief points across all media.
• Your logo does not need to do everything
• Align your business to your brand – branding is a promise.
• This will build a brand map.

What is your BHAG – Big Hairy Audacious Goal – Anita Roddick, Body Shop

The tech, fashion and sports industries are the most demanding. They want an idea now – if you can crack those industries you can iterate really quickly and build great stuff.

Spend at least a day doing this – sit down with others and beat around each others’ ideas. It is important – a VC will be looking for a sustainable business.

 

Make sure your pitch is understandable by investors, customers and colleagues.

You will succeed when you identify a problem that needs solving. Listen to 5 good people and your customers. When you see this as a journey you never give up!

When you get the team and customers behind you… really understanding, believing and loving your brand. (Not just you and not just your product.)