BRAND THE UNBREAKABLE FRAME

DEFINING BRAND &
TRUE DIFFERENTIATION
SECTION I
Many executives think of their brand as being limited to a logo, tagline or
color palette. Although these elements are important, they are actually just
components of your brand; verbal and visual signifiers for your organization.
They are representations of your brand; cues to help audiences remember
their experiences with you. They are not, however, your brand.
A more holistic way of thinking
about Brand is as the “sticky glue”
that connects business strategy and
customer/client experiences. Brand
stickiness emanates from a clear
understanding of what story is at
the heart of your organization.
That story is your Brand Essence:
an intangible feeling one gets in
the presence of your brand.
This is defined and reinforced
by what makes you different,
memorable and unique.
Collaborative. Responsive.
Client-focused. Innovative. Far from
being memorable or unique, these
are some of the most commonly
used go-to-market messages for
B2B and professional services
organizations. Nearly identical value
propositions like these create a
dangerous “sea of sameness.”
Besides being uninteresting, this
environment also puts undue
pressure and emphasis on the
professionals of these seemingly
identical organizations to be the
differentiators themselves.
As marketers, we must dig deeper.
We need to find a point of view
that is authentic to the character
of our organization and unique to
our competitive set and vertical.
Without this, it’s impossible to
separate from the pack and present
your clients and customers with a
brand experience that is more than
just your snappy color palette or
slick logo.
BRAND ESSENCE:
an intangible feeling one gets
in the presence of your brand.
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