A brand is not a logo, not a corporate design, not a promise and not a product. A brand is the perception of a company, product or service. Why do you buy a brand? What do you tell other people about it? Your opinion, your gut feeling, define how you see a company. The more people have a similar image of the brand, the more its value increases.
More and more consumers are questioning the meaning of a brand and what it brings them personally. Does it fit my identity and which "family" do I join? Today, strong brands have a community, fans, loyal customers and employees who are ready to defend the brand and even reject other brands with better offers.
Therefore, the competition is conducted not only among companies, but especially among fans of a brand. That’s why it's so important today that companies really get in touch with their target group and move from static to agile target group-centered brand development.
The companies which continue to ignore this will have a hard time in the future. Because with the ever-increasing selection of competitors, consumers decide what significance the product has for them. Maybe they prefer to choose your competitor, because he fits better with their own identity, with the cooler community.
Do you want to go deeper?
The book "THE BRAND GAP" by Marty Neumeier, which has been read by over 25 million people, explains in detail what a brand is today and how brands become successful today.
Would you rather read it in German? That's no problem either! We worked with Marty Neumeier on the translation of "The BRAND GAP", so it's now available in German.
You're already a brand with your company. Because your brand is created in the minds of your target group. This means that even if you don't consciously position yourself, they'll still get an idea of your company and tell other people about their experiences.
Left uncontrolled, it can develop in completely the wrong direction, which slows down the success of your brand. So what to do? Today we're talking about the "conscious" positioning of a brand. How do you want to be perceived with your brand? What should your target group associate with your brand? How should they tell other people about your brand and how do they tell other people about it? Don't forget: how do your own employees talk about the brand and why do they want to work for you?
We're all brands and the great thing is, you can control how you want to be perceived. Today, brands have to be developed in close exchange with their own target group. The days when companies alone developed the brand (see graphic) are long gone.
Today, consumers decide what significance the brand has or whether it's simply not relevant. After all, there's plenty of choice. In our Brand Strategy Sprint® and Branding Sprint® we develop your brand according to the new modern brand model.
Book your meeting now and let's find out how we can best support you.
Be different and get 4 free steps from us on how you can develop a disruptive positioning with your brand.
