Branding is An Inside Job

When it comes to branding, there’s a whole lot of hoopla around logos and taglines. Both of these things are awesome and undoubtedly crucial, but as the folks behind the creation of these things, we have seen first-hand how lackluster the results can be when businesses only address these surface-level elements of their brands.

The thing about inspiring brands (like Patagonia for example), is that their branding is rooted in their core values and beliefs. They have led with what lies at the heart and soul of their business, and built their brands from there. These kinds of good-feeling, magnetic brands are rooted in character — the values they hold close to their hearts as an organization and what they fundamentally believe in, and then they let this truth shine from the inside out. This is a challenging proposition on many levels; it’s a vulnerable process and takes a lot of courage to put your truth out into the world. But just like being yourself in love and in life, it’s the only way to build something meaningful.

Logos and taglines are essential elements of branding to be sure, but more than that, branding is about emotional connection.

Logos and taglines are essential elements of branding to be sure, but more than that, branding is about emotional connection. Where marketing is focused on action, branding is focused on feeling. That’s not to say it isn’t deeply strategic, because it is. But the goal is to create a spark and continue to activate that feeling through everything else you do, and prove that the initial spark meant something. You can do this by crafting stories that connect to the common thread between you and your audience, and by designing brand experiences that underpin this common thread. These could be social media strategies, marketing and communications strategies, brick and mortar spaces, events, or merch, but the key is that everything has to be connected, consistent and aligned, so you prove over time that you are who you say you are, and do what you say you’ll do.

The feedback our clients get from their customers after doing this work is truly incredible. But the real hidden value is that this kind of soul-bearing work has a remarkable effect on internal teams. Rather than annual values and mission statements being handed out at a meeting, speaking from the heart and letting those values guide what you put out into the world ignites your business from the inside out. It feels true, it speaks to your team’s collective values, and gives everyone a purpose that aligns with their own closely held beliefs. And if they don’t align, you have a very clear indication about fit. As an employer, you can motivate your employees to a certain degree with raises and perks, positive annual reviews, and the occasional pat on the back, but absolutely nothing will build loyalty and passion like having common purpose that aligns with your peoples’ values.

The business leaders we know who struggle with this do so for a few reasons: they’re afraid to be honest because they’re worried about how their existing customers will respond, they don’t feel they can commit the time and focus to the process, or they aren’t sure how to apply their true beliefs to their business in an authentic way. As entrepreneurs ourselves, we get it. But we challenge you to ask yourself, ‘what separates my business from the ones I admire?’ Then look at those businesses through the lens of how their values have driven their brands, and you might be surprised at what you see, and what you’re inspired to do.

-Clever Jane & Majorette

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