People judge books by their cover.
They judge cake by the icing.
They judge wine by the label.
But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Brands wouldn’t hold the power they have in our society if it wasn’t for this aspect of the human experience. This very need to interpret, classify, and instantly relate to the people and things in our lives is the basis for branding. And it’s why accurate and interesting brand expression is actually a gift to our customers.
But this is also why we must remember that crafting a brand identity — the tangible design and voice elements that express our personality — isn’t all about us. Customers only care about the role all of this plays in making their lives better.
And it does. Consider all of the (increasingly difficult) things in life that the presence of brands help you do.
Like expressing your individuality.
Finding your individuality.
Connecting with a like-minded community. Being part of something.
Or simply breaking the monotony and boredom of a world living on auto-pilot.
The Plight of the Consumer.
Here’s an example I use in my workshops to demonstrate the real role of brand identity in our lives. Take a quick look at the two chocolate bars below and then go about making the very important decision of which one you would most likely buy in this moment.
Then ask yourself “why?”
When I ask people why they chose A, I get an entertaining assortment of answers: “It stands out.” “It’s bold.” “It looks badass.”
Those that lean toward B have very different answers: “It looks natural.” “It’s richer.” “Well-crafted.”
What are these answers telling us?
Two things:
1 – We instantly and instinctively give character traits to something (or someone) based on their outward expression – how they look, what they say, etc. And, what’s more, we often trust that gut reaction enough to make an entire purchase decision based on it.
2 – Even more importantly, we’re seeing a promise in that wrapper. A promise that goes way beyond the boundaries of consuming a simple chocolate bar.
In our brand of choice, we’re seeing the style and personality of the person we believe we are or want to be; we’re seeing the promise of feelings we want to feel; the lifestyle we want to enjoy – even if it’s just in that moment.
And this doesn’t come from a naïve place. We know that we are making these leaps in logic, but it’s worth it to us. They make our lives easier. They add an extra thrill to every purchase we make, even ones as simple as indulging in a piece of chocolate.
Imagine the potential presented by a pair of jeans. A piece of jewelry. A book. A community.
Knowing this is how you elevate your offerings beyond a commodity in the minds of your audience. Whatever you sell, identify that extra level of promise you are adding to their lives, and express it. Realize that this is the true power of your brand identity.
It’s never about just “being pretty,” It’s about conveying an exciting and accurate promise of who they will be, what they will feel, and how their life will change when they get beyond the “wrapper.”
4 responses to “The Real Power of Brand Identity”
Love this, Lisa! (I’m buying B, all the way.) I like thinking of branding as evidence of a promise.
Thanks, Laura! I knew you’d be a fellow “B” kindred spirit ;)
Hi Lisa,
I’ve been eating up every blog & email you’ve written for a while now and I’m finally stepping out of the shadows to write my very first post on your site.
I’m writing because I found the question you ended with to be extremely powerful to me. You wrote:
“Who do your customers get to be when they buy into your brand?”
This is a question I will keep with me for a long time, and has already changed the way I look at sales, my company, and my branding attempts. So thank you. Keep up the amazing work!
I have an outdoor apparel and accessories company and have been struggling for a while with answering a different question: “What NEED am I fulfilling for potential customers?”
Apparel does fill a need, of course, -we can’t all run around naked- but there are so many options available to consumers and it is such a huge industry that filling a basic need is no longer the main focus. So I’ve struggled with some of the questions on your questionnaires.
I argued that there was not really a NEED for my products; simply a desire to have them because of their uniqueness.
But this new question has opened my eyes. I sat back and started thinking about the shirts I bought before I started my company.
I adored stupid humor tees with sexual innuendos. My closet was full of them, and so was my boyfriend’s. So I started thinking of why I bought them and who I got to be when I wore them and it was like a light bulb switched on!
I’ve discovered a few needs I can fulfill with my humorous outdoorsy tees!
The need to fit in, to be accepted, to be liked, to be part of a group. The need to be unique, to be funny and get attention for it.
These are needs my product can definitely fulfill. Needs which I will start targeting in my marketing.
Can you think of any others?
(Brief description of the company: Chasin’ Tail is an apparel & accessories company that specializes in funny Tshirts for outdoorsmen who appreciate double-entendres, sexual humor, and hidden images. Check us out at http://www.ChasinTail.com)
Hi Ashley! Wow, I’m so glad you decided to speak up and post something. I love hearing that you’ve had a bit of a break-through!
You’re so right about the challenge faced by non-essential brands and the common language we use around needs and problems. Sometimes you are simply promising a lifestyle or the chance to self-express. And it sounds like you are definitely on the right track!
I suppose what I would suggest is to take it a step further. They want to be accepted/liked by whom? They want to fit in with whom (what tribe)? They are definitely going to buy these products to make a statement and self-express, so what is the inner part of themselves they want to share with the world?
One last note: knowing what they’re really after is the first step, and you’ll want to show them the promise more than saying it outright with this kind of business. Through photos, playful taglines that imply the value, etc. Take a look at how other apparel companies are doing it and you’ll see the artfulness in their subtlety.
Hope this helps! And thanks again for reading and the wonderful feedback :)