Refreshing your brand when you are a brand agency should be pretty straightforward right?
Well, not so much, but the journey was incredibly thought provoking at each stage and our brand feels like the best version of us to date. I thought I’d share some behind the scenes conversations and valuable insights in case you or someone you know are contemplating this for your organization.
The power of external perspective is very real.
Yes, we brought in trusted outside partners for research, strategy and message development. We used our own process to guide the work but the players were “Truth agnostic” when it came to our brand. They uncovered valuable marketer insights that we had not heard from our clients and prospects. They tapped into the raw emotions that are at the core of our purpose, and they expressed the “what, how and why” of what we do in its simplest form.
Being “the client” is no easy feat.
There is a lot at stake with this type of project – can someone really capture the vision I have and the delivery that feels like I can say it with pure conviction? The answer is yes, through lots of listening, providing clear feedback and being open to their interpretations. I also experienced being presented with multiple options, and the time pressures that come with decisions. I have even greater empathy for how clients must process, guide and decide – and the consideration that goes into it.
Leave room for serendipity.
While we had decided on the creative strategy of “brand bravely”, the line “Brand ever Braver” was born when one of our teammates casually signed off an email as “ever braver”. I knew when I read it that that was it, without question. Brand development and brand expression is a methodical process, but it’s also organic once you get into flow mode. Be open to how you arrive at your big idea as it may come when you are least expecting it.
Stakeholder’s need (and deserve) time to process.
I was reminded on a few occasions that something that I have been envisioning for months may not readily connect all the dots with everyone immediately, even senior leaders. I had expectations of a slam dunk sharing session, and when it turned into a mindful debate, I got frustrated. Through conversations and time, it became apparent that the positioning and the brand expression fits us well. One key conversation was how it may make clients/prospects feel – does “Brand ever Braver” feel too extreme, wild, and potentially off putting? Maybe, but that’s part of a clear brand message, it should do some qualification legwork for you. And staying true to our relationship focus, we think about it more as “helping our clients find a braver side of themselves”, and we meet them wherever they may be on the spectrum.
Live it, really live it.
When you present your new brand to the world, it has to be done with authority and attention to details. It also needs to be a personal standard, a promise that I and every teammate lives up to every day. “Is this a brave recommendation/idea, or is it just incremental”? “Is this action brave, or expected”? Your brand is a promise made publicly, so you damn well be feeling it inside of yourself.
Many companies, including ours, can get easily entrenched in legacy thinking. And being truthful, a lot has changed in the past several years -so it makes sense that looking at your brand as a first step is a wise place to assess how your audience feels about you, and how you feel about your product.
Your brand is also the core of your business strategy. Maybe your sales are off target, or you are facing continual pricing pressure, or you are finding your company competing with different players. Whatever the business pain point, starting by looking in the mirror is always a good strategy.
Thank you for reading this, and I hope it was valuable in your own pursuits. I’d be grateful to hear from you.
Ever Braver,
Bob
