Accidental Branding
I like to see the idea of branding as a fair exchange of value surfacing in various places and minds (I wasn't the first one to think of it, but I love it.) I also like a nice story--or more. That's how I found myself holding my breath while reading a book on accidents. Fortunately, those were accidents in branding, in the form of brand stories told by a good raconteur (and teacher of brand-related things, just like myself) who met the respective interesting brand founders, got them talking and did his share of research on the side.
So here's a few takeaways from Accidental Branding:
- Empathy. "Be your own customer." Either walk in someone else's shoes and do it well, or if you can't, think of something you'd use and love yourself.
- Focus. "Don't appeal to everyone, but get delighted, raving fans." Pleasing everyone is the safest way to kill valuable ideas, products and services of any kind.
- Trust. You can't beat the trustability of a business owner who says: "My exit strategy is death."
- Passion. "The clerk... seemed more interested in making sure I understood how to shave properly than he was in selling me shaving balm."
- Familiar symbols are powerful "Once people understood that a mother who was the world's most demanding boss ran Columbia, they believed that the products could be both tough and inexpensive."
- Creative tension. "Every good entrepreneur... feels like the wolf is just outside the door, no matter how successful his or her business."
A word of warning in the end. Two, actually:
- Only a handful of accidents are fortunate. Failure is the rule when starting a business, everywhere in the world. Be prepared to face it, if you start up something.
- Big brands are built and driven differently. They're less sexy than many small ones, but they dominate the market--it's in the way of nature for the mediocrity to be more prevalent. Don't get carried away by the breeze after reading this book, if you're involved with a big one. But do keep that breeze awake if you dream of starting a brand of your own--it's your only chance to succeed.
Comments