Is branding fit for purpose?
Over the past few years I’ve started to hear the same story over and over again. It goes like this. Company A pays Company B (usually a marketing or branding agency) a decent sum of money in return for things like defining their purpose, scoping out their ideal customer or giving their brand a much needed refresh.
Initially Company A is excited. But when they get to the end of the process they can’t help but feel as though something is still... missing!
They can’t quite put their finger on it. But somehow all that work has failed to hit the sweet spot. So, they pay the bill and try to make the best of things with what they have.
But something is still missing.
Their story.
Because the traditional approach to creating a brand rarely includes creating their story. Most folk will work to pull a story together for their client or organisation in some shape or form. But rarely is it executed to the level it needs to be.
So what is a brand anyway?
Well, it’s certainly not something you simply ‘lump in’ with marketing. Do that and you’ll create an inauthentic and ego-driven identity that casts you as the hero of your own story.
It’s not all about looking great either. Beauty is only ever skin deep. When a brand looks good but treats its people, customers or the planet badly things soon turn ugly.
Your brand is formed in language. Because stories are what truly connect us.
Simply put, your story is the heart and soul of who you are and everything you do. It’s the foundation of your organisation and brand.
We believe that when a Brand New Story isn’t present, traditional branding remains unfit for purpose.
How can we evolve the world of branding? By changing our story of it. From one that promotes ego-driven organisations who are the heroes of their own story - to a brand new story that champions conscious brands who value people, planet and profit - simply by making their customers the hero of their story.
The world is changing. Fast. Brands who fail to evolve run the risk of extinction. Creating your Brand New Story can stop that from happening.
Brand New Story isn’t here to replace your agency or in-house team
Your story is a strategic level piece of work, carried out by your leadership team. It helps you define or redefine why you exist, what you stand for, who your customers are, why they need you, how you can connect with them and how they can connect with you.
Creating your Brand New Story is something we do with you, not for you. Because only you truly know your story.
Once created, it acts as the inspiration for everyone involved in bringing your organisation to life — internally that means sales, HR, finance, customer services, IT, brand and marketing, operations, legal, customer services etc — and external people like your suppliers and agencies.
Over the years Brand New Story has been viewed as a ‘competitor’ by most marketeers, agencies and even copywriters I meet. One PR agency even drove us out of the mix with a client early on, seeing us as a threat and not the ally there to make their job easier.
The world needs your story
The UK has just one decade to reach net zero carbon, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. More regulation is on its way and the businesses who find the courage to step into a Brand New Story now look set to be the ones who truly thrive in a kinder and more positive society that has been shaped by many, many new stories.
Including yours?
