Branding, as we know it today, didn’t come into existence until the 1950’s. Sure we can talk about branded cattle in ancient Egypt and 18th century ceramics in England, but that branding was about claiming ownership.
It is different than what branding means today.
Nowadays, we say that brands exist in the mind of the customer. And even though it is a little pedantic, it is correct. The reputation and concept of the company behind this 16.9oz can of bubbly water is the brand.
Liquid Death is the cool kid of 2022. Everyone loves their branding, messaging, ads, and whatnot. I guess if you can make canned water cool, then you deserve the props everyone gives your brand… but still, you produce cans.
20th Century Branding.
The forerunners are today’s brands started after World War II. The post-war economic boom was driven by consumer demand, and growth flourished across all industries.
McDonald’s is the easiest to talk about not only because everyone knows it, but because it was an empire built around efficiency.
Ray Kroc wanted everyone in America to know and love McDonald’s. It was a difficult feat, but because his restaurants were so efficient at slinging 15¢ hamburgers, he was able to meet the demand head on… with a clown.
McDonald’s grew to be a household name (and a pioneer in clown-induced PTSD). And other brands followed, using fiction personalities and catchy copy to attract new customers. From Mr. Whipple to The Jolly Green Giant, and later with actual personalities, like Michael Jordan.
Our brand of branding had taken off, and it was no longer enough for P&G to produce run-of-the-mill products you picked up the supermarket.
People were hungry for new products and they wanted to choose. They wanted to identify with their brand of cigarette and automotive tires.
We went bananas with branding…
Marketing wasn’t only about getting shelf space in your local shop anymore. It was about getting headspace.
Bringing things back to 2022, branding is just as important. Creepy clowns are no longer en vogue, so now branding is all about purpose and storytelling.
Many executives believe that brands have to believe in something. Contribute to something. Stand for something.
This point is debatable though. It is mostly wrong. Not because purpose or contributions are wrong, but because they’re often spoken about with such lofty pretention that it misses the point.
Because the point of branding is to be active. Passive players are, well… passed over.
Factories make all of our stuff. The same factories make almost identical products for multiple competing brands. These factories are not players in the market because they are not active in the market. They passively produce products in the background.
Important, yes they are… but they don’t get the love that a “purpose-driven” brand gets.
Brands Move.
In my conversation with Matthew Gattozzi on the podcast, we talked at length about content. That is where this meandering thought started.
Over the past several years, I have worked with many talented people in a number of great brands. And I noticed something similar during each project. Numbers always start to trend up when teams are actively building something.
I am using the word something to be vague on purpose. Whether it is on social media or creating brand assets, when teams are actively pursuing a goal…. a goal that included building up content… customers take notice.
Of course we can measure the numbers, but they are not always attributable to each individual act. The whole is greater than the sum is its parts.
Many people don’t like this type of thinking because it is not clear and controllable. But they should. Because it is exactly what they are really looking for - Repeatable.
Excitement begets excitement. And it doesn’t happen in a closed loop of your office, it resonates outward.
What Customers See.
Do you remember on the original Jurassic Park, when Dr. Grant says to Lex, “Don’t move, he can’t see you, if you don’t move.”
It’s like that, but with less a chance of being eaten.
Customers will not notice you if you are not moving. Try to think back on a time when you visited a website or social account that looked dead. Maybe the design was slightly dated. The last post was from last year. Broken links. Looks like an abandoned house.
Did that make you think, wow these guys must be so busy with all those happy customers, they don’t even have time to update their homepage! Another example of success!
No. It didn’t.
On the other hand, when you hear about a brand doing something, it makes your ears perk up. You want to have a look. This is why user-generated content is so effective. It makes people think that you are in active communication with your customers and audience. You are doing something.
Customers see movement. And people like to take part in movements.
We started with McDonald’s. Customer are not lovin’ it because of their strong, brand colors, or their memorable ads…
We are lovin’ it because they have been active since we were kids. Not only in fast food and marketing fast food, they have been involved in charity since they opened The Ronald McDonald House in 1974. To this day, they are still doing great work for the health of children and their families.
Branding is Active.
Visual imagery and storytelling get all the glory in branding. Because they are the easiest to see. But being active - building relationships and creating content - is the lifeblood of the brand.
It is what your customers are really seeing.
It is what makes people stop and think.
It is what gives your brand staying power.
Tons are brands get this right, even if they don’t put it into the same words.
But if a brand is struggling to grow, it needs to take a step back and look at what they are actively doing, not what they have or want… but what they are building.
What movements their dinosaurs are chasing.