5 Questions That Will Transform Your Brand

At today’s Vistage Executive Summit in Seattle, Will Novy and Emily Brew co-presented to a crowd of 500 business owners, CEOs, and their key
executives about the future of brand and how to think about it in a hyper-connected world.   Will Novy started Quicksilver Foundry in 2002. He was formerly a program officer at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and a campaign director at World Wildlife Fund International. Emily Brew is the former Brand Creative Director at the Nike Foundation and known for her role in launching The Girl Effect.

Novy described the lens through which to look at brand as congruent with the laws of human nature and the simple fact that all of us want more, “particularly Americans”, he quipped.  The key is to discover what people want more of as it pertains to your brand.   Two ideas on that topic are that people want to have a sense of identity/individuality, and yet they also want to be part of a community .  People want to feel that they belong.  His description made me think of the Apple ad campaign that ran from 2006- 2009, featuring Justin Long (Mac) and John Hodgman (PC).    It essentially asked viewers whether they identified with the cool guy or the awkward guy and implied that you could either be part of the “in crowd” or the “out crowd.”   The campaign sparked a sales increase of nearly 40% in the first year.

However, it’s about much more than identity and community; Novy and Brew suggested that it’s also aligning with a purpose that is bigger than ourselves.  It essentially comes down to:

Who are you?

What do you do?

Why does it matter?

(You’re probably thinking, “that’s only 3 questions.”  Patience).

They described brand as the core promise of your organization and branding as the signals you send to communicate that promise.   The key is to align your brand so that what you say you are is congruous with how you actually behave.  People also want more engagement.  They want to see themselves in the brand.  (Another reason that the Apple spots were so successful).   Offering present day examples of who is doing it right, Emily Brew highlighted Patagonia, Wildfang, and Crossfit.

Now you’re ready for the 5 questions – questions you can ask yourself about your own brand and your aspirations for its future success:

1. Is your purpose bigger than you are?
2. Do you know your tribe (all your stakeholders)?
3. Are you obsessed with them?
4. Do you know how to reach them?
5. Are you open to change?

Novy and Brew remind us that we live in a transparent world.  To advance our brands, we need to be committed to openness, have a purpose larger than ourselves, and be willing to be fanatical about engaging our tribes.   Answer the 5 questions with these guiding principles in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to creating abundance for you, your employees, and your customers.

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