The Limits Of Textbook Brand Strategy

Mark Di SommaFebruary 24, 20153 min

There is absolutely a place for models. Great structures deliver us frameworks for thinking.

They provide a powerful grid within which to see interactions and consequences. They make a measured and systematic approach possible. For those of us working in the area of brand strategy, the theory and the pillars are well developed thanks to the sterling work of pioneers like Jack Trout and Al Ries. But in the spirit of Richard Feynman, we need to continue to question whether the systems and assumptions that we take so much for granted and use on a daily basis are as relevant and applicable as they once were, in a business world that is now digital, social, global and rapid.

There are 6 key drivers for any brand strategy in my opinion:

Much of the rest of what brand strategists do is process. It’s important but it really is a means to an end. Single minded propositions, positioning statements, values, even tone and manner – these are really just ways to group and structure our findings. They play a key role in a brand strategy, but having them alone is no guarantee that you have crafted a game changer. Models are the basis for thinking – and that’s a great thing. They are less helpful when they become a dogma. We need to retain the ability to work with process, but not work for process.

Ultimately the key skill of a brand strategist is to blend human insight with rigorous analysis in the context of a market. That can’t be done from a book, model or case study alone. Research will tell you what people think now but, in the spirit of Black Swan, it can’t project a future desire. A purist might argue that in order for a brand to be truly differentiated it must be without precedent. I don’t necessarily agree with that – for two reasons. Firstly, as I have argued earlier on Branding Strategy Insider, I don’t believe that’s realistic anymore. Secondly, consumers need a great deal of consistency in what they see so that they have a frame of reference that makes sense for them. Distinction sits on top of that, it does not replace it.

So how should brand strategists evaluate whether the work they have completed is a job well done? My criteria is this: Does it generate an unprecedented reaction? By that I mean:

  • Does it do what others haven’t achieved emotionally?
  • Does it do so in a way that makes money?
  • Does it do so responsibly and purposefully?
  • Does it change the way that a problem is perceived and answered by your brand from now on, and in a manner that puts the onus on competitors to react or decline?

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Mark Di Somma

2 comments

  • Chris Wren

    March 1, 2015 at 4:34 pm

    Mark, I’m glad you used humanity as your top point. Everyone keeps talking about the influence millennials are having on how we interact with life. I happen to believe that circumstances in what we know, and how we use what we know were at a point that saw people (not just millennials) making more than average changes. Today, we expect humanity, we expect value and we expect creativity. These are must-haves because those are contact points between todays consumers and what they seek in brands.

  • markdisomma

    March 1, 2015 at 10:05 pm

    Thanks for your thoughts Chris. The way I seee it, the critical question – whether your strategy has inspired an unprecedented reaction – focuses on the three aspects you have identified as must-haves. No textbook will teach you how to achieve that amongst millenials (or anyone else for that matter). Cheers, Mark

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