The gap between strategy and identity is the central challenge for most organizations in expressing the complexity of their brand with simplicity.

The importance of building the brand from the inside out tends to be overlooked. Often, when people talk about brand, they are referring only to the visuals: the name, the logo, the packaging and so forth. Confusing cause and effect, they restrict brand development solely to marketing efforts and thus restrict the effect it can have on the organization.

In fact, the areas that tend to have the greatest impact on an organization tend to have little or no visual presence. These intangibles center on focus and differentiation as the core drivers for the brand. Our “Brand Spectrum” (shown above) ensures that people both inside and outside the organization can understand and relate to the brand. It illustrates the relationship between:

Vision: What opportunities can the organization seize?

Mission: How will the organization monetize each opportunity?

Position: What position must the brand occupy to carry out the mission?

Articulation: How will the organization define and express its brand story?

Implementation: What will ensure consistent delivery of the brand promise?

The above questions are obvious and that’s the point. They are fundamental questions that must be answered, but are often overlooked by business leaders simply because they are so obvious. So organizations continue to divide strategy and identity, cutting meaning out of their brands and wondering why consumers cut these brands out of their lives.

Categories: Brand Management, Brand Strategy