Why do redesigns receive so much flak?  Because people are passionate and largely resist change. Even a “great design” may be rejected if it violates consumers’ sense of “how things should be.” That’s because the human mind sees good and bad through a lens of context. Branding works because people have a basic human need to distinguish one thing from another. People either accept or reject changes in brand identity based on how well those changes align with their own experience and expectations of that brand. A new identity that violates what the mind knows to be true is often met with disappointment and disapproval.

Consumers use brands as a method of augmenting their own identities, and a change considered “off brand” can clash with the consumer’s own sense of self. However, there is a far more utilitarian benefit to a consistent brand identity – wayfinding.

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It is often said that a brand is a narrative. This is because stories are fundamental to how we process information. The human brain organizes much of our experience, knowledge and thinking as stories and, as we all know, rivalry makes for a great story. Without an antagonist, things get boring quickly. Rivalry leverages exclusionary positioning, providing an antagonist that adds to an existing identity.

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More often than not, a company’s vision and mission statements fail to capture the true nature of what the organization’s core purpose is, what makes them different, relevant and authentic. Successful brands are those who understand that the brand’s core concept serves as a compass, guiding the organization, their partners and their consumers.

Brands are essentially shared understanding of a singular meaning. Without a shared understanding of what the brand represents, employee and partner actions are set adrift. It is therefore, critical that the brand team has a theme to guide their efforts.

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