Do you create a brand or become one?

4 replies
Do you create a brand or become one?
I hear tons of people talking about how they build brands
and see many here posting and asking questions on how they should build a brand.

I have my own thoughts I will lay out and would appreciate some input.

To me the REAL brands, the HUGE brands were NOT made!
They became brands.

Let me explain.
Someone invents the personal computer or greatest soda, something totally cool.
People buy it like crazy
THEN
the company is forced into a cycle of defining and often re-inventing who they are
and they over time become the brand they are today.

The flip side of trying to build a brand that I am seeing is this.
A Company or person does NOT have a unique offer or product that has really taken off or that anybody cares about but rather has something just like someone else that became a brand.

They look at that brand as someone they would like to be and see what it has today.
A culture, mission statement, colors, tag lines, truck wraps etc..
and believe they should focus on building all that stuff and spend a ton of money and time either doing it themselves or hiring people that build brands.

I am unable to think of any top brand that did it this way.
Sure I believe that you should look ahead and have some sort of definition of who and what you are
BUT
I think many would do much better producing/selling something that people go crazy over and by virtue be forced into becoming a brand through the necessity of streamlining their message rather than stressing so much over their current image/brand when frankly they don't even have a profitable business yet.

Once again I absolutely welcome and value any input on this.
I also get there are grey areas in here but I really do feel for the most part
the average person on warrior forum that is trying to "build a brand" could be better served by building their offers and customer base and let nature take its course.
#brand #create
  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    I can totally see your line of thinking. There are many examples that would indicate that would the pattern in general. Coca Cola, Pepsi, Ford Motor Company, Levi. But there are many that do not follow that pattern. IKEA, UPS, SONY.

    I think that BRAND and TRUST go hand in hand.

    Lets drop this out of the realm of the big guys for a moment and bring it down a few levels. Our screen names on this Forum are in essence Brands. There are names we Trust, and names we don't. "plessard" is a trusted name, you continually post high quality helpful content. "savidge4" is a take it or leave it type brand. Overly opinionated, full of himself, but has moments of great content.

    You and I could switch passwords for a week, and people looking at "plessard" would think wow, he must be having a bad week, and people looking at "savidge4" dang, did he finally start taking meds? But after the week was done, and things went back to "normal" your brand would not be so effected... you have already developed ( made ) the trust, and I would have a spike in my Brand, and quickly wash that away!

    As much as I understand the idea of a Brand being developed over time - I think its more that time is spent "Making" the brand.

    As you move forward with your new venture, through your words you will become a Trusted Brand. With that brand you will be able to develop and sell product. "If plessard says its worth buying, im in!" That is the Goal, and nature of Branding. The reality is when you sell of your brand, the "savidge4" that now has it will run it into the ground! ha ha

    Hope that Helps!

    Originally Posted by plessard View Post

    Do you create a brand or become one?
    I hear tons of people talking about how they build brands
    and see many here posting and asking questions on how they should build a brand.

    I have my own thoughts I will lay out and would appreciate some input.

    To me the REAL brands, the HUGE brands were NOT made!
    They became brands.

    Let me explain.
    Someone invents the personal computer or greatest soda, something totally cool.
    People buy it like crazy
    THEN
    the company is forced into a cycle of defining and often re-inventing who they are
    and they over time become the brand they are today.

    The flip side of trying to build a brand that I am seeing is this.
    A Company or person does NOT have a unique offer or product that has really taken off or that anybody cares about but rather has something just like someone else that became a brand.

    They look at that brand as someone they would like to be and see what it has today.
    A culture, mission statement, colors, tag lines, truck wraps etc..
    and believe they should focus on building all that stuff and spend a ton of money and time either doing it themselves or hiring people that build brands.

    I am unable to think of any top brand that did it this way.
    Sure I believe that you should look ahead and have some sort of definition of who and what you are
    BUT
    I think many would do much better producing/selling something that people go crazy over and by virtue be forced into becoming a brand through the necessity of streamlining their message rather than stressing so much over their current image/brand when frankly they don't even have a profitable business yet.

    Once again I absolutely welcome and value any input on this.
    I also get there are grey areas in here but I really do feel for the most part
    the average person on warrior forum that is trying to "build a brand" could be better served by building their offers and customer base and let nature take its course.
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    Success is an ACT not an idea
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    • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
      Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

      I can totally see your line of thinking. There are many examples that would indicate that would the pattern in general. Coca Cola, Pepsi, Ford Motor Company, Levi. But there are many that do not follow that pattern. IKEA, UPS, SONY.

      I think that BRAND and TRUST go hand in hand.

      Lets drop this out of the realm of the big guys for a moment and bring it down a few levels. Our screen names on this Forum are in essence Brands. There are names we Trust, and names we don't. "plessard" is a trusted name, you continually post high quality helpful content. "savidge4" is a take it or leave it type brand. Overly opinionated, full of himself, but has moments of great content.

      You and I could switch passwords for a week, and people looking at "plessard" would think wow, he must be having a bad week, and people looking at "savidge4" dang, did he finally start taking meds? But after the week was done, and things went back to "normal" your brand would not be so effected... you have already developed ( made ) the trust, and I would have a spike in my Brand, and quickly wash that away!

      As much as I understand the idea of a Brand being developed over time - I think its more that time is spent "Making" the brand.

      As you move forward with your new venture, through your words you will become a Trusted Brand. With that brand you will be able to develop and sell product. "If plessard says its worth buying, im in!" That is the Goal, and nature of Branding. The reality is when you sell of your brand, the "savidge4" that now has it will run it into the ground! ha ha

      Hope that Helps!
      LOL first thanks for the kind words and second I always enjoy your posts. This place would be no fun if we all took our meds on time :-)
      Hey do you think warrior forum should have a guess the poster day where they assign us random userid's and everyone tries to figure out who it was?

      I would try to be Ewen, keep everyone guessing for days about the "tipping point" so we could all go shit why didn't I think of that! :-)
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      • Profile picture of the author savidge4
        haha I could never be Ewen, or even try to replicate him. he says way to much in far so few words!

        Tipping Point still chaps my hide. he could have dragged that on for 30 days and no one would have guess. DAMN KIWI

        Originally Posted by plessard View Post

        LOL first thanks for the kind words and second I always enjoy your posts. This place would be no fun if we all took our meds on time :-)
        Hey do you think warrior forum should have a guess the poster day where they assign us random userid's and everyone tries to figure out who it was?

        I would try to be Ewen, keep everyone guessing for days about the "tipping point" so we could all go shit why didn't I think of that! :-)
        Signature
        Success is an ACT not an idea
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  • Profile picture of the author digichik
    How dare you exhibit COMMON SENSE.

    You know up is down, right is left.

    "The emperor's new clothes."

    Companies valuations in the billions, and have never, ever turned a profit.

    Growth is empty numbers, any number other than actual PROFITS. (twitter, Facebook, etc).
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