Four things you must know when you create your brand
Why do people love the likes of Nike, Apple, and McDonald’s? Even if you don’t love them, you surely respect the power of such globally successful brands.
This is all because we buy into their DNA. You know what they stand for, you immediately recognise them, and you feel connected. You already have a story about their brand in your mind.
Nike wants us all to be the best that we can be. It says: “If you have a body, you are an athlete’. It wants us all to be included. NIKE, Inc. – Purpose — NIKE, Inc.
Apple simply wants to make our lives easier and richer with its innovative products. It wants to help us learn so that we can all realise our potential. Education – Apple (UK)
And McDonald’s wants to feed us but is also about families and fostering communities. Just watch its latest adverts on television and you can see this in spades. McDonald’s – YouTube
We think this DNA boils down to four key building blocks, which you absolutely must know if you want to build a strong brand.
- You need to know why you exist as a business or organisation
- You need to know who you are – your ethics and culture
- You need to know how you do things – the way your business behaves
- You need to know what you do – your specific offer to your customer
It might help if we take a closer look at an iconic brand that we all know well and, quite possibly, love. John Lewis is the largest employee-owned business in the UK. It has been trading for more than 100 years and its central aim has always been to do business differently. By making its staff partners and involving them in decisions, everyone feels a shared sense of ownership and commitment.
Why does John Lewis exist?
John Lewis’s purpose underlines this desire to include its employees: ‘As co-owners we all have a share in the business and a shared commitment to go above and beyond for each otherand our customers’. This is the why. John Lewis Partnership – Our Purpose
Who are they?
These days marketing people would describe John Lewis as a typical ‘caregiver’ brand. It wants to protect customers and behaves in ways that demonstrate this intention. No wonder that acting with integrity and doing the right thing are integral to its DNA. This is the who. John Lewis Partnership – Our values
How do they do business?
The way that John Lewis does things stems from its ethics and culture. It calls this ‘purpose in action’. It’s about walking the walk every day. This company isn’t afraid to describe how it wants its people to act. Treat people with fairness, courtesy and respect are its three guiding principles. This is the how. John Lewis Partnership – Happier People
What do they do?
John Lewis describes itself as a leading multi-channel retailer but what it offers is different. It helps to bring joy to every moment, not just the big occasions. This is the what. For all life’s moments | John Lewis & Partners
Hope Creative is here for you
If you need help answering these four questions about your business, we’re here. We offer interactive Brand Doctor workshops designed to meet the needs of any business.
