The Minder

When I got tired of asking my clients “who are you?” I started asking them “why are you?”. What’s the reason you are the way you are and do what you do? Then things started to get interesting. I’ve found that one of the best ways to answer that question is to go back to the earliest beginnings of the organization - the moment of conception if you will – to understand the formative values and beliefs. More often than not, those values are still operating in some measure, deep in the reflexive culture, and may be the most authentic thing to build the brand on. The creation story, linked to the present, can be a powerful credibility builder, especially inside the organization where employees are the first to apply the “stink test” to things like a new brand promise. (Read on …)

There is a shift underway in how people are talking about corporate brands; a shift that is going to result in the next generation of branding. After years of brand being the big idea, leaders want more. They’ve got their new identities, taglines, brand evangelists and guidelines, and they’ve even done some training on “what does the brand mean for me.” But there is something missing… (Read on …)