Brands To Be Passionate About

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I just skimmed through "Creating Passionbrands" by Helen Edwards and Derek Day and liked a few of their ideas regarding creating and managing a brand. First off, a "passionbrand" is a brand that stands for something more than just a product, also sometimes known as a "cause-based" brand.

Marketers must understand a brand’s basic essence – the intangible qualities that defined it. A good quote from the book that defines a brand’s essence is “a single thought that captures the soul of the brand.” You cannot create great and appropriate new products, distribution plans, advertising strategies, and partnerships until you have defined (and adhere to) that single thought that captures the soul of your brand.

A passionbrand contains these characteristics:

  1. It is powered by a desire to make the world a better place. [Hmmm, Microsoft's "Your Potential, Our Passion" sounds good. :-) ]
  2. It can deliver what is promised.
  3. It is flexible enough to survive changes in taste and society.
  4. It is distinctive, which is crucial in a competitive environment.

To create a passionbrand, understand the following:

  1. The brand's overall competitive environment.
  2. Consumer's needs.
  3. The ideological focus of the brand.
  4. Your company’s capacity to deliver on the brand’s tangible and intangible promises.

Questions for you and your employees to discuss these questions regarding your brand:

  1. What does the brand do that is good for people?
  2. How is the brand’s industry failing to meet peoples' needs?
  3. Does the brand’s heritage have a message for today’s consumers?
  4. When the world changes, will the brand still stand for key values? Which ones?
  5. Is the organization doing anything to hurt the brand?
  6. What can the brand realistically achieve in the future?