How does a brand become real?

Brands are people, too.

Humanizing brands like it’s my job

This week I’m getting philosophical about brand strategy, prompted by a recent interview with Debbie Millman on This is Critical. Millman is a great thinker (and writer, designer, teacher) on branding, who should be lionized along with Milton Glaser, Seth Godin and Scott Galloway.

But one thing she said about brands kinda irked me.

When host Virginia Heffernan asked Millman, “What is a brand?” Millman stressed that brands are “not real,” because their meaning is “manufactured,” and they can’t exist without people.

This is true, but you can say that about everything people make: fashion, movies, sandwiches.

None of these would exist without the humans who manufacture them and project meaning onto them. (If sandwiches aren’t meaningful to you then you are not my people.)

The implication of “brands are fake” is they are void of meaning and not to be trusted. Millman also takes a moral stance against “personal brands” because in her view, brands are two-dimensional, fixed identities. What human being (besides Mark Zuckerberg) would aspire to that?

“Fixed identity” is an outdated definition of brand, and it contradicts Millman’s concept of “manufactured meaning.” If meaning can be manufactured, it can also be altered, layered upon, or reimagined and rebuilt. That’s far from fixed.

The only “fixed identities” are those that humans have no hand in creating, like volcanoes. Or mold. Sharks! (Even sharks are undergoing a rebrand, though.)

A brand’s identity becomes fixed when its business reaches massive scale.

Burger King doesn’t contain multitudes. (It’s worth noting that Millman was an h.b.i.c. at Sterling starting in the late 90s, where she worked on behemoths like Burger King.) Brands become static as a result of their longevity, they don’t endure simply because of a fixed brand identity.

New brands and startups no longer strive for a “corporate identity” because today’s consumer isn’t interested in corporations. They want founder stories, explicit core values, a clear vision, a human voice, and often a political stance. In short, the “It Me” generation wants brands to be more personal and relatable than ever, regardless of the product.

Most brands I work with aren’t interested in fabricating “meaning” as a way to trick consumers into thinking their purchase is making a positive impact on the world. They’re trying to make an authentic connection with the humans who encounter them because it’s crucial for standing up against the Campbell’s and PepsiCo equivalents (two other Sterling clients) of their industry.

I do “brand strategy” for tech startups, but a huge part of it is anthropology.

I sift through corporate artifacts (these pile up surprisingly quickly at young companies) and integrate with team members to observe how they communicate. Once I’ve unearthed an organization’s unique and most human qualities, I define those qualities so they become woven into their brand voice, strategic messaging, and every touchpoint. These are fixed like a North Star. The rest of a brand identity should be iterated and evolve as the business grows.

OK, rant over!

I needed to get that message out because I don’t want entrepreneurs or startup teams to think their brand strategy work is futile, frivolous, or will only be met with consumer skepticism. Yes, the bar is high for authenticity, but any business can clear it with the right brand strategy framework.

Which brings me to my next bit of news:

I’m launching a new brand strategy workbook in May. The catchy name is pending, but it’s a lightweight framework for conducting the “anthropology” of your business (or business-to-be) so you can define your brand, and make the most human-focused, differentiated impression on your consumer base.

It’s totally free for subscribers and is delivered via email, so the work is completely on your own time.

If you or someone you love needs a quick strategy sprint for their brand, send them this link or forward this email!