how to create brand superheroes: does your culture support brand superstars?

CREATING A CULTURETHAT FOSTERS BRAND

SUPERHEROES

From Lance Armstrong to everyone’s bedroom,

it’s all about peak performance.

From Lance Armstrong to everyone’s bedroom,

it’s all about peak performance. Your brand is no exception.

Truth or dare:

Truth or dare:How many CEOs or brand

managers go out for an after-workdrink only to have their brand

magically transform from...

ThisYOUR BRAND

BEFORE A DRINK

ThisYOUR BRAND

BEFORE A DRINK

orYOUR BRAND

BEFORE A DRINK

ThisYOUR BRAND

BEFORE A DRINK

to thisYOUR BRANDAFTER A DRINK

orYOUR BRAND

BEFORE A DRINK

ThisYOUR BRAND

BEFORE A DRINK

to thisYOUR BRANDAFTER A DRINK

orYOUR BRAND

BEFORE A DRINK

or thisYOUR BRANDAFTER A DRINK

Oooooh...branding doesn’t get better than this...{ }

Oooooh...branding doesn’t get better than this...{ }Enhanced brand performance

nobody sees but you...

only to

face this

Only for reality to show up and greet you in the morning

(after all the alcohol has left the building)

only to

face this

Only for reality to show up and greet you in the morning

“GOOD MORNING”

“GOOD MORNING”

(after all the alcohol has left the building)

Yet, real enhanced brand performance

is possible.

Yet, real enhanced brand performance

is possible. (After all, superheroes are real.)

So we conducted a nationwide survey* to uncover the 5 stupid things that reduce brand performance and prevent ordinary humans

from becoming superheroes .

*not really, we only thought about it

5 stupid habits that hold down brand

performance

5 stupid habits that hold down brand

performance Uh oh...

Stupid brand habit #1:Getting along

Potential superhero

Too often in companies, the social and political skill of “getting along” overrides the more needed culture for innovation and branding excellence. Encourage disrupting the routine and questioning“the way things have always been done around here.”

The old habit:Being politically motivated to “get along.”

The new habit:Start disrupting (frequently) with responsible abandon.


With your brand


With your brandWith your naming


With your brandWith your namingWith your campaigns


With your brandWith your namingWith your campaignsWith your style

Stupid brand habit #2:Playing it safe

Potential superhero

Getting by unnoticed was fine for high school when pimples were prevalent and confidence was only something you read about in comics. When it comes to branding, playing it!afe is death. Fact is: risk is the currency of progress and breakthroughs (and is the safest road to

Getting by unnoticed was fine for high school when pimples were prevalent and confidence was only something you read about in comics. When it comes to branding, playing it!afe is death. Fact is: risk is the currency of progress and breakthroughs (and is the safest road to

awesomeness).

The old habit:Playing it safe.

The new habit:Start embracing risk as the safest road (for progress and success).


With your brand message



With your brand’svoice




With logo designs




With logo designs

With every point of

contact

Stupid brand habit #3:Covering your ass

Potential superhero

Your ass

Your ass

The goal of getting by without stepping on too many toes (rules) and traditions is the path of mediocrity in branding (and any other worthwhile activity).

Your ass is no more precious than anybody else’s. Only by creating a brand that stirs passions will you see the result of a voice original enough to cause a revolution. Your ass

The goal of getting by without stepping on too many toes (rules) and traditions is the path of mediocrity in branding (and any other worthwhile activity).

The old habit:Covering your ass with old sacred cows (like Lady Gaga’s raw meat dress).

The new habit:Start liberating new ideas with a culture of ingenuity.


Realize today’s status quo is tomorrow’s old news



Use knowledge to liberate, not rules to confine



Use knowledge to liberate, not rules to confine

Toss out the BS

Stupid brand habit #4:Thinking it’s cosmetic

Potential

superhero

Real change goes below the surface. A true brand has an essence that goes from deep within and continues all the

way out. Transformationisn’t a matter of makeup, but of internal change and a sense of your brand’s inner core.

The old habit:Making things pretty without ever asking, “Why?”

The new habit:Asking the tough questions that unearth what your brand truly stands for.


Realize if you’re not looking up, you’re

going down



going down

Understand that what you embrace is

half the battle.



going down

Understand that what you embrace is

half the battle.

What you reject is the other half.

Stupid brand habit #5:Working less

Potential superhero

Inspiration is nice. Inspiration with action is better. Much better. Stopping at inspiration (which was totally cool in the 60s) isn’t enough. You’ve got to do.

The old habit:Getting inspired.

The new habit: Getting perspired.

The new habit: Getting perspired.Look for more things to do.


Seek out how your brand can excel and overcome impossible odds.



Look for bigger problems.



Look for bigger problems.

Decide how your brand can change the world.

The old habit

The old habit

The new habitSid

e ef

fect

s may

inclu

de m

omen

ts o

f

exce

llenc

e, in

sight

s int

o gr

eatn

ess a

nd

a ge

nera

l abi

lity

to h

ave

your

bra

nd

embr

aced

my m

ore a

nd m

ore p

eopl

e.

@davidbrier

http://www.twitter.com/davidbrier


The old habit

The old habit

The new habitSid

e effe

cts m

ay in

clude

inab

iliy

to s

leep

due

to n

ew le

vels

of

ener

gy an

d stim

ulatio

n.

@davidbrier



The old habit

The old habit

The new habit

Side

effe

cts m

ay re

sult

in n

ew

ways

to

ge

t no

ticed

tha

t

othe

rs c

onsid

er in

spire

d an

d

revo

lutio

nary

. Get

used

to it

.

@davidbrier



Examples of client brand performance

900%300% sales increase year one

300% increase year two900% increase over first 24 months




500%In 12 months that followed this

rebrand, this city saw a500% increase in walk-in tourists






200% x 4Sales doubled 4 years in a row

plus getting onto the INC 500 list








300%In the middle of Summer, sales tripled

30 days after the rebrand was launched








300%In the middle of Summer, sales tripled

30 days after the rebrand was launched


Improving your brand’s performanceis priority #1

Recap:

Recap:

Enhance your brand’s performance

Recap:


1. Start disrupting frequently.

Recap:


1. Start disrupting frequently.2. Launch a culture of embracing risk.

Recap:


1. Start disrupting frequently.2. Launch a culture of embracing risk.3. Begin a revolution in new ideas.

Recap:


1. Start disrupting frequently.2. Launch a culture of embracing risk.3. Begin a revolution in new ideas.4. Encourage asking the tough questions.

Recap:


1. Start disrupting frequently.2. Launch a culture of embracing risk.3. Begin a revolution in new ideas.4. Encourage asking the tough questions.5. Foster action, not idle speculation.

Subscribe: www.risingabovethenoise.com@davidbrier

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Design, art direction and text by David Brier of DBD InternationalCopyright 2013 DBD International





how to create brand superheroes: does your culture support brand superstars?

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