The Culture
A brand is an institution to be created, with a set of values to define.
What kind of people are we and what kinds of things do we do to express that? The answer to that question is the brand culture, that seemingly undefinable quality that draws people in. Except that it is definable. The culture of the brand is an institution that we need to create, with a set of values that we need to codify.
“When you define what you’re about in elemental terms, it’s easy to attract the right people.”
We begin with brand pillars. Looking at what kind of brand world we want to create, what four or five elements do we stay true to at all costs? Maybe it’s luxury. Or sustainability. Simple convenience or high drama? There can and should be tension among the pillars. There should be a blend of concepts that have never been presented in quite this way before. When you define what you’re about in elemental terms, it’s easy to attract the right people in the market. Your brand becomes instantly recognizable, iconic.
Backstory is also an important component of brand culture. A good screenwriter knows everything about her protagonist, down to their astrological birth chart. This information may never be revealed in the action or the dialogue, but it is there, written in stone under the surface, informing every decision our hero makes.
Especially in terms of brand voice, but also in matters of taste, commerce and intellect, the culture of the brand informs everything it says and does. Products, processes, features and campaigns are an expression of the brand, not the other way around. Innovation is important, but if there is no code of conduct behind it, no shared history to uphold it, how can anyone know if it’s something they want to integrate into their lifestyle?
When you define your culture, you remove uncertainty around a sense of belonging. The appeal of the brand is crystalized for those to whom it should matter.