Functional.
Experiential.
Transformational.
Only three.
Most brands deliver a function.
- Holiday Inn: hotel stays
- IBM: computers
- ExxonMobil: gasoline
A transaction with them is just that. Nothing else.
These leaders see branding as a function. Wallpaper. A color palette. A logo. A slogan. A last-minute sticker to slap on the box before it ships.
For them, branding is something marketing does. What they see is all they will ever get.
Smarter business leaders recognize that the mass market no longer wants to be treated like the commodities they’re sold. They want something genuine. Authentic. Personal.
That’s why they don’t sell products and services. They deliver an experience.
- Six Flags sells theme park tickets—Disney delivers magic
- American Airlines sells plane tickets—Virgin delivers the Virgin vibe
- DC sells comics—Marvel delivers an immersive universe
But then there are the brands that move humanity forward.
The brands with the power to transform people.
Brands that go deeper than business. Brands that dive into our identity.
- Honda sells motorcycles…but Harley-Davidson inspires you to be a badass biker
- Microsoft sells hardware and software…but Apple is a church for creatives
- HomeAway sells overnight stays…but Airbnb makes you a global citizen no matter where you are
Before Nike, people didn’t put on shoes and go running on the side of the road.
Nike created the weekend warrior. It imparted that identity.
That’s the true potential of a brand.
The power to create a new person.
The power to move humanity forward.