Did we really just channel our inner Kendrick Lamar to sing along to the title of one of our first blogs? Yep. Guilty as charged, but it's for a good cause because we're talking brand DNA - what makes you unmistakably you.
We've been doing this brand strategy stuff for some time now and over the years, we've seen lots of different ways to work out brand DNA, from lots of different people.
Well, here's the Shake way... and none of it involves pinching a hair from a hairbrush in the dead of night! ;)
We start by defining (or redefining) your brand purpose - why you exist, what makes you unique. Creating or refreshing your purpose is something we love helping with because it always throws up things you wouldn't expect, and it reverberates through everything you do.
There are different ways to craft it too. It might be focused on the reality of what you do every day. It might reflect a wider purpose. It might be a mix of both, but whatever it is, it's the heart. Everything connects back to your purpose and it affects how your customers see you.
Next comes aspiration. What is it you really want to achieve? Now there's a question!
When you work with us we talk about it... and we inevitably explore the things that became buried in the bustle and busyness of the day-to-day. We create a vision, or we revisit a past one, and the conversation it sparks always focuses the mind.
Values. We all have a set. We might not be able to recite them off the top of our heads when we're sitting having a socially distanced pint down the pub, but they show themselves in everything we are and everything we do.
The same is true for brands, creatives, charities - all the people we help. And right now, your values and how you communicate them to your customers and colleagues is more important than ever before because as the world changes around us, people are actively seeking out brands with shared ones. That means making sure you reflect your sense of responsibility and community, as well as genuinely understanding how customers are living and feeling as we continue to work our way out of the pandemic.
The final ingredient is brand personality and if you’re clear about that - about what you are and what you’re not - the impact is far-reaching.
Brand personality is reflected in your tone of voice and the way you communicate with colleagues and customers across every channel. It influences the perception of your brand and together, we'll define yours. That will provide the consistency and clarity which helps makes brands instantly recognisable and feel positively familiar. It also helps begin to build an emotional connection with your audience and that creates community.
This isn't just powerful for customer-facing communications either. Inspiring colleagues matters just as much and consistent messaging makes it easier for everyone to communicate what’s special about your brand.
Whether you’re an established brand or a small business starting up something incredible, mapping out or revisiting your brand DNA sets down the unique foundations - creating a solid sense of who you are, what you stand for and making it clear for everyone who becomes part of your journey.