Possibly the most unifying and certainly one of the most satisfying endeavors a company can undertake is forging and refining a brand platform.

The work is a true pleasure when it has buy-in from the leadership . It consists of discovering what is unique and special about the team, the purpose, the effort and the approach — then divining the ‘big idea’ and all its implications from the results.

So when’s the best time to focus on brand strategy? Optimally before even naming the company or offering. But even after a company has been running for years, a brand audit, a refresh or a full rebrand effort can pay huge dividends. Generally the best times to take a deep dive into what makes a brand tick at the inception of a new undertakings. The revelations will inform and guide many aspects that were previously unseen.

Think of brand strategy as foundational work. If done properly, it is strong and lasting. It needs to bear the weight of much that will be built upon it.  It needs to resonate with an ever-changing following. It must stay relevant, familiar and steady. Much depends on its quality and solidity.

So what does ‘brand strategy’ look like?

We offer half and full day intensive workshops as well as larger campaign planning sessions spanning from a few days to over a week. The platforms we establish become the touchstone for all future efforts and serve to guide many aspects of the various offerings and campaigns moving forward. We come away with an Executive Summary that includes many tools such as an Aspirational Promise, a Value Proposition, the Primary Message Pillar, Points of Difference, the Brand Archetype, the Brand Promise and many Brand Truths that will inform future efforts.

For an example of a redacted Executive Summary from a full day intensive workshop, see here.

We prefer to hold these workshops and planning sessions on-site at the company in question. As many of the top leadership as possible should be closely involved for the best results.

For those with more modest undertakings (and budgets), even our half-day intensive will be invaluable in guiding the efforts.  We strongly recommend a basic brand platform be established well before any major launch. Our most successful clients look forward to doing it regularly — because they know it creates momentum!