Poked with a Branding Iron

I've been working with a fine group of folks sailing in some new waters - figuratively speaking.  Before you start to sigh and search for a new blog entry to read, this really does have something to do with our current state of the union so I'll be able to make one of those arcane political observations that land me in so much trouble....(I'm told that I'm now on the radar of Glenn Beck's staff and Ann Coulter has already banned me from her blogosphere so clearly I'm making progress). 

Politics aside for a few minutes, my associates are deep into taking a look at certain aspects of a business area in a village nearby and putting into words what it is that this association is and wants to do/be.  If you think it is easy work, please try it sometime and you'll find it seems that way on the surface but once that itch is scratched, it gets to be, well, pretty lively and passionate going.  And it should be.  When I listen to the TV talking heads discuss Main Street "values"  and juxtapose their vision of it with reality, I can see why we are so far afield in getting it.  If only the political parties thought about their brand to the extent and depth that my friends have -  well perhaps we could understand things a bit better.

Developing a brand is a highly personal endeavor and it just gets harder the more people and entities you include in the branding process.  The phrase "speaking collectively" takes on a whole new meaning.  So you get the drill and understand the pyramid, the "attributes" are adjectives or descriptive words that describe the person or entity.  Mother Theresa's attributes might be "caring, selfless, sacrifice, etc.",  Donald Trump might be "vain, opinionated (good and bad), no nonsense, etc.".  That is where we start and it is a bit revealing if you just take a second to jot down what you think your attributes are and then slip that paper to your significant other and see if they agree.  Call me when the fight starts.

From there our group went to what are known as "archetypes", which are generally 12 big ticket catch basins that almost all people, businesses and entities alike, fit into based on their attributes e.g. Ruler, Sage, Caregiver, Magician, Everyman, Jester, Lover, etc. and if you think about it just about every well developed "brand" you encounter in the marketplace has adopted one of these - IBM and Microsoft are Sages (wise men), Bud Light is  Jester, Este Lauder and Calvin Klein are Lovers etc.  My friends arrived at the conclusion that they are mainly "magicians" - not Dumbledore type wizards perhaps - well not sorcerers at least - but certainly not Houdini trying to fool the eye. They just wanted to be, collectively, a group that, when encountered, created a little magic in someone else's life...leaving others better off for the meeting up and hopefully with a smile on what might be a gloomy face.  This is the real deal Main Street and so far off the charts from those who think they are connecting with my friends - well it makes me dizzy.
Anyway, the group has now written this down into two sentences; the first being who they are and the second being what they want to be/do with their identity - very Jung-ish - but to them something that came about through compromise and listening, debate and flexibility. (hear that Washington and Albany???).  I am pretty sure that some entered this process with a certain "Oh Brother is this silly" and left with a feeling of at least a bit of direction.  I hope so.  But all played along and contributed; the product being pretty darn good on a number of levels.

As they come from a village with a rich tradition associated with the sea, shipping, whaling, etc.,, stories of the ocean abound..or at least ride in the waves (we all need to avoid mixing metaphors).  The old tale of the Flying Dutchman comes to mind - something of a ghost ship that sails endlessly but is never able to make port - a purgatory under the sail and mast where a crew can pull up to the dock but never lower the gang plank..  People and entities that don't go through the introspection of a branding exercise are sometimes a lot like the souls on the ship.  Some of our leadership and a lot of the talking heads are  amuck with un-branded misunderstandings and are increasing with whom connection and communication is growing ever more difficult.  We, my friends, on the other hand, just want to do our work and make things better...plant a smile, warm a heart, create a fond memory. 

Oh if our unbranded types would only wish to be Magicians.