Human centered branding
erik roscam abbing//zilver innovation bv 16 juni 2009
Photo: www.mirrabikeco.com

The purpose of this presentation is to learn…
1. what makes a strong brand
2. The benefits of a strong brand
3. How to build a strong brand

What makes a strong brand?

What makes a strong brand? A case study…

The logo

But behind the logo, there’s the product

With its aesthetics

Interaction

Performance and functionality

Construction and use of materials

And then, there’s all those other expressions as well….

Dealers

On- and offline communication

Service
Photo: flickr, rob gruhl

These are all expressions, or touchpoints, of the brand

And we didn’t even discuss all other forms of
brand behaviour yet: innovations, marketing, pr,
mergers, acquisitions, SRE, supplier selection etc

Still, this is only the tip of the brand-iceberg
Photo: ralph clevenger

Beneath the surface lies the source:
Photo: ralph clevenger

The brand vision….
Photo: flickr, romeo 66

This vision is shared…
Photo: flickr, red-cyan

Its both inspirational and practical
Photo: bmw gina

It answers the questions why, how and what…
Photo: flickr, captain andry

It is a vision on technology…

It is a vision on the future…
Photo: www.transfuture.net

It is a vision on humanity…

It is a vision on contexts of use…
Photo: germancarscene.com

It’s a vision that’s focussed inward….
Photo: flickr, kim pierro

…questioning the organisation’s unique qualities
Photo: flickr, phxwebguy

But its focussed outward as well…
Photo: flickr, cand3la

…gathering insights in users and their aspirations
Photo: flickr, mando2003us

So yes, the brand’s a bit more than just the logo!

summarizing:
A brand is a shared vision
that provides direction for behaviour
and that is based on a deep understanding
of the organisation’s qualities
and how these are relevant
for the customer or user.

What are the benefits of a strong brand?

Internally, a strong brand:
Makes sure that actions are rooted in vision
Provides a guideline for decisions
Leads to coherent behaviour
Provides a grip on the future
Gives direction to innovation
Leads to strong teams
Keeps you focussed

Externally, a strong brand
Offers a vision on the customer or user
Separates the wheat from the chaff
Turns authenticity into relevance
Strengthens relationships
Creates differentiation
Facilitates choice
Offers trust

How do you build a strong brand?

By involving the people who make the organisation…

…in a quest to look for the shared vision…

…and to make explicit…

…what’s implicitly allready there…

…and to find patterns and structure…

…to give those insights back to the people…

…for them to apply in their daily job.

What you have then is a human centered brand

That forms the basis for user exploration

That inspires the exploration of opportunities

That drives innovation efforts

And helps position the brand in a competitive field

And that’s well worth the effort!!