*Brand principles, part 2: Rules of thumb* From a series of communication-focused workshops for YPO members. At the March 2018 workshop, I’ve introduced three principles we use to manage brand publishing programs at www.folk.ad Principle 1: https://www.slideshare.net/JanSifra/making-brand-publishing-work-principle-no1

1. Brand Principle 2
Rules of thumb
Develop and promote rules of thumb that are aligned
with your overarching brand idea.

2. Rule of thumb is a broadly accurate guide or
principle, based on practice rather than theory.
a.k.a. heuristic
Mental shortcut that eases the cognitive load of
making a decision.

3. BRAND
IDEA
Break the brand idea into rules of thumbs that support it day-by-day

4. BRAND
IDEA1. If you manage principles well
2. Dramatisations (brand programs,
campaigns, PR stunts..)
will come naturally
to the team and agencies

5. It is impossible to manage large brand program
consistently without breaking down the brand idea
into practical rules of thumb and systems of decision
making.
If you use heuristics/rules of thumb:
• people have freedom to run the brand for you
• you have freedom and time to run your business
If you don’t use rules of thumb, then:
• brand outputs will be either massively misaligned, or authoritatively run
through you (robing you of time and freedom)

6. Job of your chief brand person?
(or your job, if that’s you)
Develop and promote rules of thumb and principles
that are aligned with your overarching brand idea.

7. OK brand director focuses most of their time on
managing the visible brand
BRAND
IDEA

8. Really good brand director focuses on fundamentals.
BRAND
IDEA

9. Jan Sifra
Folk
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See the 1st brand principle