Contributing Factors to Great Brands

While scanning Twitter today, I came across a great post from FutureBrand's blog, written by Chris Nurko, which I thought you may enjoy. I like how Chris exemplifies how great brands are more than a logos, and who's actions speak louder than words, which are guided by purpose.

I have posted the writeup below, but you can find the original here:

Branding and thought leadership. 

A UK perspective.

The polling organisation, Populus has just produced in the UK a list of the UK’s most trusted and respected companies. They based this on a poll of 1,000 opinion formers and asked them to correlate which brands were seen as ‘thought leaders’. Let’s have a look…

1. Apple
2. Google
3. John Lewis partnership (Including Waitrose)
4. Amazon
5. Facebook
6. Microsoft
7. Innocent
8. Co-op Group
9. Co-op Bank
10. Twitter

In addition, a thought leader should be able to influence the opinion of those who listen or who’s behaviour or decision-making is influenced by the company or brand. The poll also identified which media most influences thought leadership (e.g. radio, print, tv or on-line). The idea is that if you influence people’s thoughts you influence their perceptions and their decision-making. If you are able to do this it means that a company’s reputation is stronger and therefore of greater value and power. Ok, so far I am with them.

What is most interesting about this list is that no matter whether they are considered by other polls or lists the most powerful, the strongest or whether they are ‘love marks’ one cannot escape the fact that all of them have used their brands to great advantage. They all represent more than just a logo, or a set of values. They actually practice what they preach across a whole experience which the punter (or customer) wants and clearly is willing to pay for or use with loyalty and advocacy. Again, just look at the list. On there for those who are familiar are brands which have passionate armies of devotees. They are product or service leaders. They define their category by innovating and by continuously reinforcing their view of the world with a distinctive language, approach or ethos which is consumer or people centric. They also make or offer great products and services, which once tried either set the standard or ‘lock in’ behaviour to the extent that any other company or brand is a ‘me too’.

Now, what is really interesting is that when you look at the patterns behind these brands you begin to see a very clear list of characteristics for brands to win the minds as well as the hearts.

First of all, you have to have a good product or service. There is no denying that – if you don’t have quality goods you won’t have a quality reputation.

Second of all, ‘thought leadership’ is important when it comes to the things we ‘think about or think with’. So, unsurprisingly – companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook and twitter all come out highly. These are the brands and businesses that are governing our world of communications and entertainment. Broadly speaking, they influence our ‘social technology’ and ‘social media for entertainment’. Where would we be if we couldn’t upload or download? If we couldn’t tweet or ‘poke’? If we couldn’t Google with immediacy and accuracy what we need to know RIGHT NOW!? What is interesting, is that only ONE consumer goods product is on this list – yes, Innocent. Why? What is there not to like..they have led us to understand that Carbonated fizzy drinks, high sugar water drinks and beverages are just not the same as good old ‘innocent’ smoothies or ‘this water’. From woollen cap bottles knitted by grannies to the description of ‘Fruit Towers’ their HQ, the irreverent humour of being straightforward and anti-corporate has influenced our collective conscience and sub-conscious around beverages and foodstuffs. The more natural, the more honest and innocent equals the more thoughtful.

And lastly, there is something to be said for the whole idea of mutuality and shared values, purpose and participation. The fact that John Lewis and Co-op are on this list reveals the extent to which the antidote to corporate greed are companies that are owned by their employees, customers or both. The whole concept of shared values and mutual interests combined with open dialogue and transparency identifies thought leadership with being associated with open thinking! In fact, the degree to which this list uses open thinking and digitally enabled participation, knowledge sharing and communications is a testimony to how branding must evolve and embrace ‘inside out’ and ‘outside in’ management. The ability to leverage on-line and web enabled communications and real-time advocacy, insight and customer communities is the key to future brand success. That is what makes people ‘love’ companies (or rather, their brands) because it facilitates and encourages dialogue and conversation. The fact that many of these brands are American brands is another interesting feature – true leadership comes from the ability to ‘democratize’ information, and to package it in a personalized and interesting manner…Apple leads the pack on this, and deserves all credit for pioneering the view that aesthetics and simplicity go hand in hand. Interesting, I wonder what the least thoughtful, respected and trusted brands would be….? What categories would they embrace and are their lessons in the link between branding and thought leadership?

If you want to be well thought of, you need a strong brand. If you want or have a strong brand – you need to be thoughtful. And, you need to be open to leveraging the participation of customers, employees and opinions at the core of your ‘offer’ or ‘service’.