Your Brand is So Much More Than a Logo
A Brand Brings in Dollars Like a Logo Never Could
Maybe you've heard of "girl math" or "dog math," but have you heard of "brand math"? No? Let's do some so you can see how a brand is worth so much more than a logo.
Do you know the difference between $5.77 billion and $155.08 billion? No, the answer is not a whopping $149.31 billion…well, technically, it is, but stick with me, I’m trying to make a point here.
It's not even how much we grew as a company last year; although we're optimistic, those will be this year's numbers as soon as we convince Tay Swift's management team to hire us. (Or notice us.)
No, the difference between those two numbers is how much Nike outperforms Asics.
Nike is worth $155.08 billion.
Asics is worth $5.77 billion.
You might look at those numbers and argue that the Nike Swoosh is absolutely the reason the shoe giant is worth $149.31 BILLION more than Asics.
We would say that's naïve…cause there’s so much more to it than that.
I mean, if everyone could rip off catchy logos from college students, get rich, and not pay their designer royalties, there'd be more companies making it past the startup period, right? But, we digress.
To discover the real differences, we need to do a little "brand math."
Branding Nugget of Truth:
Do your market research. Knowing what your customers want even before they know what they want adds up.
Nike Did More Than Make a Kickass Logo
Okay, so here it is. The fat stacks of green that Nike's cult-like followers bring in versus Asics's steadfast groupies are billions more because Nike is a lifestyle, not just a useful running shoe. The fact that you don't need to sell a small organ to buy a pair of Asics, and they last longer than Nikes, is proof that their customers aren’t shopping for quality or longevity. It's not quality that makes Nike more desirable; it's the brand.
More specifically, $149.31 billion represents how differently the two shoe companies have written the narratives that drive their brands. It's about how they continue to tell their story and how they're bringing their customers into it.
Branding Nugget of Truth:
Factor your customers into your brand story from the very beginning. Shape your messaging strategy around them. They're the main characters, the stars of your story.
A Logo Can't Carry Your Brand's Story All By Itself
A logo is a visual element of your brand—the face of the company—a singular character. While your brand is an experience, it's about conflict and resolution. It's what keeps people around.
If you only invest in a logo and not the development of a brand story, you're selling yourself and your company short.
Eventually, people will see through the pretty face and want more substance. And they'll leave you in a heartbeat to go off and find another brand that can offer them full immersion. Don't let that happen to you. Find your story and tell it in the most compelling way possible.
Branding Nugget of Truth:
Offer your customers an experience (but whatever you do, keep it consistent). Your brand script will help you identify ways you can curate interactions between your target market and your brand.
PLUS Creating a Logo is Easier When Everything Else is Defined
Most people look forward to creating a logo until they find themselves with whiplash after sending over their seventh set of edits on variation number 278 of the design. That all changes, though, if they begin the process with a brand script. Creating a logo then becomes as easy as plopping an imported Italian cherry on a delectable, high-calorie frosting.
Okay, we won't lie.
It's not a complete walk in the park.
We can't go as far as to say that creating a logo and picking fonts and colors is easy, because putting visuals together is a mountain of work in and of itself. Of course, it becomes so much more straightforward for your designer to understand what you want if you've asked the hard questions.
Branding Nugget of Truth:
Prioritize the right things first. Buying a designer logo seems like the be all end all, but it's not. Now, give your designer all the information they need to make you something truly special—that gets the job done.
Shameless plug: We would love to make your life easier. We'll whip up your story and serve it with a side of visuals that'll make your customers swoon. Expectations? Please, we'll work with you to exceed 'em.
Logos Don't Birth Cults, but Narratives Push Them Out Like a Fertile Myrtle
Cult followers are far more loyal than customers. Consumers are afraid of missing out on the next trend. Cult followers firmly believe they are doing the next best thing. Customers will cheat on you the first chance they get. While we aren’t suggesting you start a hundred-acre commune in the woods, we don't want to help you find customers we wanna help you grow a cult following for your brand.
Here’s how you do it:
#1 Give 'em something to obsess over. More shoes, please!
In Nike's case, they gave the people trainers and a whole-ass lifestyle. Your product or service has to be packaged up in a narrative so enticing that it's addictive.
#2 Create the holy grail. "You must buy new shoes even if you don't need them."
People don’t think they like rules but have seen us without them?
Animals.
However, cult followers have a drive to follow them- to ensure their place in the group. Nike's followers always feel they're a pair of sneakers away from success, status, and the ultimate drip. What do your followers get when they sign up for your cult? What do they need to do to get the goods?
#3 Show them the fool-proof path to enlightenment.
What do your clients need to do to get the answers they've been looking for that only you can give them? [Hint: It's much easier to figure this out with a brand script.]
#4 Give them something to chant about.
iykyk ;)
This is about more than a chant, though; it's a slogan that signifies everything they want. A community. A sense of belonging. Representing this slogan becomes so much more fulfilling than the next best thing.
Dare we say it? "Just do it."
BAM!
I just swiped my card for a new pair of Nikes.
#5 Spend a lot of time authentically engaging with your followers and soon-to-be followers.
Practice the principles you preach and show them you're capable of solving their problems and enriching their lives. Now, we're not saying go out and sign brand deals with world-famous athletes. That'd cost a small fortune. You're not Nike (or exploiting workers around the world.)
What we are saying is:
If you sell natural products, make sure they're natural, or get more creative with the copy.
Talk about what "natural/small-batch/ custom" means.
Break down the "ingredients/ promise/ philosophy" on your website.
Don't lie to your followers.
If your services are a little questionable, maybe you even lean into that. Didn't you hear? Ethical cults are in. When you offer a genuinely beneficial service or product supported by a world-building narrative, everyone wins. But you'll need your brand to be more than a logo to achieve all of this.
You'll need to start a cult.
If you're ready, get in touch. We have the answers you've been seeking.
See what we did there?