Misunderstanding Branding

It’s possible for loyal customers to stage a sort of branding coup, wresting control of the brand and its perception in the world. “You can lose control in a good way,” Keller says. “Some have said that Harley-Davidson doesn’t really have control of its brand anymore. In most cases, if you get people very engaged and passionate about your brand, with the brands that people are most passionate about and the brands that people talk about a lot, that’s what often comes.”

But, Larsen notes, there’s ownership and then there’s ownership. “While a company can’t fully own it’s brand on an emotional level, it must own it legally,” he says. “Securing a trademark for a company’s name and identity is fundamental to protecting its brand.”

Regardless of who’s driving, the company needs to work hard to stay relevant and meet and exceed customers’ expectations. Otherwise, the customers will feel that the contract between them and the company has been broken. The brand becomes meaningless, and the customers drift away.

Myth #6: A brand needs to appeal to everyone.

Certainly there are some brands that try to be everything to everyone. But it’s a hard thing to do. In most cases, a better approach is to do research and find out exactly who your customers are and how you can best sell to them.

“A strong brand differentiates a company from its competitors,” Larsen argues. “By definition, this differentiation means you can’t be all things to all people.”

“Our agency talks about bonfire brands,” DiLorenzo says. “Those are brands that people gather around and create community around. People are attracted to the light and the glow and the warmth that they feel when they connect with [the brand].”

In an increasingly global world, he says, people feel disconnected. They want to form tribes and to feel a sense of belonging. A powerful brand can be a catalyst for this type of community.

DiLorenzo uses Jeep as an example: The company offers weekend getaways where the vehicle’s fans can learn to drive in off-road environments. These getaways aren’t intended for everyone—just the sort of people who seek out Jeeps.

Even in the mass market, companies differentiate themselves. “Wal-Mart and Target have a strong sense of self and who they are as a brand,” DiLorenzo says. “You would never mistake the Target experience for the Wal-Mart experience.”