The anatomy of a brand is very similar to that of a human personality – it is an outline of your brand based on a set of beliefs and values just like the ones that directly affect your own behaviour, how you present yourself and what your aspirations are in life. These patterns are built over time and are unique and consistent.
Your organisation’s brand is its soul and the backbone of your business. It should inform everything you do. Without a clearly defined brand as your true north, your marketing will quickly become disjointed, ineffective and lacklustre. You will find yourself going in circles, repeatedly asking the same questions: Who are we? What is our value? How do we effectively communicate it to our customers? How do we get more people to buy what we offer?
There are three pillars that make up brand anatomy
- A brand positioning statement
- Brand values
- Brand personality
Below, we will have a look at these three pillars in more detail.
Brand positioning statement
“A brand’s value proposition is a statement of the functional, emotional, and self-expressive benefits delivered by the brand that provides value to the customer. An effective value proposition should lead to a brand-customer relationship and drive purchase decisions”
Your brand positioning statement is a description of the function, purpose and practice of your business. The goal is to explain why your business exists, what value your brand provides, to whom it provides it and affirms a relationship with your target market. There are three main ingredients in your position statement that must all be represented in one concise statement.
These three ingredients are:
- Brand Vision – Brand vision is a strategic goal or big idea that informs everything you do.
- Market Position – Market positioning is not only where a brand will be positioned in the market but also, what type of consumer it is targeting.
- Brand Proposition – Brand proposition combines a brand’s functional proposition and story.
A brand positioning statement pulls together the makeup of your identity to produce a single statement that describes your company or organisation.
Amazon’s brand positioning statement as an example:
For (target customer) customers the world over, Amazon is the (product type) online marketplace that (benefit) helps you to find everything you need at a price you can afford. We can do this because (reason to believe) we have 24/7 access, superior search and browsing technology, user review and many other sources of in-depth product information.
Brand values
A brand’s values determine its direction, behaviours, and communications, as well as the customer’s experience and relationship with your brand.
There are two ways to describe brand values
- Brand values are the values that the brand is built on. For example, Amazon’s values are; simplicity, value, convenience, and helpfulness.
- The customer’s interpretation of the brand’s ideals is determined by how you present yourself. If Amazon’s clients did not find their shipping experience to be simple, convenient and of value with helpful service, their stated values would be void.
Brand Personality
Brand personality is important to define and understand as this will inform all customer communications. Brand personality is an expression of brand values and determines the style and tone of the brand experience. A brand’s personality influences the way the world not only sees it but also, the way it makes them feel. Building an authentic brand and keeping it consistent will be the deciding factor in brand success.
Your brand personality is broken into three segments
- Logo and brand identity – Design and use of brand logos. The overall design of brand environment (website, shop, stationary etc)
- Brand voice – A defined brand voice will allow for consistent copywriting that fits your brand values.
- Brand character – This is an overall description of the way the brand behaves, its defining characteristics for customers.
Logo and brand identity
All of your branding and design should be in line with and speak to your brand values and target market. For example, if one of your values is ‘energy’ you might use bright colours as part of your brand colour palette and use fun, energetic imagery.
Brand voice
Your brand voice is the style in which you communicate. Having a determined brand voice will allow for consistent copywriting that aligns with your brand values. For example, for a brand that has ‘community’ as a core value, the copywriting style might be very friendly and inclusive and in first person voice. For a brand that has ‘exclusivity’ as a core value, the style might be more formal and in a third-person voice.
Brand character
Your brand character is the overall description of the way the brand behaves, and its defining characteristics for customers. It is an expression of the brand’s values and a way to define the overall approach to everything that you do. The same values can be expressed in many different ways. For example, the value of ‘economy’ could be expressed in a humorous way, or it could be approached in a very direct ‘no-nonsense’ way. In both instances the value is ‘economy’ but the experience of the customer – and hence their relationship with the brand – is very different.
A clear brand statement can help to ensure that your business remains focused and consistent as it grows, ensuring you never lose sight of your customer and your long-term goals. Use it to inform decision-making on a daily basis.
Let’s take a look at Durex’s brand anatomy
Durex is truly unique. It is a bold organisation that has stood the test of time and nailed its branding. While writing this blog post, we took a look at their brand anatomy.
Brand Positioning
Gone are the days of one person, one position & definitely one perspective. Durex believes good sex is for anyone & everyone. However you like, with whoever you like. It’s time we challenge the norms & stamp out stigmas. Feel good about whatever you’re into – it’s your sex so do it your way.
Brand Values
Durability, Reliability, Excellence & Consent.
Brand Personality
Fun, Playful, Bold, Whitty, and Lighthearted.
See how they’ve incorporated it into their social media, website and brand communications.
Creating a brand statement can be difficult because it is a subjective and emotional exercise. To help make the process more objective, always refer back to your customer tribe – the answers will be found by considering what will be most compelling to them. Continuous reference to your brand values will also provide helpful direction and guidelines along your business journey.