Building a Brand Isn’t Easy

It’s important to keep this in mind as you seek to build a brand for your organization. You have to be in it for the long haul—sometimes even decades. Even if your organization has been around for some time, it’s not unusual for there to have been very little active, intentional branding apart from maybe a name and a that-will-do-for-now logo. Thus, in such a case you’re essentially starting at square one when it comes to acquiring the Power of Ten.

Brands don’t just appear overnight. Our experience has been that branding is a process that can’t be accelerated too quickly without running the whole thing off the road. It’s methodical, starting with the development of a clear strategy authored by key stakeholders of the organization and owned by the entire organization. Your strategy will act as a steady guide for your brand and culture over many years, much like the Constitution of the United States of America has guided this country throughout its history. Sure, amendments are made and courts interpret things differently as times change, but the underlying principles remain the same. So it should be with a brand and culture strategy, which should be considered a durable asset that is altered only under remarkable circumstances, or with the passage of time to keep relevant.

Keep Brand-Building in Perspective

Look at it this way: As we write this in 2018, Google is ubiquitous, Amazon is dominant, and Uber is ascendant. Nearly everyone in first-world countries has had some form of contact with these brands. But the reality is that they didn’t quite become household names instantaneously. Google was founded in 1998, Amazon in 1994. Even superstar “newcomer” Uber turns nine this year – it’s a mere babe in the world of brands. So, cut yourself some slack. Play the long game, but keep your eyes on the branding prize.

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