1. Sameness is boring

Granted, a core part of branding is about presenting a consistent face so customers can be reassured of quality and familiarise themselves with your brand – but sameness and hyper consistency are boring. The most exciting brands are dynamic, and whilst they keep core elements consistent, they are flexible enough to execute localised and differentiated touchpoints to create excitement and a less ‘standardised’ feel about the brand.

A great example of this is casa da musica’s brand identity. NYC design studio Sagmeister Inc (Now Sagmeister & Walsh) developed the logo in many different iterations, depicting the casa da musica building from various angles. Taking it one step further, the studio developed a custom piece of software that would generate a uniquely coloured logo based on the colours used in communications across different medium. The identity changes and displays different moods based on the type of music and entertainment being showcased in the venue.

Another pioneer in this space is Starbucks. Starbucks is a trusted global brand that promises to deliver consistently great coffee in a cosy environment, but the brand is flexible enough to execute things such as store design and menus in a locally conscious way. The brand also recently stepped outside the norm and said no to ‘sameness’ by offering Tokyo shoppers a concept coffee ‘Espresso Journey’ store where coffee lovers can go to learn about cappuccinos, coffee beans and everything in between.

2. Your brand is the sum of its interactions

Gone are the marketing driven days when you could tell consumers what to believe about your brand via the company logo and a few well placed advertisements – now more than ever every single touchpoint works in concert to create the overall perception of the brand. From the service design, to the digital experience, to the returns policy, and down to the finest details like your receipt design and delivery. Look to Apple for inspiration, the company has long thought about the user experience as extending far beyond solely when one is using an Apple product. Apple has engineered all touchpoints, from opening the box of one of their products, to their legendary disruptive way of serving customers in store.

3. Stand for something more

Brands are the 21st century leaders. Increasingly, the role of brands is moving beyond ‘selling us stuff we don’t need’ to inspiring and guiding us to a better way of living. As an example, Patagonia preaches the value of the simple life, and takes a stand against conspicuous consumption by urging us to consume less. Far beyond a genius marketing ploy, the company walks the walk by offering a repair service for their clothing and by providing a platform for their customers to re-sell their Patagonia goods on Patagonia.com or eBay. In a world that screams at us to consume more, Patagonia’s stance is a breath of fresh air. A core part of business in the 21st century is making your brand stand up and stand for something.