I had the pleasure last week of speaking at the Brand Innovator conference in Detroit; honoring some breakout brands and meeting some amazing brand marketers, True Hunters. This got me to thinking about brand building and hunting, because it all comes back to The Hunt for me.
Brand identity starts with authenticity, one of the pillars of The Hunt. Without knowing and acknowledging who you were, who you are and who you want to be, branding is be a difficult chore. Consumers embrace trust and comfort as much as they like excitement and trends. When you build a brand on authenticity, you build a relationship that starts with trust. When a consumer/customer knows who you are and what you stand for, they will be willing to take the leap into the unknown with you.
At Brand Innovators, Ted Rubin introduced me (one of my favorite intros yet). Ted says in his book, Return on Relationships: “ROR is the value (both perceived and real) that will accrue over time through loyalty, recommendations and sharing.” Ted and I are aligned on this. You need to be skilled in the care and feeding of authentic relationships and alliances to succeed on your hunt.
Relationships defined by authenticity demand actions as well as words, and a willingness to stand by your commitments. Relationships built on authenticity give you much more freedom than you could ever have while trapped in the frustrating game of trying to be someone you are not.
We all have our own way of establishing our brand of authenticity. Your style doesn’t shape your authenticity; it just delivers it. However, your willingness to let others see you as you are drives your arrows toward their mark. Live your principles, walk your talk, refuse to compromise your values and ask for a hand when you need it.
A quick shout-out to Brand Innovators 2014 Made in America Top 10 New Brands to Watch:
American Mountain Company
Alex + Ani
Bark & Co
BucketFeet
Buck Mason
Chalkfly
DRIFT Eyewear
Farmigo
Founders Brewing Co
Sonoma Cider
These companies are True Hunters, creating brands based on authenticity, constantly surveying their territory, and watching tirelessly for the next pivot that will take them to the next level. Their Hunt is on and I can’t wait to see where it takes them!
