Belief Box How to build a sacred brand ?

World religions are the most powerful brands

Long lasting, millions of followers worldwide, control over behaviour, loyalty beyond reason, a strong sense of superiority, a shared belief worth fighting for, …

The way we process impressions of our favorite brands is very similar to the way we experience religious experiences

Martin Lindstrom, Buyology

Apple Stores: Sacred places

Fanboys: A strong sense of belonging

Macworld conferences: Sacred moments

Genius Bar: missionaries

Think different: Powerful storytelling

De Ipad: Miracle

Apple design: Sensory attractiveness

Apps: Meaningful symbols and signs

Apple Packaging Rituals

traditional versus "new marketing

old rule

Create safe, similar mass products, communicate them with via mass media to a mass audience, and differentiate them with an USP

new rule

Orchestrate unique brand experiences that are attractive to share

the new marketing paradigma

Land of promise! Traditional marketing !   Interruption !   Reach people with message !   Turn proposition into promise !   Create perception

Land of proof! New marketing !   Collaboration !   Invite to a shared philosophy !   Turn proposition into

demonstration !   Create transformation

the new CSR paradigma

Land of promise! Traditional CSR !   Philanthropic !   Risk-based !   Image-driven !   Specialized !   Marginal

Land of proof! New CSR 2.0 !   Collaborative !   Reward-based !   Performance-driven !   Integrated !   Scalable

Land of promise!

Land of proof!

Buy attention to do the talking

Be remarkable to be talked about

Land of promise!

Land of proof!

Develop a message

Develop a meaning

“Sustainability” doesn’t sell with traditional marketing (green washing?)

What is a brand ?

A brand is a cluster of consistent cultural ideas with an intention

mission  &  vision  

visual  style  

tone-­‐of-­‐voice  

company  culture  

community  events  storytelling  

Belief Box"9 building blocks

clear vision"on life that comes with a sharp commitment

1

clear vision Goal !   Create a central philosophy and purpose for

the brand that includes your sustainability strategy.

Supporting questions Why ?

How ?

What ?

WHY: (the vision/ the shared value) What is our clear vision on life? What's our belief?

HOW: (the strategy/ the new business model) What's our sharp commitment to the world to contribute to this vision?

WHAT: (the offer/ the benefit) What's our offer that enables followers to buy-in? What difference does it makes for our users and society?

Simon Sinek, The Golden Circle

WHY: Ecover believes the world would be a better place if we would look beyond chemical resources & redefine cleaning standards

HOW: that’s why Ecover pioneers and uses the power of nature to outperform the conventional products

WHAT: We make great products that are tough on dirth and at the same time soft for your health, your home and nature

WHY: In everything we do, �we believe in breaking the status-quo, we believe in thinking differently

HOW: the way we break the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, easy to oversee and user-friendly.

WHAT: thinking like that, we just happen to make great computers, digital devices and services�

WHY: We believe we can save civilization without compromising our prosperity

HOW: We do that by redesigning our linear industrial production system into closed loops of materials and energy, just like nature does

WHAT: The result is a new practice we call cradle to cradle that aims for healthy products with a positive footprint

powerful conflict"that defines who we are, and who we are not

2

powerful conflict Goal !   Come up with a single-minded idea that

proves we are the only right one Supporting questions

What other beliefs and religions are around?

How to represent our superiority towards other beliefs?

sense of belonging"powered by a shared purpose

3

sense of belonging Goal !   Find ways in which you can turn a group of

followers into a supporting community Supporting questions

How to engage stakeholders to help define our sustainability roadmap?

How to invite others to co-create products and services?

missionaries"spread our gospel all over the world

4

missionaries Goal !   Come up with ideas on how our brand

becomes contagious trough conversations Supporting questions

How can we enlighten and empower our internal culture with our philosophy?

How can we engage and empower followers and turn them into missionaries?

rituals"help us conquer the heart and soul of the people

5

rituals Goal !   Extend the range of sensory elements and

rituals that intensify our brand as total experience

Supporting questions

What makes us easy to recognize?

How to involve senses and rituals to improve the brand experience?

storytelling"that keeps our brand interesting and relevant

6

storytelling Goal !   Unlock the content we posses and turn them

into captivating storytelling Supporting questions

What interesting stories are to be found in our history, heritage, company culture, policies, product development or daily practice of our users?

If we start our own saga, who would be the spokesperson, the hero, the opponent and what would be the challenge?

miracles"that make us larger then life

7

miracles Goal !   find a way to be awesome and become a

media darling Supporting questions

What events, challenges and achievements are exceptional so they can provide us with additional magic?

How can we depict these challenges and achievements? How can we share them with the world?

symbols"that provide access to the devine

8

symbols Goal !   Develop a visual language to demonstrate

our sustainability efforts Supporting questions

How can we depict our key commitments towards society trough infographics, iconography or metaphors ?

sacred places & moments"where we get in touch with our followers

9

sacred places & moments Goal !   Select and create powerful touch-points where

we can reach, engage and convert people into followers

Supporting questions

What are the most important places and moments to be present with our gospel?

Should we create new places and moments?

How to engage people to our offering?

Did this Spark an idea ?

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