Is Your Brand Enriching Someone’s Life?
Looking out over the horizon, the hottest and fastest growing brands bring value to people’s lives. That’s why there’s a huge opportunity right now for brands that make a difference. Back in 2006, advertising legend Bob Greenberg said, “The real opportunity for brands now lives in finding ways to enrich lives.” What about your product? It might be a hammer, toothbrush, a church service, a book, a humanitarian project, or a film.
Enriching lives isn’t about what you say, it’s about how you act, or how your product performs. So stop saying what you’re doing and be it. Stop talking and act.
With nonprofits, what value are you bringing to your donor’s lives? It’s not just about what you’re doing with their money, it’s about how they fit into the picture. How their giving will impact them.
If you can’t tell that story, you’ll never grow very far. So the question: Are you about selling products, raising money, or enriching lives?
In 2004, Saatchi & Saatchi worldwide CEO Kevin Roberts published a book called Lovemarks – The Future Beyond Brands. Enriching lives is encapsulated in his list of differences between brands and lovemarks:
(B) Information – (L) Relationship
(B) Recognized by consumers – (L) Loved by people
(B) Generic – (L) Personal
(B) Presents a narrate – (L) Creates a love story
(B) The promise of quality – (L) The touch of sensuality
(B) Symbolic – (L) Iconic
(B) Defined – (L) Infused
(B) Statement – (L) Story
(B) Defined attributes – (L) Wrapped in mystery
(B) Values – (L) Spirit
(B) Professional – (L) Passionately creative
(B) Advertising agency – (L) Ideas company
I’ve read the “Lovemarks” book Chris. That’s a great chart and an important reminder of how much it matters. Thanks for chiming in…