Branding Like A Boss (10 Best Brand Strategy Examples)

What's up Brand Builders, Stephen Horahan here of BrandMasterAcademy.com and in this video you're going to learn 10 top brand strategy examples, the elements they use and how they use them. So you can understand how the best brands and their strategic agencies use strategy to connect with their audience, influence their decisions and gain market share. Now if you're new to the channel and you want to build brands that go beyond the visuals using strategy, psychology and creative thinking then you're in the right place. Hit that subscribe button and the notification bell. If you want to fast track your results make sure you grab the Pro Brand Strategy Blueprint. It's a free download and the link is in the description. Now when it comes to learning brand strategy one of the best and most effective ways to learn is to look at the best. Now I'm not saying that you look at the best and do what they do, no. But when you look at the best and understand what they're doing, why they're doing it and the elements they're using to do it, you can then take inspiration for how you might develop your own strategy or your clients. But let's start first at the beginning with what brand strategy is before we dive deeper into brand strategy examples. Now look you've probably heard many brand strategy definitions before because there are no shortage of them out there and I recently spoke with well-renowned branding author and master strategist Mr. Marty Neumeier on the Brand Master Podcast and I asked him what his definition of brand strategy was and here's what he had to say. Brand strategy is a long-term plan to outmaneuver competitors through radical differentiation. Now to get into the weeds of brand strategy a little bit more here's my brand strategy definition. Brand strategy is the definition of a brand's approach to who they target, how they differentiate and how they influence perceptions and decisions. Now when all is said and done branding is about shaping the perceptions of a given business in the market as the more appealing option compared to its competitors. Now although no two brands are the same there are a series of key brand strategy elements that are most commonly used across the most successful brands and brand strategists in the world. These key components are used consistently as the critical aspects of the overall brand strategies. We've got purpose, vision, mission, values, positioning, personality, voice and tone, brand story, heritage and tagline. Now each of these key brand strategy elements can spearhead a brand's overall strategy or work as part of a team of strategic components. Now I'm about to break down each one of these essential brand strategy elements and provide you with the best examples of each. The following sections will provide you with an understanding of how these elements work and inspiration to create a strategy of your own for your own brand or for your clients. So let's start at the top with brand purpose. Now the first brand strategy example is Tom Shoes with their brand purpose. Now the brand purpose or the purpose of the brand is why the brand exists beyond money. Now of course every business exists to make money though most brands do serve a purpose beyond money whether they define that purpose or not. Brands that take the time to define the reason for being tend to be more dialed in to the audience that they serve. Now though many dismiss brand purpose as a legitimate strategy the figures don't lie. In a strength of purpose study of 8,000 global consumers by New York-based Zeno Group the results were absolutely clear. Consumers are four to six times more likely to buy from, trust, champion and defend companies with a strong purpose. Now Tom Shoes is an absolutely excellent example of a purpose-driven brand that has used their purpose as their driving strategy using the following brand purpose statement. We believe in a future where all people have the chance to thrive. The Tom's brand was created when founder Blake Mikowski traveled through Argentina in 2006 and he experienced the hardships faced by children without shoes. Now his experience inspired him to create a brand with giving at its core. So for every pair of shoes the company sold a new pair would be given to a child in need. Now this was the purpose the Tom's brand was born from which still drives the business today and the brand is now investing one-third of all profits into grassroots efforts. The 2021 purpose power index ranks Tom's as number two of the top 20 most purposeful brands in the world. So brand purpose is a legitimate brand strategy example. Just like it has at Tom's it can drive decisions, inspire employees and attract dedicated loyal customers who believe what the brand believes. Brands that want to make emotional connections need to look no further than a genuine and a passionate purpose shared with their audience. Brand strategy example number two is Tesla's brand vision. Now the brand vision sets in place the navigational direction for the brand. It plants a flag in the ground as to where the brand wants to go which ultimately influences decisions and actions to guide the brand to its intended destination. The brand vision therefore is defined as where the brand wants to go and what it aspires to be. Now a brand vision is not a piece of marketing designed to attract customers but an internal guidepost expressed in the brand vision statement. Brands that are actually in tune with the vision of the future brand can breathe a sense of believability throughout the brand's personnel that they're part of something bigger than themselves. Now Tesla is a brand with a big vision inspired by 2021 person of the year Mr Elon Musk himself. Now Tesla had become a world leading brand and a benchmark in the electric car market but Tesla's ambitions they go way beyond the automobile industry and into the realm of sustainability. The revamp of Tesla's brand vision statement which is also used as their mission statement is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy. Now Tesla don't use their vision statement as a nice to have or a piece of marketing they use it to drive decisions and actions as the brand expands into the solar energy category. So when creating your vision statement define what you want your future brand to look like and use that vision as a guiding compass to get there. Brand strategy example number three is Now while the brand vision outlines the aspirations of the brand for the future the brand mission defines the brand's commitments today. The goal of the brand mission is to define that commitment. So the brand mission is documented in a brand mission statement which like the vision statement is an internal document. The mission provides clarity for the brand leaders and the personnel about the consistent commitments that it must deliver on to achieve that vision for the future. When a brand is clear on its commitment it shows up in its actions and forms part of that brand's reputation. For example Patagonia is a well-established lifestyle brand that produces outdoor camping and climbing apparel. Now it was founded by climber and brand leader Vaughan so the brand has very strong roots in protecting the environment. The Patagonia brand mission is outlined in the brand mission statement and that is to build the best product cause no unnecessary harm and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis. Now this mission has been the driver behind shaping Patagonia's business processes and marketing to align with their commitment over the long term. Today many brands have jumped on the sustainability bandwagon without really having too much to show for it. Patagonia on the other hand is an example of how the brand mission can not only form an important part of the brand strategy but it can be the driver behind that strategy's success. When defining your brand mission or your client's brand make sure you dig deep and find a commitment that will really drive those decisions. Brand strategy example number four is IKEA with their brand values. Now brand values outline what's important to the brand in the way they do business. The goal of brand values are to provide a boundary of behavior for the brand so it operates according to a certain philosophy of conduct. Brand values form an integral part of brand culture which is the manner of how the brand functions internally and brands that are happy on the inside tend to be happy on the outside and this isn't just an assumption. Both on a revenue and a stock price performance brands that consistently show up in the top 100 best companies to work for they see higher than average results every time. Brand values play a critical role in aligning the brand internally so everybody is pushing in the same direction but there is a caveat here. Values for the sake of values are absolutely useless. Brand values must be actionable and they must show how the brand engages both internally and externally and they must guide those actions and those decisions. Now IKEA is an example of a brand that is clear on their values and how to use those values as part of their broader strategy and here's how they see it. We have a strong set of values. They are a compass that guides us in everything we do. Our culture is formed when we put these values into action. They then go on to say we are constantly trying to find better ways to get things done and to bring out the best in ourselves and others. So here are the core brand values for IKEA. Togetherness, caring for people and the planet, cause consciousness, simplicity, renew and improve, different with a meaning, give and take responsibly, lead by example. So as you can see IKEA's values are unique to them. They're clear and they're actionable and they can be used to guide decisions, to guide actions, communication and engagement as well. So when defining your core values for your own brand or for your clients start with single words and make sure that they're important to you in the way that you do business or the way your client does business and then make them unique to that business and that brand and make them actionable as well. Brand strategy example number five is Apple with their brand positioning. Now brand positioning is arguably the most important and difficult aspect of brand strategy and the most difficult element of brand strategy to define and develop. The goal of brand positioning is to specify a unique point of difference or a differentiator that sets the brand apart from its competitors. Now an effective brand position will earn the brand a distinctive place in the mind of the audience as to why they're more relevant than their competitors and that's the idea anyway that this brand is going to be more relevant than their competitors to this specific group or this specific market segment. Consumers are bombarded with choices every day in every category and brands must fight for that awareness, they must fight for that attention and that salience. The winners are remembered and they're chosen in the buying decision and the positioning strategy plays a big role in influencing that decision. Now without a shadow of a doubt Apple is one of the best examples in the world of a strong brand positioning strategy. When you think of Apple you think of simplicity and innovation. Now there are hundreds of technology brands in the world but none deliver that innovation and that simplistic brand experience quite like Apple does and that focus on advancement and that simplistic brand experience has allowed Apple to establish the leading position with premium pricing that competitors simply can't compete with. Here's the Apple brand positioning statement for individuals who want the best personal device Apple is the technology leader that emphasizes research advancement and innovation to give our customers an innovative and seamless experience. We consider the impact of our products and processes have on our customers and the planet. Now of course that doesn't exactly roll off the tongue but the brand positioning statement is not designed as a piece of marketing but an internal document to shape everything about the brand from the experience to marketing and everywhere in between. When defining your brand position uncover what's important to your audience and how you'll give them what they want with an experience that's unique to your brand. Brand strategy example number six is Harley Davidson with their brand personality. Now brand personality is one of the most potent but still underutilized elements of brand strategy. Now the goal of the brand personality is to make your brand sound and feel like a real human rather than feeling like a corporate entity and what a brand says is critical of course what they say is critical but the way they say it that's becoming increasingly important and a really important aspect of the overall brand communication strategy. Now as people whether or not we connect with other people is largely due to whether or not our personalities align. We tend to feel more connected to those who display the same characteristics and traits as we do because our reptilian brain signals that familiarity equals safety. Brands therefore need to show up with relevant human traits to get the approval from their customers reptilian brain. Harley Davidson is a perfect example of a brand with personality. Throughout the brand experience from the copy on their website to the image style to their marketing and their advertisements Harley's communication is laced with personality. Harley's target audience are rebels at heart and they use that rebellious spirit throughout the experience which includes a rugged brand identity, gritty language, a rough tone of voice, non-conformist attitude and disruptive behavior. Harley loves to go against the grain of everyday society and in doing so they endear themselves to the inner rebel of their audience. When defining a personality for your brand take the time to first understand your audience and the traits they're attracted to and use those traits to connect and resonate and embed them into your communication strategy. Brand strategy example number seven is Old Spice with their brand voice and tone. Now brand voice and tone is really an extension of the brand personality the goal of the brand voice and tone is to set the mood and provide a guide for how the brand will sound to the audience or sound in the marketplace. Now while your brand personality really provides the broader strokes of how your brand will show up your brand voice provides the subtle detail of your brand's tonality. Your personality and tone they work hand in hand to deliver your message in a specific manner to attract your audience. Old Spice is an excellent example of how a brand can use a fresh tone and style of communication to connect with new markets. Now before their repositioning at the turn of the century Old Spice was seen as this boring old man's brand but with a refreshed personality and a tone of voice laced with tongue-in-cheek humor, satire and swagger Old Spice became a household favorite among that younger demographic. Old Spice actually became the number one brand in the men's body wash category within 18 months of adjusting their brand strategy and their tone of voice. So when you're developing your brand's tone of voice start first with a well-defined personality and then use your personality traits to shape the way you want your brand to sound and the characteristics in the tone. Brand strategy example number eight is Airbnb with brand story. Now brand story or brand storytelling strategy is a framework of narrative techniques used to engage the audience in a highly engaging way. Now the goal of storytelling is to create associations and deliver messages to the audience in a way that feels really relevant and feels engaging. Traditional marketing techniques that push products and services have an extremely high dismissal rate because consumers are simply bombarded with those types of messages. Stories on the other hand engage a primitive part of the brain that cuts through that barrier of analytical thinking and when we hear a story it draws our attention and opens up a story loop that needs to be closed. In other words when we hear a story we instinctively need to know what happens next. The more relevant the story is to the journey of the audience and the journey that they're on and the challenges that they have the more clearly they'll see themselves in that story. Brands that are able to weave their message into a story about their audience plants a seed in that audience's mind that's received fondly and remembered easily. Now Airbnb is an example of a brand that has brand storytelling down to an art. Airbnb's mission is to help us imagine a world where we can belong anywhere. Now to forge this mission into reality they focus their efforts on building a community and they've created a platform for that community to share their stories. From hosts to guests Airbnb have fostered a community of storytellers and loyalists marketing the brand through their own positive experiences. When defining a brand storytelling framework for your brand step into the shoes of your audience and immerse yourself in their journey. Tell the story of the journey of your audience and weave your brand in as the support to help them get to their destination. Brand strategy example number nine is Hermes with their brand heritage. Now brand heritage is a brand strategy that tends to be reserved for brands with history. Now the goal of brand heritage as a strategy is to create associations of tradition and longevity and this inherently suggests that the brand has stood the tested time for a reason and whether that brand is 30 years old or 130 years old associations of times past can invoke this sense of nostalgia and place the brand in a unique place in the audience's mind. Now one of the best examples of brand heritage is from Hermes the French fashion brand. Now Hermes was founded in 1837 yes 1837 by Thierry Hermes and it's the oldest fashion brand in the world. Now the brand has a deep sense of history and tradition partly because the brand still remains in the Hermes family which has now spanned five generations. Hermes was trading long before branding became an important aspect of business and they've stayed true to their roots. The Hermes brand philosophy was well summarized by former CEO Jean-Louis Dumas when he said we don't have a policy of image we have a policy of product. Now though very few brands enjoy the competitive advantage of heritage it is a potent strategy if it's available. And brand strategy example number 10 is Nike with their iconic tagline. Now the brand tagline is the brand's message distilled into its purest and most concise form. Now the goal of the tagline is to paint a memorable meaning in the mind of the audience that can grow into the position that it wants to own. Now although the words tagline and slogan are used interchangeably there is a difference between the two. A slogan spearheads a marketing campaign while a tagline spearheads the brand. Slogans however can be promoted to a tagline on the back of a highly successful campaign which often happens and that's often the source of confusion on why people use them interchangeably and get them confused. Now the tagline should help to solidify the position by making the idea simple and easy to remember. Nike's tagline just do it is probably the most successful and memorable tagline of all time but Nike's tagline was born as a slogan for a campaign by Wyden and Kennedy in 1987. Now the slogan resonated deeply with the athletic community who was Nike's core audience and it quickly became the adopted tagline for the brand. Now of course today the tagline has become the spearhead of the brand alongside that iconic swoosh and it acts as a way of life for the brand and its customers as well. To create an effective tagline for your own brand or for your clients start first with your brand position and distill that position into a handful of words. An effective tagline has four key characteristics it should be concise, meaningful, memorable and catchy. Now look an effective brand strategy is made up of a collection of elements all working together as a cohesive system. All successful brands have a clearly defined position which is a non-negotiable when it comes to building a brand but once that position is defined you can use all or any of the above elements to really focus in that strategy. Remember brand strategy is the definition of a brand's approach to who they target, how they differentiate and how they influence perceptions and decisions. So get crystal clear on who your audience is and what they want and you significantly increase the chances and your ability to influence their decisions. If you want to dive deeper into brand strategy and brand strategy elements then this video will help you out. Until next time brand like a master and I'll see you in the next video.