A Brand Is a Promise Well Kept
A brand is a mnemonic shortcut. Break the shortcut and you destroy the value.
A brand exists so the customer doesn't have to think — it's a promise of what they'll get. A great brand is that promise kept consistently. Once you start chasing fads, the customer no longer knows what you stand for and the shortcut breaks. Innovate within the essence; expand strategically; always deliver what the brand-loyal customer expects to get. Most brand deaths come from a junior marketer inheriting a great brand and putting their own stamp on it.
- A brand is a shortcut. Break the shortcut, you destroy the value.
- Innovate within the essence, not across it.
- Every sub-line that doesn't carry the core promise dilutes the parent.
- Junior marketers wanting to put their stamp on an iconic brand are the most common kill mechanism.
Compared KIND's 20-year consistency to Balance Bar — a $250M brand at KIND's launch — which was acquired, force-launched Balance Organic / Balance Gold / Balance Protein in pursuit of new growth, and was eventually sold for a fraction of acquisition price. 'I don't even think that brand exists anymore.'