The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

A lot of claims and over-promises.

Hell, careers have been made from being a cheerleader of it … even though it has also been responsible for a whole lot of terrible advertising.

Contrived, complicit and confused advertising.

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a value – or a role – but as I wrote here, the thing rarely talked about is that brand assets don’t happen by themselves. You can’t buy them off the shelf or make them happen by simply repeating their use ad-nauseum.

No, the only way to turn an attribute into an asset is through creativity.

It’s creativity that gives it meaning.
It’s creativity that gives it a purpose and role.
It’s creativity that imbues it with financial value.

I appreciate that might not fit the narrative of certain people, but that’s the reality of the situation … or it is if you want to do it properly. Unfortunately, it appears more and more people don’t. Preferring to outsource their responsibility – which, let’s not forget, they are paid to do – to generalistic and simplistic solutions that are focused on recognition, not value.

Nothing brought this home more than this ad I saw for a new Nike store in Auckland.

Look at this …

What the fuck? Seriously, what the fuck is that?

While they have used a number of NIKE’s ‘brand assets’ – namely the font and swoosh – it’s pretty obvious whoever put this together has no understanding or appreciation of what they represent or how to use them.

Mind you, it also seems they also have no understanding or appreciation of sport, art direction or design.

It’s like they’ve just taken a few pieces and shoved them wherever they like – like a terrible jigsaw puzzle that doesn’t show the picture they need to create.

Which highlights another thing rarely talked about brand assets …

Just because you’ve earned them, doesn’t mean you can’t lose them.

Treat them with distain and you’ll find all that hard work will be for nothing.

Moving from a brand asset to an attribute to a warning sign to stay the fuck away.

Brand assets are made and built over time.
They need nurturing, crafting and supporting.
They’re not something that once earned, can be used any way you choose.

It’s why the people who use them need to understand them.

What they represent.
The context they play in.
Their creative meaning and expression.
How to actually fucking use them in the right way.

Without any of that you don’t just fail to unlock their inherent value and power, you’re killing their credibility and the brand they’re tied to.

That doesn’t mean you can evolve them. Or expand them. Or play with them in different ways. Nike – of all brands – is very good at doing that. But that only happens because generally they’re embraced by people who have a deep understanding of what they stand for and represent … rather than random ‘colours and logos’ that they treat as a range of stickers they believe they can put wherever they want and whenever they choose.

It’s why I get so frustrated with how certain people talk about them. Acting they’re like ‘parts’ that can be replaced, exchanged, adapted or used however someone chooses … which ultimately demonstrates many of the people who talk like this don’t actually understand what a brand is, what it takes to build one or the difference between post-rationalising and creating.