A thorough branding system (a plan, an identity, messaging and voice, standards, etc) should be so systematic that there are basically no big decisions to make. For the most part, everything is answered already.

A real branding system is like having impeccable social etiquette and an awesome wardrobe for your business. Your company's spirit never changes, but it always shows up in proper attire and acts appropriately.

Not all attention is good for your business's reputation.

Gimmicks get played out.

I have personal relationships that are meaningful. I have personal relationships that are mutually transactional.

Same can be true for a brand. 

I don’t need a meaningful relationship with Charmin. I need reliable toilet paper.

There is plenty of badass that can be cultivated from boring. 

Never underestimate the influence your employees and customer experience has in making people feel delighted or pissed off.

“...your company needs certain things* so that it can just be better focused and have a strategy going in so your branding’s not all over the place.”

Be shitty to someone.

Seriously, you should suck to someone today.

Someone should come across your website or social profile and think NAHHHHH.

Most folks think of branding as just a "words and pictures business."

That's like thinking basketball is just a "wins and losses sport."

It's not wrong, but it barely scratches the surface. What comes before? What about after?

If only one department is responsible for brand, then why should the other departments worry about it at all?

Does anyone see real value in the broad use of heavy handed purpose branding for day-to-day products?

Duped into paying a premium for plain water...

What do yall think?

Why be a shittier version of something that already exists?

Brands just need to be themselves. That's real "authenticity."

It has nothing to do with risk or playing it safe or whatever.

Play within your court, not someone else’s.

So, customer service might be the most underrated and least talked about aspect of influencing a brand.

Few things have more influence on a company’s lasting impression.

Nothing is lost, nothing is created, all things are merely transformed.

A visual system and environmental design for a new interactive exhibit at Tulsa’s Discovery Lab

Be branding all the time, always.

Use words and visuals when necessary.

Yes, everything you do is branding. And you just can't realistically consider all of it.

But what you can do is focus on the most important moments, like the peak and the end of your customer's experience.

No, no, you need to focus on the peak and the end of your customer's experience.

All those values, those aspirational mission and vision statements, the big words you say about your culture...

All that shit is pointless if you're not willing to be about it.

Brand strategy and branding should emerge. They should not be imposed.

Lean in to what's natural

Nurture what you have.

Not to create the brand

But to find the brand that is already there.