How unlocking your brand potential will promise growth

Garam Collective
Aug 31, 2018 · 4 min read

(fingers crossed)

As competition creates infinite choices, it becomes degrees harder for consumers to differentiate one product from another. The condition drives companies to be increasingly “creative” to look for new ways to stand out from their competitors; but most, without anchors. In an age where markets are evolving rapidly, consumers are faced with myriad offerings from companies that are as easily popping up as they’re also disappearing.

The real challenge that brands face today, is not only how they can stand out from the pack, but also connect with their target consumers and turn them into loyal customers. Furthermore, brands are also faced with motivational challenges to get their employees behind its vision and be their best ambassadors. In a densely crowded marketplace, branding is the secret weapon by which you can create meaningful differentiation, by capturing the personality of your brand and creating the kind of connection with customers and staff that transforms potential into profit.

So what exactly is branding and how can it unleash the true potential of your brand to accelerate business growth?

Understand not only what your product can DO for your customers, but also what it can MEAN to them.

Branding is one of those confusing words that seems to have a million different definitions. It is due to the evolving nature of how people view products and services. Today, brand is a means to connect values. According to Wally Olins, it’s the outward and visible demonstration of private and personal affiliation.

Brands become crucial for business because it’s the frontline of building the right brand image in the minds of customers and staff, and make sure it works for you, day in, day out. By knowing yourself and being consistent, brands build value, both in terms of their own equity and the success of the business as a whole.

Just like people, all brands basically consist of 3 elements:

The Brand Elements — by Equus Design

Rational — This is the physical ‘body’ of your brand and concerns its physical attributes. If it’s your company, this will define your purpose, capabilities and size, as well as the tangible benefits you bring to your customers. If it’s your product this will describe its functions, its features, and how it benefits your customers.

Emotional — This is the heart of your brand and describes its personality. This is what can provide the greatest differentiation, because the personality of your brand is very difficult to copy. It also describes the intangible benefits it provides to your customers. In other words, what emotional rewards does your brand offer — how does it make your customers feel?

Spiritual — This is the soul or conscience of your brand and describes the values you stand for. If it’s a corporate brand this should describe the values you live by, for example, the ethics of your business, how you nurture your staff, your CSR outreach, or your attitude to the environment. It should also describe the ‘moral’ benefits your brand brings to the customer, by creating a sense of shared values.

Embody those 3 elements and manage all your brand touch points in the right way, and you will succeed in building a great brand. A brand will build its own equity, and start to add more and more value to your business by putting themselves in the shoes of your customer and walk through all the touch points of the brand, and make sure they all express who you are. Those details typically might range from: the experience of your website, to the appearance of your office building, to the way the receptionist answers the phone, to the quality of your brochure etc.

Why getting the brand story right and turning your staff into its story-tellers is so important

To face changes in the market, defining the brand and telling its story in a compelling way is the crucial first step in building a brand. It is also one of the most effective ways to unite staff in a common purpose, and connect them through shared values. Commonly called ‘brand strategy’ this process will involve defining your brand vision and DNA, as well as finding out what your target audiences think about you, and need. It will also involve engaging your staff in the brand vision and igniting their passion to become your best brand ambassadors.

A brand’s DNA is a long-term value creation process which transforms the tangible aspects of a brand into intangibles. It’s about providing very simple, but consensually articulated answers to the following questions:

  1. Purpose: what do you do?
  2. Positioning: why choose us?
  3. Personality: who are we?
  4. Promise: what do we stand for?
  5. Platform: what is our structure?

How branding can help local businesses to thrive in a competitive market

Branding can create a plethora of difference for businesses. However, corporate wisdom has taught businesses it’s better to understand the local applications of branding frameworks specifically for the local market; brand building is not a one-size-fits-all, due to the geographic nature and the diverse culture of a market. Understanding the consumer dynamics is a key component of building brands that last.

If there is one takeaway from this article, is that building strong brands must start with us as the brand owners, and our ability to clearly articulate and communicate it in ways that are relatable to our audience.


This article is written by Wirawan Herdyanto — Client Services Manager of Equus-Garam, based on materials from Accelerate Growth — Unlocking your brand potential event.

Learn how Garam helps brands come to life through their distinct voices.

Garam Collective

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The brand studio and production team for contemporary trends and cultures. Meet us in Jakarta and Bali.

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