THE ART OF PROVIDING VALUE. 

Kerry Elkins.

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, 

but their inward significance.”

Aristotle.

Branding is the art of storytelling, the delightful mosaic of great products paired with verbal and visual messaging. Branding is personal.

By the end of this blog post, you’ll understand the difference between branding, marketing, and the purpose of a logo. You’ll understand why each is important and how to use them to rebrand your business, entrepreneurial venture, or media content. I’ll tell you some little-known legends about some unconventional people along the way, so stick with me until the end and you might have some quirky stories to tell at the dinner table. But first, what is a brand?

Broadly speaking, a brand is a unique identity, encompassing personality, values, and reputation. But it’s also more than this. Brands weave a kind of ethereal magic in our hearts, minds, and memories. They exist, almost like ghosts, or invisible beings somewhere between our feelings about them, and our physical realities. Brands tell stories. 

When a brand isn’t being directly marketed to us, but we think of it anyway, that is where the magic happens. That brand has been able to find its way into our hearts and minds, into our cellular memory bank, to whisper to us from somewhere deep inside of ourselves. This is the power of great branding. It doesn’t need to be in front of you to move you to a buying decision. 

Brands exist in a kind of virtual reality where they hold and share value, meaning, and influence. Anyone can create a brand, and everyone is a brand. Personal branding, rebranding, or the deliberate positioning of a product or service in a market, is the business of telling persuasive stories. Those who do it well apply careful consideration, strategic execution, and a consistent message that effectively resonates with a target audience.

A brand isn’t a logo, a trademark, or a product in isolation. It’s a blend of many things, with a personality, a vibe, and the promise of something deliverable. While it’s true that a brand communicates an identity, through its verbal and visual messaging, the core of a brand is much more powerful. Think of it like the soul of a person that outshines their physical outer appearance on a deep and fundamental level. Like a family heirloom that has been passed down from generation to generation, brands hold meaning. They imply values, and principles, that certain groups of people can believe in. The brand is the essence people are looking for when they seek out their favorite author, composer, or luxury handbag. Brands entrain us with feelings. 

Marketing is of course a core component of branding. The thing to understand, however, is that marketing makes a brand money, but branding makes a brand powerful. Branding creates community and influence; it holds trust and reputation. Marketing promotes these values to the audience that needs them.

It’s not the Gucci shoes in Vogue Magazine that are marketed or advertised. It’s the meticulous craftsmanship, the iconic designs, and the high-quality materials that only someone of a certain stature would be able to afford or feel comfortable wearing. It’s the value that is marketed and the value that people pay for. 

Marketing is the process of communicating value. People value things like freedom, status, and health. When trying to sell a product or service, a brand will communicate the value or impact their product or service will provide. Doorbell camera companies don’t just sell cameras, they promise home security. Athletic shoe companies don’t just sell shoes, they promise empowerment to athletes. Great photographs and media content communicate how a product or service will provide value. 

With the rise of the internet and the paradox of choice that the internet brings, it’s recently become clear that a picture of a product in isolation isn’t enough to move people into action. Brands now understand the potency of leveraging values, ethics, beliefs, and art. They understand persuasive art and design. People need to know why they should choose a brand and thoughtful photography and media content can communicate just that. Once people have the information, they need to know how to spot the brand out, in a crowd.

This brings us to the concept of a logo. Several hundred years ago, the eccentric composer Erik Satie, a man once famous for his mysterious bowler hat and iconic umbrella, was said to have been invited to a fancy dinner party hosted by an exceptionally wealthy patron of the arts. Finding himself surrounded by antiques of silver and gold and rarities from across the globe, Satie excused himself from the table and when he came back, he brought his umbrella with him. He opened it and turned it upside down in the middle of the dining room table. Then, allegedly, he said to their host, “Your art collection is missing something truly avant-garde my friend, so I brought you this.”

Satie was a brand that encompassed humor and eccentricity. Like a logo or tagline, it wasn’t his bowler hat or umbrella that made him a brand. Still, in his case, his attire, like a logo, promised impulsivity, creativity, and memorability. Wherever that bowler hat and umbrella went, surprises went too. 

Human beings have used signs and symbols to represent identities, affiliations, and beliefs for thousands of years. Corporate advertising emerged in the late 19th century with the birth of trademark law and consumerism. However, visual communication, with specific reference to markings, patterns, and symbols existed long before that. Consider the Eye of Ra from ancient Egyptian mythology, a sign representing the sun god Ra’s protection. Or the Christian cross which has come to represent redemption and salvation. Or the Norse’s Valknut, “the knot of those fallen in battle,” a famous pattern of three interlocking triangles commonly found on Viking gravestones. This has been a sign symbolizing bravery and human fate, the sacrifice of one for the greater good, for thousands of years. These are old signs with old meanings but there are plenty of new ones to point to. Apple’s logo symbolizes innovation. Nike’s athleticism. And Google’s accessibility. 

The world may be full of big brands, seemingly dominating every possible market, but there is always room for someone or something new, for a new variation of authenticity, to be introduced. Whether a brand provides mental health services, bespoke luxury fashion, or integrated solutions for tech companies, people are always interested in authenticity and novelty. And of course, the symbols associated with them. 

The world is a noisy place and if a brand garnishes attention, it is doing something a little bit different. High-quality brands understand the value they provide, how to market that value, and how to offer a symbol or sign that points people in that direction. 

There is an unspoken concept of reliance on the stability and predictability of our environments. A fundamental belief in the continuity of the world around us, and the brands we trust, provides us with a sense of security and certainty. Principles upon which we can base our lives. When we wake up in the morning, we trust the earth will be there to support us when we step out of bed. If we buy a gym membership, we trust that we will be healthier and stronger six months from now. And if we visit an Audi dealership looking for an Audi R8, it’s likely because we trust that this car can take us from 0 to 60mph in under 3 seconds if we ever need it to.

Every time we don’t have to spend mental energy on a choice, or on questioning the value of a brand, we are relieved of a small bit of anxiety in our chaotic worlds. 

As entrepreneurs, creators, and professionals it’s our job to build solid brands. To build trust. 

When people are overwhelmed by choice, high-quality brands use the paradox of choice to their advantage. They say, “You trusted me in the past and I delivered. You can trust me again.” They are authentic, memorable, and consistent. By simply following these three virtues, high-quality brands can have a meaningful impact on humanity and the world.

Have you ever heard of the classical composer, Antonio Vivaldi?

Legend has it that he had a fiery temper. Allegedly, he would often get upset if musicians struggled to follow his directions, once yelling, “You are like a flock of geese without wings.” From that point on, his musicians would refer to themselves as Vivaldi’s “wingless geese.” Vivaldi wasn’t trying to be funny. But everyone knew what he brought to the party, and it wasn’t an umbrella. It was intensity and determination. Fierceness was Vivaldi’s brand and being a priest, a cloak was his logo or motif. It is said that when violinists saw that cloak coming around the corner, they stopped applying rosin to the bow and they focused themselves with their instruments at their chins. 

What branding, marketing, and logos all have in common, is that they are all forms of unified or bonded communication. Brands choose logos, taglines, and powerful photographic images to leverage impactful storytelling. Through their marketing, they make a promise about what can be expected from them. And it's all strategically crafted to evoke emotion and communicate key principles.

These days average content, taglines, and photographs communicate average value. How do the brands you like, the musicians, banks, or hair salons you trust, differentiate themselves from the rest? How do they stand out?

Does your favorite luxury event planning business send invitations out by carrier pigeon? Or does your pet-friendly rental apartment come equipped with a four-poster dog bed? Is your favorite fashionista a tattoo artist who shares tidbits on the evolution of personal style? We are living in an age where it all matters. The product, the soul, and the service. The branding, the marketing, and the logo. It’s all part of the poem, the painting, and the story that represents the value. 

Whether a company sells luxury real estate in Santa Barbara County, provides fine art services in Ojai, or is a consultancy located on the envied Malibu beachfront, the story is going to matter to the people they serve. The story will resonate with a particular audience. If you want to drive leads, sales, or customers to your content, product, or service, you need to know your audience and what they value. 

There is a story about Robert Frost, the famous poet, who once was said to attend a recital where he was asked to recite one of his most beloved poems, “The Road Not Taken.” Midway through the poem, however, he forgot the lines. He improvised and switched to reciting a completely different poem in the middle of that one. Coming to the end of the recital, he froze and waited for the audience's reaction. They gave him a standing ovation. It didn’t matter what lines he was reciting. All that mattered was that he was providing value to people who cared about his work. Later, Frost had a twinkle in his eye when he said about the mix-up, “Well, I suppose that was the road less traveled by.”

No matter who you are, there will always be a company, service, or creator more affordable, more connected, or more talented, than you. It’s not about that. For example, anyone can recite poetry. The people who devoured the words of Frost didn’t necessarily go to the poetry readings of Carl Sandburg or Ezra Pound. They loved Frost. He was the brand they believed in. They wanted to be associated with him.

In a sense, the notion of competition is a little absurd. Composers can compare the weight of Bach to the whimsical work of Vivaldi, vegans can compare their favorite restaurant to the steakhouse on the corner, and soon enough it’s clear not all things are for all people. This is why brands are important. Some people will want the value you provide because you provide it. You are the one that resonates most deeply with them. In the virtual reality of branding, don’t strive to compete with anyone. Strive to stand out by providing premium value, with your consistent authenticity and unique approach. 

Brands that understand who they are here to serve, and why, outperform those that want to please everyone. Brands that recognize opportunities with specialized groups, to transform the mundane into the sublime, win. Obstacles have ways around them. Problems have solutions. High-quality brands send great messages and solve great problems. Sometimes they offer interesting or integrated solutions. This is why brand architecture and strategy are so valuable.

These days brand identity and brand recognition are bigger than life. They can be measured through consumer awareness and engagement. They have long-term effects on physical reality.

Whether you offer high-class luxury travel experiences, high-profile poetry recitals, or some kind of auditing and analysis services, your brand can stand out by implementing thoughtful, concise communication and by sharing an optimal visual presence. Upgrading everything from your LinkedIn, Instagram, or even a dating profile can help tell a better story about who you are, and the value you provide. Help people choose you by consciously choosing your branding.

We all have free will, potential agency, and the capacity to make decisions when we need to respond to stimuli. Should we hire them? Should we buy from them? Should we date them? Can we trust them?

Branding exerts influence. Stories influence how much people respect you and how much time or money they’re willing to invest in you. Like the fuming meltdowns of Vivaldi, or the gentle ruminations of Frost, branding evokes emotion and drives decisions. Effective brand positioning strategies for small businesses are always worth considering. Simply put, people choose brands because of how those brands make them feel and often because those brands put a twinkle in their eye.