The Molecular Brand

TORSTEN HENNING HENSEL
PARTNER // CREATIVE CONSULTANT
NOUVÉ INTERPLAY

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THE MOLECULAR BRAND
A BRAND MODEL FOR THE AGE OF CONVERSATION
BERLIN // DECEMBER 2009

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/PSYCHOMANTIUM/2920156622

WELCOME TO THE AGE OF CONVERSATION!
SOCIAL MEDIA HAS GIVEN PEOPLE A VOICE – TO TALK ABOUT
THEIR PASSIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT INTERESTS AND DRIVES
THEM. IT‘S A VOICE TO BE HEARD NOT ONLY BY OTHER PEOPLE
BUT BY MARKETERS AS WELL. BECAUSE IT‘S A STRONG VOICE.
A VOICE THAT CAN EVEN AFFECT THE FATE OF THEIR BRANDS...
HTTP://FARM2.STATIC.FLICKR.COM/1189/3164963887_4CA73A3F36_O.JPG

IN WEB 2.0, IT‘S MORE AND MORE THE PEOPLE,
THE CONSUMERS, THE BRAND'S FRIENDS AND FANS, WHO
PILOT THE BRAND'S SUCCESS BY THE EXPERIENCES
THEY SHARE AND THE STORIES THEY TELL ABOUT IT.

HTTP://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/URBANWINDOW/3292441098

TODAY, BRANDS ARE LESS ABOUT
CORPORATE VOICE AND MORE ABOUT
CUSTOMERS MAKING BRAND MUSIC
WITH THEIR OWN VOICES.

BRANDS ARE REMIX, RECHARGE, RENEW.
WWW.DIEMAGAZIN.CH/BILDER/MIXTAPE.GIF TENAYAGROUP.COM/BRANDBARRIER.HTM

IN THIS RELATIVELY NEW
COMMUNICATION ECOSYSTEM

BRANDS GET
MORE AND MORE
IN A DILEMMA

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/SIS/2635898654

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/EARTHWATCHER/2299142823

ON THE ONE HAND

BRANDS NEED CONSISTENCY
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GIVE ORIENTATION

ON THE OTHER HAND,

THEY NEED
CONSTANT
RENEWAL AND
EXCHANGE
TO FURTHER GROW

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/26594226@N04/3564343130

THE PROBLEM:

DYNAMIC BRAND ENVIRONMENT

BRAND MODEL
STATIC BRAND
IDENTITY VS. PERPETUAL BETA

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/SIONFULLANA/3901732211

BUT:
BRAND IDENTITY MEANS
THAT BRANDS HAVE AN
IDENTITY, NOT THAT
THEY NEED TO BE
IDENTICAL ALL THE TIME,
TO EVERY CUSTOMER,
EVERY DAY.

IDENTITY
=
IDENTICAL
WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/PAULHOLLINGWORTH/121289687

WWW.FLICKR.
COM/PHOTOS/
IMHARA

BRANDS NEED MANY
FACE(T)S TO CONNECT
WITH THEIR AUDIENCES.

YOU COULD THINK BRANDS LIKE A CLOSET THAT CONTAINS

A DRESS FOR EACH OCCASION,
BUT WHO WEARS IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME.
WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/MEL829/2601963977

THIS REQUIRES A NEW BRAND MODEL.

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/DAVIDERWIN/557833404

ONE THAT OPENS THE BRAND TO ITS
DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS.

ONE THAT ALLOWS SPACE FOR CO-CREATION
AND PERSONAL INTERPRETATION.

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/DESIGNTOFORGET/1248803437

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/DESIGNTOFORGET/1074218908

ONE THAT INTEGRATES THE CONTEXT OF THE BRAND, ITS
COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA ENVIRONMENT, THE TRENDS AND
PREFERENCES OF THE CONSUMERS THAT IT ADDRESSES.

A BRAND MODEL THAT PUTS THE BRAND‘S
PROGRESSION AND TRANSFORMATION IN THE
CENTER OF THE CONCEPT.

HTTP://WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/DESIGNTOFORGET/2206316262

A STATIC BRAND MODEL IS NOT ABLE TO
FULFILL ALL THESE (CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING)
DEMANDS. THEREFORE, THE BRAND MODEL FOR
THE AGE OF CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE
FLEXIBLE AND ABLE TO ADAPT THE VARIOUS
CONTEXTS AND LEVELS THAT BRANDS ARE
FACING IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE.

THE MOLECULAR BRAND

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/FATBOYKE/2617432325

Oscillation is the repetitive variation,
typically in time, of some measure about a central
value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states.
Familiar examples include a swinging pendulum and AC power. The term vibration
is sometimes used more narrowly to mean a mechanical oscillation but sometimes is used to
be synonymous with "oscillation." Oscillations occur not only in physical systems but also in

MOLECULAR
biological systems and in human society.

BRANDS ARE OSCILLATING
AROUND THEIR CORE

WWW.CLEARSPACESTUDIO.COM/IMAGES/OSCILLATION.JPG

MOLECULAR BRANDS ARE OSCILLATING
BETWEEN THE SELF AND THE OTHER
THE ORDERING POWER OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS REFERS LESS TO A STATIC
IDENTITY, THAN IT STRUCTURES A PROCESSUAL CHANGE THAT HAS ITS OWN
LOGIC OF DEVELOPMENT. THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THIS STRUCTURE OF ORDER
IS THUS BASED IN THE REGULATION OF PROCESSES OF AN INTERIORIZATION
OF THE OUTSIDE AND OF AN EXTERIORIZATION OF THE INSIDE. THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR IS CHARACTERIZED BY AN
INTERPLAY OF THE APPROPRIATION OF THE FOREIGN AND OF STRUCTURAL
SELF-CHANGE. THE IDENTITY OF SUCH AN ORDER CAN THUS BE
UNDERSTOOD AS A SELF-REGULATING GROWTH PROCESS DRIVEN FORWARD
BY A CONSTANT "OSCILLATION" BETWEEN POSITIONS OF SELFNESS AND
FOREIGNNESS, OF "ASSIMILATION AND ACCOMMODATION". ORTFRIED SCHAEFFTER

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/ST-STEV/88271993

MOLECULAR BRANDS USE MULTIPLE
CONNECTORS TO ATTRACT PEOPLE
BRANDS THAT REALLY WANT TO CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS ON A DEEP AND
MEANINGFUL LEVEL WILL HAVE TO IDENTIFY COMMON GROUND AND AREAS OF
SIMILARITY AND SYNERGY WITH THESE CUSTOMERS. THIS HAS TO BE GENUINE AND
BASED ON THE REAL VALUES AND VISION OF THE BRAND. EFFORTS TO ATTRACT
MORE PEOPLE AND MORE CUSTOMERS ARE BETTER ACCEPTED WHEN ALIGNED
WITH THE BRAND SPIRIT AND DONE IN HARMONY WITH ITS CORE IDENTITY AND MAIN
OFFERING. COMMON GROUNDS WILL BE THE SOIL WHERE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN BRANDS AND CONSUMERS WILL GROW AND PROSPER. JEAN-CLAUDE SAADE

SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED VALUES
PEACE, EQUALITY, LIBERTY… WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS
/HAMED/3636927440

VALUES ARE ONE OF THE STRONGEST BONDING FACTORS FOR PEOPLE IN GENERAL AND
BETWEEN PEOPLE AND BRANDS. PEOPLE WHO SHARE AND CHERISH THE SAME VALUES TEND
TO COME TOGETHER AND STAY UNITED IN THE NAME OF THESE VALUES.
WWW.BRANDCHANNEL.COM/PAPERS_REVIEW.ASP?SP_ID=1290

SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED ROOTS
RELIGION, ETHNICITY, LANGUAGE, CULTURE, WWW.FLICK
R.COM/PHO
TOS/ORIAN
OMADA/260

CITIZENSHIP, EDUCATION, PROFESSION, GEOGRAPHY…
8735394

THE SECRET ABOUT "SHARED ROOTS" IS THEIR ABILITY TO BYPASS THE LENGTHY PROCESS
OF BUILDING FAMILIARITY. PEOPLE CONNECT MORE NATURALLY WITH BRANDS THAT SHARE
THE SAME CULTURE, GEOGRAPHY, RELIGION OR BACKGROUND. THEY WILL NATURALLY FEEL
ATTRACTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY DISCOVER THAT THEY HAVE MANY THINGS IN COMMON,
EVEN BEFORE STARTING THE RELATIONSHIP. WWW.BRANDCHANNEL.COM/PAPERS_REVIEW.ASP?SP_ID=1290

SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED FIGHTS
POLITICS, ENVIRONMENT, WILDLIFE…
WWW.FLICKR.COM
/PHOTOS/DIGITALT
OOL/2989480060

SHARED FIGHTS AND CAUSES RALLY PEOPLE AND CONNECT THEM WITH ORGANIZATIONS,
BRANDS AND BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT THESE SAME FIGHT AND CAUSE. PEOPLE WHO ARE
FIGHTING FOR THE PRESERVATION OF A BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT OR THE
PRESERVATION OF WILDLIFE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES WILL CONNECT WITH BRANDS WHO
ARE SHARING THIS SAME FIGHT LIKE GREENPEACE AND THE WWE. THEY WILL ALSO CONNECT
WITH AND SUPPORT BUSINESSES AND BRANDS THAT ARE TAKING GENUINE AND TANGIBLE
MEASURES TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT OR TO REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS.

SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED INTERESTS & BENEFITS
WEALTH, POWER, INFORMATION, NOTORIETY… WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS
/NINA_PETITE/1041803291

SPECIAL INTERESTS AND BENEFITS CAN LEAD PEOPLE TO FORM GROUPS OR INTERNET-BASED
COMMUNITIES FOR SHARING IDEAS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES IN CERTAIN FIELDS. THESE
GROUPS OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERACT WITH PEERS FOR SHARING, NETWORKING, AND
LOBBYING. BRANDS WHO SHARE THE SAME INTERESTS OR WHO CAN HELP IN REALIZING THE
INTERESTS AND BENEFITS OF THESE GROUPS CAN ESTABLISH A SOLID AND CONTINUOUS
CONNECTION WITH THEM. WWW.BRANDCHANNEL.COM/PAPERS_REVIEW.ASP?SP_ID=1290

SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED LIFESTYLE
FASHION, HOUSING, RESTAURANTS, VACATIONS… WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/MANG
ANITE/1950620292

SIMILAR LIFESTYLE PATTERNS CREATE NATURAL SYNERGIES BETWEEN PEOPLE AND BETWEEN
PEOPLE AND BRANDS. ARMANI, HARLEY-DAVIDSON, STARBUCKS, NIKE, BOSS, ADIDAS, AND
MANY OTHER LIFESTYLE BRANDS HAVE EARNED THE STATUS OF A "LIFESTYLE SYMBOL", WHICH
GOES FAR BEYOND THE FUNCTIONALITY AND THE DELIVERY OF THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE
THEY ARE SELLING. PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS USED THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH ICONIC BRANDS TO
PROJECT CERTAIN LIFESTYLE MESSAGES TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. WWW.BRANDCHANNEL.COM/PAPERS_REVIEW.ASP?SP_ID=1290

SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED HOBBIES
SPORTS, ARTS, GAMING, COLLECTING, TRAVELING… WWW.FLICKR.COM
/PHOTOS/553695
84@N00/33737634
1

SHARED HOBBIES OF DIFFERENT NATURES CAN ALSO BRING PEOPLE CLOSER AND CONNECT
THEM TO BRANDS THAT SHOW INTEREST IN THESE HOBBIES. BRANDS LIKE QUIKSILVER AND
BILLABONG HAVE BEEN INVENTED FROM WITHIN THE HOBBY OF WAVE SURFING. THE ESSENCE
OF THESE BRANDS IS STILL ANCHORED IN THE SURFING CULTURE AND THEIR KEY REASON-TO-
BE IS SERVING THE SURFING COMMUNITY. REGARDLESS IF THESE BRANDS HAVE BECOME
OVEREXTENDED NOWADAYS, ACTUAL AND ASPIRING SURFERS WILL CONTINUE TO CONNECT
STRONGLY WITH THEM FUELED BY THE APPEAL OF SURFING AS A WAY OF LIFE.

SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED PREFERENCES WWW.FLICKR.C
OM/PHOTOS/27

FOOD, DRINKS, CARS, MUSIC, CLOTHING…
286104@N07/3
293284545

PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE SAME PREFERENCES WILL NATURALLY MANIFEST ELEMENTS OF
SYNERGY AND SYMPATHY. THOSE WHO LIKE ITALIAN FOOD, SWISS CHOCOLATE, OR A NEW MINI
WOULD FIND A COMMON GROUND FOR BONDING AND DIALOGUE. SHARED PREFERENCES CAN
ALSO FAVOR THE FORMATION OF CERTAIN CONSUMER GROUPS WHO CAN FAVOR CERTAIN
BRANDS OR MODELS AND PROMOTE THEM DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.

HOW COULD SUCH A BRAND MODEL LOOK LIKE?

MOLECULAR BRANDS ARE BASED ON A
CONSTANT CORE

WWW.FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/MAARTJEVL/3191928900

AROUND THEIR CORE, THEY HAVE A
VARIABLE COATING


TO CONNECT WITH THEIR FANS.


AND WITH THEIR CRITICS.


WITH THE MEDIA.


AND WITH THE MEDIA 2.0.


WITH THE EARLY ADOPTERS.


AND WITH THE LAGGARDS.


WITH THE CUSTOMERS.


AND WITH THE STAFF.


THIS MEANS:


THIS MEANS:
CORE


THIS MEANS:
CORE
+ AUDIENCE


THIS MEANS:
CORE
+ AUDIENCE
+ CONNECTORS


THIS MEANS:
CORE
+ AUDIENCE
+ CONNECTORS
= BRAND


...
IN EVER CHANGING
CONSTELLATIONS,
PRODUCING INFINITE
FRACTAL BRAND
MOLECULES...


THANK YOU!
Want to know more? Get in contact:
torsten.hensel@nouve-interplay.com
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