Brand Signals
Steven Kostant
Executive Brand Strategist
Unison
Washington, DC
November 12, 2014
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Products are made in the factory.
But brands are made in the mind.
— Walter Landor, Brand Pioneer
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Physical
• Name
• Logo
• Type
• Color
• Slogan
Emotional
• Attitude
• Personality
• Experience
• Story
• Social
PHYSICAL: Trademark or distinctive name
identifying an organization and its products
and/or services.
EMOTIONAL: The promise of an experience
or lifestyle. It is the bonding between the
organization and the customer.
Brand Basics
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What a Brand is Not…
Stating the Obvious
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What a Brand is…
A Simple, Clear Idea

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What a Brand Does…
Communicates Quickly

What a Brand Does…
Provides Product Extensions
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What a Brand Does…
Drives an Experience
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E-commerce Celebrity Nike Town Innovations

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What a Brand Does…
Grows the Bottom Line

Top 10 Global Brands: (Interbrand 2014)
1. Apple
2. Google
3. Coca-Cola
4. IBM
5. Microsoft
6. GE
7. McDonalds
8. Samsung
9. Intel
10. Toyota
In many cases, a company’s brand is its most valuable asset.
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Ultimate is Citizenship
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Brand + Strategy
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Brand Strategy Platform
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Culture
Audience Organization
What are the needs?
Emotional triggers?
What are the trends?
Environment?
What can be fulfilled?
Proven? Legacy?
BRAND
STRATEGY
PLATFORM
Promise
Values
Pillars
Position

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Find the
White Space

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Seek Differentiation

Analyze
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Clarify

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Engage

Humanize
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In a hyper connected and noisy world, brands need
to humanize – giving them a sense of purpose and
a rallying cry to advocate for their customers. They
must connect emotion to story, audience to action,
value to results.
Imagine what your brand could be…
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The Big Picture

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Guided by proven insights and
fueled by creativity, we amplify
the human connection between
brands and their audiences —
making them meaningful and
seamless across the virtual
and physical worlds.
We Humanize Brands.
The Big Picture

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Characteristics of a Humanized Brand
+ + + = BRAND
Trustworthy Relevant Authentic Empathetic HUMANIZED

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Analyze
Ideate
Design
Prototype
Evaluate
Activate
BRAND
HUMANIZATION
Process Phases

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Analytics
Brand
Strategy
Content
Strategy
Creative &
Design
Physical &
Virtual
Media
Activation
Social &
Digital
OUTCOMES
Purpose-driven
Platform agnostic
Stakeholder relevance
Integrated channels
Measurable outcomes
Offering & Verticals
CLIENTS
Corporations
Non-Profits
Public Sector

In Closing: 7 Brand Signal Imperatives
Simplify: Brands are clear ideas that reside in the mind.
Listen: Gain complete insights — audience, culture, business.
Delight: Do not underestimate the power of emotions.
Transform: Compel audiences through value, design and authenticity.
Integrate: Surround the customer with a fully sensory brand experience.
Execute: Without a creative execution, a brand strategy is a side note.
Benchmark: Evaluate metrics — research, competition and brand maintenance.
Humanize: Recognize a brand by its humanity, and you realize new potential.
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Proprietary and Confidential
Steven Kostant
steven@unison.net
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Thank You