The Brand Gap

How to bridge the distance between business strategy and design

1. HOW TO BRIDGE
THE DISTANCE
BETWEEN
BUSINESS STRATEGY
AND DESIGN

2. A VISUAL PRESENTATION BY MARTY NEUMEIER

3. Produced by NEUTRON LLC
in partnership with NEW RIDERS PUBLISHING
and THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF GRAPHIC ARTS

Copyright ©2003 Neutron LLC. For educational use only. No part of this presentation may
be published, sold, or otherwise used for profit without the written permission of the author.

4. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

© A modern definition of brand

@ The five disciplines of brand-building

5. READY?

6. LET’S START BY DISPELLING SOME MYTHS.

7. FIRST

Abrand is not a logo.

9. SECOND

A brand is not an identity.

11. FINALLY

A brand is not a product.

13. «What exactly

is a brand?

14. ABRAND IS A PERSON'S
GUT FEELING ABOUT

A PRODUCT, SERVICE,
OR ORGANIZATION

15. It's a PERSON’S gut feeling, because brands are defined
by individuals, not companies, markets, or publics.

It's a GUT FEELING because people
are emotional, intuitive beings.

16. In other words...

17. IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY IT IS.

18. ITS WHAT THEY SAY IT IS.

19. WHY IS BRANDING SO HOT?

@ People have too many choices and too little time
O Most offerings have similar quality and features

© We tend to base our buying choices on trust

21. TRUST

22. T=r+d

TRUST RELIABILITY DELIGHT

Trust comes from meeting and beating customer expectations.

23. Does a bra ollar value?

24. AND HOW.

25. THIS SELECTION FROM INTERBRAND'S TOP 100 LIST
SHOWS WHY BRANDS ARE WORTH PROTECTING:

% CHA
ND VALUE BRAND
PREVIOU!

APPLE
STARBU!

26. COKE'S MARKET CAP,
INCLUDING BRAND VALUE:
$120 BILLION

WITHOUT THE BRAND,
COKE'S GLASS WOULD

BE HALF EMPTY.

COKE'S MARKET CAP,
NOT INCLUDING BRAND VALUE
$50 BILLION

27. PREDICTION

BRAND WILL BECOME THE MOST POWERFUL

STRATEGIC TOOL SINCE THE SPREADSHEET.

28. PROBLEM

In most companies, STRATEGY

is separated from creativity by a wide gap.

29. On one side of the gap On the other side are

are STRATEGIC THINKERS CREATIVE THINKERS
ANALYTICAL INTUITIVE
LOGICAL EMOTIONAL
LINEAR SPATIAL
NUMERICAL VISUAL

VERBAL PHYSICAL

30. DOES THE LEFT BRAIN KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT BRAIN IS DOING?

31. When both sides work together,
you can build a charismatic brand.

32. A CHARISMATIC BRAND is any product,
service, or organization for which
people believe there's no substitute.

33. QUIZ:

Which of these brands are charismatic?

AMAZON

APPLE

BURGER KING
COLDWATER CREEK
DASANI

DISNEY

DK BOOKS
EVEREADY

FORD

GENERAL ELECTRIC
GOOGLE

HANES

HITACHI

HOME DEPOT
IKEA

KMART
KRISPY KREME
LEVI'S

LONGS DRUGS
MACY'S

MINI COOPER
NEWSWEEK
NISSAN
NORDSTROM

OXO GOODGRIPS
PEPSI-COLA
PRELL

RCA

REEBOK
RUBBERMAID
SAFEWAY
SAMSUNG

SEARS

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

UNITED ARTISTS
VIRGIN

34. QUIZ:
Which of these brands are charismatic?

AMAZON OXO GOODGRIPS
APPLE
IKEA

KRISPY KREME
DISNEY LEVI'S RUBBERMAID
DK BOOKS
SAMSUNG
MINI COOPER
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
GOOGLE
NORDSTROM VIRGIN

35. Any brand can be charismatic.

37. But first,

you have to master the FIVE DISCIPLINES OF BRAND-BUILDING.

38. DISCIPLINE 1: DIFFERENTIATE

39. FACT:

Our brains act as filters to protect
us from too much information.

40. WY YY YY YX YY WY WH ON

JOOOOOOOOODO
O0O0OO0OO0OO0ODODO (
) OO 00006000
0000900000.
0000000000
DO DO DO OK
»OOOOOOOOOO

EN £N IN N IN ES EN IN FS TN /7

41. SOLUTION:

BE DIFFERENT.

42. FEATURES BENEFITS EXPERIENCE IDENTIFICATION

“What it is” “What it does” “What you feel” “Who you are”
1900 > 1925 > 1950 > 2000 >

Marketing today is about creating tribes.

43. People join different tribes for different activities.

DRIVING + VOLKSWAGEN

READING > AMAZON

COMPUTING > DELL

SPORTS > NIKE

COOKING > WILLIAMS-SONOMA

BANKING > CITIBANK

TRAVEL > ORBITZ

44. YS THEY WO
D OF THE EN

45. The three most important words in differentiating your brand:

46. o FOCUS

47. eFOCUS

48. "FOCUS

50. THE FOCUS TEST:

@ Who are you?
8 What do you do?

© Why does it matter?

51. Unless you have compelling answers to these questions,

you need more focus.

52. The most common reason for loss of focus
iS ILL-CONSIDERED BRAND EXTENSIONS.

53. EXAMPLE:

FOCUSED + PORSHE = SPORTS CARS

UNFOCUSED + PORSHE = SPORTS CARS + SUVS

54. BAD BRAND EXTENSIONS are those
that chase short-term profits at the
expense of long-term brand value.

GOOD BRAND EXTENSIONS
grow the value of a brand
by reinforcing its focus.

55. EXAMPLE:

THE GOOD GRIPS BRAND HAS GROWN STRONGER WITH EVERY BRAND EXTENSION.

56. DISCIPLINE 2: COLLABORATE

57. LIKE BUILDING

A CATHEDRAL,
BUILDING A BRAND
IS A COLLABORATIVE
PROJECT,

58. lt takes a village
to build a brand.

59. THERE ARE THREE BASIC MODELS
FOR ORGANIZING BRAND COLLABORATION:

60. The ONE-STOP SHOP
contains the resources
to develop and
steward the brand.

61. ONE-STOP SHOP SCORECARD

© ©)

Easy to manage Little choice of teams

Promise of consistency Little ownership of brand

62. The BRAND AGENCY
hires best-of-breed
firms to help develop
and steward the brand.

COMPANY

63. BRAND AGENCY SCORECARD

© ©

Choice of teams Little ownership of brand

Promise of consistency

64. The INTEGRATED MARKETING TEAM
is managed internally with open
collaboration among

best-of-breed specialists.

65. INTEGRATED MARKETING TEAM SCORECARD

© ©

Choice of teams Difficult to manage
Promise of consistency

Ownership of brand

66. Pao)

.0

IN REALITY, COLLABORATIVE

NETWORKS AREN'T THAT SIMPLE.

67. and

that’s OK.

68. Collaborative networks are not new.

69. A successful model has existed for years.

71. Like building a cathedral,
making a movie takes
hundreds of collaborators.

72. Smowcher Boy
Agent Sins
guet Toast
A nee

reel

en
ante
ne
Aus

bern
el cer

Aha Sees

Wie Eat

tar Wait

Fest Date

Secont Detective
par

Faking Cop

Votes Pet
or

nca D sa

Tas Calor

Start Counter
ecko Start Eco

Marine
ine

Sat Sots
Comer

Sewn Bey
Agent Shes
pré Ieurmand
Be

muy AFIN
TREVOR CARMICHAEL
30m 7. co
ETES
Pau cea
INS SOEUR
AE BA
STE GL STEEN
TENT ca
Te
205 num
Deren
Po som
ROBERT UIC
van stots

LA FROPROATO
AL 6 KE.
MS
e BRIER
Sr FROST
JOE KALE
COTE
ARANA LEN
LL Me

Au ERIC

en CURS
TO ars

SERA EMM
RC.
ae mm

(aos
‘aur ati
AK CONTAIN
SUESEEANIAW
re
ICA HARAS
EL. canton
TALE pannFONUS
arin MES
STEAM KAISER
TLL MDONE

stars
STEVE tan MOIN BAILE ONES
208 CATER SORROW CORERIOGE IAN DES
ML SANTIS LAMA ES

DE LG BILL GEORGE za HARRISON
ner ES CAE ATER Meme etre
HAN LAN TUU TID MaRS
IE MICIOLGAL GREE NBMLSON ETS
es rro PETE FOISoR ay san

‘MARY SUECA FREDODE STE aa ven
CELIA TERRA 2H DET HERR ewe
AAA RONALD UERIER-WEBS OKT 6. RUN

eg Hang ra Fi tare

AN Tee ea

CUS D son

73. Manners and Medes Sepervtior FRANCIE MAS
‘Sous ANS CABEN Teno
MIEL AGEN
ANS ONU
60 voran
A Depart tres LA MIAN
it Dar Conn TRAY COLLISION
Cr orge SERGIO WOLD
Gris IOAN RASA
lato STRANGE RAND
e gr Ge
STEAM GTR
at am
AME DUNSTABLE
preety
sen cet
Set Darton USA BAB
ory ce
CAE
Ser Speer. AA ALLE
Gans et PAL FOLD
Suc Opener AOL
2 start Carre. GO MARIE
And tia vera CRS WORTE
Si acer ARRE DST
Sour can. 20008 TB
Seen rear DAME STEIN
ETS
tes Dt ART ELLEHER
su renee
Pos DAV BL
pr ais LRU NE
anew ACUI
Lo whey
as Wick Crta. WILIAN TRENT
Gute SUJETO
PEO
Foe try OLN AFI
peer sonst
ems
preety
ans
TINLEY mer
6.6 man
hoy rip aaa MEMBRE
sexe cep Ay Poe
Dally Gé WILE SAGAS
Sum eenun
mus ann
M LE
CA
O vum
horde TL STEEL
ci Ants TRIM GAMEZ
snc STE
SELINA CAT
arm
mn on
COLO sam

74. ie nk rt a Macias a et
Digna Congestion BAD HUSA
Scheu tate FRANCESA HITE

UL Lend aopeatrs WILL SUTTON
Dones

Cor Arias FEU GUN
A UE

SAL LG. LLE
APR Sagem AED BACA
Prozac ARIS
Stan Adel RAND VADER
Meilen Asin MAL ICE
Proactive aise CASS MORAN
Panda PATRICK ARM
Scere Graphic: PEAD ORILO
GT Heat Crd Saar PST
Giant JOHN LANGE
Arena cue
CG Messner MARE THOMAS
Em
Crest PATRICE MAI
STA PRES
Ma LL
Tana SHA
OCT JURA
10 Superstar GC TALK
Avett Vial cs PR GARCIA
oko Fer. CRNSIN TRUE
Meat Cato. SEN CELIA
Ts Digne by MPCUTAKERL INC
pte by PACIFIC DREAMS, LC
Source Alam am ARTISTE RDA, NC
Micronic Coatigopny by AF FLAP ER

he racers Wa to Thrk the Finn
ASA
re oF rte vo
THE MAKITINE COMTE OF SINO
ances aL
THE CITY OF BED, OREGON
SS E

isa an Loca
CAPE ETN
EUX TY
Sa, AA
LOS ALES, CALIFORNIA
TA

‘eas sith OM WITS Cara a Lera
ar by LDL, I

“Pinks by VISRACHROME

75. IN THE 1990s,

CREATIVE COLLABORATION SS FP FR E= AV. DD TC) BRAND-BUILDING.

76. EXAMPLE:

The Netscape brand was built
on the Hollywood model.

79. WHY?

80. Because
the mathematics of collaboration

is nothing less than

MAGIC.

81. DISCIPLINE 3: INNOVATE

82. Execution—

not strategy—is where the rubber meets the road.

83. CREATIVITY IS WHAT GIVES BRANDS THEIR TRACTION IN THE MARKETPLACE

84. Why do companies have so much trouble with creativity?

Because creativity is right-brained,
and strategy is left-brained.

85. CREATIVE THINKING

86. STRATEGIC THINKING

87. MANTRA FOR INNOVATORS:

88. ON THE BEATLES WERE WILDLY SUC
SE "THEY NEVER DID THE SAME THIN

89. QUESTION:

How do you know when an idea is innovative?

90. ANSWER:

WHEN IT SCARES THE HELL OUT OF EVERYBODY.

91. To begin with,

the brand needs a stand-out name.

92. The seven criteria of a stand-out name:

O DISTINCTIVENESS

O BREVITY

© APPROPRIATENESS

@ EASY SPELLING AND PRONUNCIATION

© LIKABILITY

@ EXTENDABILITY

© PROTECTABILITY

93. A GREAT NAME deserves GREAT GRAPHICS.

94. NEWS

LOGOS ARE DEAD. LONG LIVE ICONS AND AVATARS!

FLASH!

95. An ICON is a name and visual symbol
that suggests a market position.

96. EXAMPLE:

CBS. The network for “eye-popping” television.

97. An avatar is a brand icon that
can move, change, and operate
freely in various media.

98. EXAMPLE:

CINGULAR: The “self-expression” cellular service.

99. For products that sell at retail,

the package

is often the best and last chance to make a sale.

100. The hardest-working packages follow
a natural reading sequence.

THE SHOPPER:

© Notices the package

0 Asks “What is it?”

® Wonders “Why should | care?”
@ Wants to be persuaded

© Needs proof

101. By presenting information
to match this sequence,
a package can sell the
product more effectively.

102. If you communicate with your customers
ONLINE, your website needs to follow

a SIMILAR reading sequence, one that
supplies users with oNLY the information
they need, instead of trying to squeeze
EVERYTHING onto the home page

LIKE THIS and making your users do
ALL the work, which will undoubtedly
cause them to LEAVE, when all you
really have to do is ask yourself this
SIMPLE QUESTION:

103. Does our website look

104. Too many websites are bloated with irrelevant information.

105. WHY?

106. @ TURFISMO

(Every department wants to be on the home page)

107. @ FEATURITIS

(Inexperienced communicators believe more is better)

108. © TECHNOPHOBIA

(Experienced communicators resist new media)

109. QUIZ:

Which of these sites looks easier to use?

110. Netscape: My Excite
. Vy, Looking to make a
excite. excite love connection?
= ge erg
ai ar oc

wise trons ©;

2 Now on Excite - Super Tracker!

EE

ce cu tes, Bea is fai Ca
Estaca cou. ache Eos, Hana
nits Sn se Jue Ear da. Ba

Eteciainmass

111. Google

im pa

E a)

112. DISCIPLINE 4: VALIDATE

113. VALIDATION means bringing the
audience into the creative process.

114. THE OLD COMMUNICATION MODEL WAS A MONOLOGUE.

115. THE NEW COMMUNICATION MODEL IS A DIALOGUE.

116. QUESTION:

How can you test your most creative ideas
BEFORE they get to market?

117. HINT:

Not with large
quantitative studies
or focus groups.

118. QUANTITATIVE STUDIES BURY THE PROBLEM IN HEAPS OF UNHELPFUL DATA.

119. FOCUS GROUPS WERE INVENTED TO FOCUS |
THE RESEARCH, NOT BE THE RESEARCH.

Axe

120. THE BEST TESTS ARE

CHEAP,

QUICK,

™ DIRTY.

121. Better a rough answer to the right question
than a detailed answer to the wrong question.

122. CHEAP-QUICK-DIRTY TEST 1:

The SWAP TEST is a proof for trademarks.

123. If the names and graphics of two trademarks are
better when swapped, then neither is optimal.

124. o
2
=
E
2
=
E]
z

EXISTING TRADEMARKS

125. WITH NAMES SWAPPED

126. CHEAP-QUICK-DIRTY TEST 2:

The HAND TEST is a proof for a distinctive voice.

127. If you can't tell who's talking when the trademark
is covered, then the brand's voice is not distinctive.

128. You have 206 bones in your body.
¡rely one of them is creative,

the bel eo ctl rasen Abe ac and alia

“Reh Apres rar ra canbe pur Tes res np
pou ant yor enters este hon or Mac Js cag a mp
cursor ore ngs Le tee ror Dl past oc bu bu
om nee Cs ca a cr ple hr

Oh eran para yer anf Ja log oer ean as
anacescah bread lc gs Ak tag A pe bee

‘aloe wahl The o pot arret re ci sth

cre a

Feria monts yes sen sg te abe be ec Fay yt
Spd ne as acs Fie pr arse our ino gl ged Li
ss ue an y ce ox atta nts sith wed nee
ca des ntsc sdb in dc fs ore ds
and ui nine ai er rol ep
cl rl be a so rece ys is ul Del
ae

ment

Wh fhe ria arc ety pea vey Leg

129. CHEAP-QUICK-DIRTY TEST 3:

The FIELD TEST is a proof for any concept
that can be prototyped.

130. If your audience can’t verbalize your concept,
you've failed to communicate it.

131. SHOPPERS CHARACTERIZED —
THE PACKAGE CONCEPT

ON THE MIDDLE-RIGHT SHELF
AS "A FASTER PENCIL?

BINGO.

132. Field tests measure five things:

O DISTINCTIVENESS
@ RELEVANCE

© MEMORABILITY
O EXTENDABILITY

6 DEPTH OF MEANING

133. VE À we SA hea aright
Dl i zw? ie

dia Somat” Ate vi ao cor

— tun |
"FRAN > AD) D

Artr

134. HAS THE GLOBE BECOME THE NEW SWOOSH?

CABLE a WIRELESS

135. DISCIPLINE 5: CULTIVATE

136. Business is a process, not an entity.

137. A living brand is a pattern of behavior,
not a stylistic veneer.

138. Brands are like people.

139. IF PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THEIR CLOTHES WITHOUT CHANGING THEIR CHARACTERS.

140. WHY CAN'T BRANDS?

141. OLD PARADIGM:

Control the

LOOK AND FEEL

of a brand.

142. NEW PARADIGM:

Influence the

CHARACTER

of a brand.

143. IF A BRAND LOOKS LIKE A DUCK AND SWIMS
LIKE A DOG, PEOPLE WILL DISTRUST IT.

144. So let's say you've

DIFFERENTIATED,
COLLABORATED,

INNOVATED,
AND VALIDATED.

145. YOU'VE ADDED THE LEFT BRAIN TO THE RIGHT BRAIN.

146. You've zigged

== when the competition has zagged.

147. VE USED TES TO BANISH THE FEAR OF STUPID.

148. Your brand is now NUMBER ONE in it's category.

149. What's your next move?

151. Whats a compass?

152. A continuing brand education program.

153. BRAND ORIENTATION
BRAND SEMINARS
POSITIONING WORKSHOPS
BRAND AUDITS
STATEGY SUMMITS
CREATIVE COUNCILS
QUARTERLY CRITIQUES
GROUP BRAINSTORMING
TEAMWORK TRAINING
INNOVATION CLINICS
DESIGN AUDITS

BRAND MANUALS

BRAND PUBLICATIONS
PDANIN pnaAneumiwe

154. The more

DISTRIBUTED

a brand becomes,

the stronger its management needs to be.

155. What your company needs is a CBO,
or CHIEF BRANDING OFFICER.

156. THE CBO FORMS A HUMAN BRIDGE BETWEEN LOGIC AND MAGIC, STRATEGY AND DESIGN

157. BY MASTERING THE FIVE DISCIPLINES OF BRANDING, THE C Y CREATES A VIRTUOUS CIRCLE

158. DR:

159. YOU BUILD

160. A sustainable competitive advantage.

161. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marty Neumeier is president of a San Francisco-based
brand consultancy, Neutron LLC. Neutron supplies the “glue”
that holds brands together: brand education programs, seminars,
workshops, creative audits, process planning, and more.

Visit www.neutronllc.com.

162. Need books for your branding team?

Bulk discounts on the THE BRAND GAP are
available for educational and corporate groups.
Contact [email protected].