What do we like working on best?
Honestly, really good products that have really weak branding. You’d be surprised how many of them are out there. It’s one reason we like working on them. There’s no shortage. And that means job security.
You see, legitimately good and worthy products are all around us. But we (“we” being the people who might be choosing those products) often don’t see them because they come wrapped in branding – logos, packaging, architecture, design, advertising – that suggests that what’s inside isn’t worth paying attention to. So we don’t.
It’s kind of sad. Those brands need someone to dust them off a little and put them in just the right wrapping. Turning them into a wonderful gift to share with the world.
What those products need is someone to love them.
And that really is the heart of powerful branding. Figuring out what exactly it is that can make people fall in love with a product or service or company they never really thought much of before. And then sharing that secret with the world.
That’s also the way to get to the kind of advertising that gets past the defenses of people who live in this cynical age but who are not themselves cynical. Taking it all seriously. Treating it like a treasure. Celebrating it.
Honesty. Sincerity. Humanity. Warmth. Respect.
These are not things to avoid. They’re what most people want most of the time. And they work a lot better for brands than irony, sarcasm, superiority, smugness, attitude and cynicism.
The bottom line is simple: Really good products times a lot of love equals powerful branding.
You just have to want to do it.
