Why Is Branding Important?

Marketing Shenanigans (#010)

Authors Note:

My mission in life is to expand the market opportunity for brands that support people, products, and philosophies with a moral compass. Every day, I work with a selective batch of consumer brands, all aiming to achieve a 9+ figure exit. This newsletter is a playground to discuss unconventional approaches I’ve encountered or developed amidst the controlled chaos of modern-day business that we know and love. If anything, I hope this newsletter inspires a generation to pursue those wild ideas that keep you up at night, uncovers the humanity of the business world, and, quite frankly, fosters an elite community of product marketers. See you out there. 😎🤟🏽

Why Is Branding Important?

If you don’t stand for something, you add no value. Conversely, if you try to stand for everything, you serve no purpose. However, doesn’t standing too strongly for or against something create enemies? Yes, and making enemies is actually one of the most important aspects of branding.

Humans are often drawn to conflict and enjoy having a clear right and wrong answer. This attraction means we like to stand for something, but in many cases, we take equal pleasure in standing against something. Just think about politics: every campaign has a mission and a promise to bring about change.

Behind each mission is a vision—a visual representation of how the world will look and function with those policies. An effective vision also communicates the theoretical value you should receive in return for your vote.

When presidential candidates promote themselves, they often do so by marketing against their opponents. Research shows that fear is a more compelling motivation for humans. So, if you ask someone who they are voting for, it’s common to hear reasons that articulate why they are not voting for the other candidate.

With all this in mind, what you stand for truly matters, and your mission statement is the backbone of a legacy brand. How you do something can be conveyed through the reasons behind your actions, which implicitly explains what you do not support.

This is why branding is important. Proper branding communicates that you believe in something enough to act on it. If you execute this well, you can convey value and evoke emotional feelings and beliefs, ultimately fostering a sense of community.

A strong community not only becomes a reliable financial support system but also has the power to change the world.

Teddy Giard

In case you don’t already know, my name is Teddy, and I operate a firm that specializes in marketing strategies for outdoor brands. Our approach is simple: align your product development timeline with your marketing production timeline; by doing so, we can own the distribution of our message and our products.

If you’d like to explore working together, feel free to fill out this form, and if we’re a good fit, we can schedule a discovery call. We ask this because we keep a fairly narrow target for whom we work, and we like to be as open about that on the front end as possible. After all, time is life’s most valuable resource.