Inspiration Anywhere: Messaging and Research

You know what I love? Reading an article unrelated to my career that has parts that inspire my career.

Like today, I was reading the Sept. 29th article in The New York Times by Robin Marantz Henig called, "Understanding the Anxious Mind." It was about the psychology of anxiety (you inferred that from the title I'm sure), which was fascinating altogether (that's a permalink up there if you want to read it!). BUT there were two different things that inspired my thinking of strategy.

The first was a line the author wrote that feels like a great strategy, copy or message for healthcare clients or maybe even other brands. It was brilliant. She wrote these words, "draw conclusions about trends but not about destinies." I just love that. It's along the same philosophy as more than a number or more than a statistic, but it's got a unique twist and I've never heard it put that way at all.

The second was description of research that I really appreciated. The author describes two types. Here is the quippet: "There are two kinds of great research,” Susan Engel, a developmental psychologist ... told me... “There’s research that is counterintuitive, that shows you something you’d never guess on your own, and there’s research that shows you irrefutably what you had an intuition about, something you thought was true but didn’t have evidence to support.” Kagan’s research was of the second type, she says: “a beautiful, elegant experimental demonstration of an old intuition.”

In strategy, the best creative is typically a byproduct of research of the former but look at how energetically she describes research of the latter. It makes me wonder in what ways we can use such research to inspire and appeal to consumers.

On Vision Statments.

Last week was finals week and I saw 5am at least 3 times. I'm back and feeling great now. I'm about to be a master after all. But onto the topic at hand...

In the past couple of weeks I've done a ton of thinking about brand vision. I first learned about brand vision in my Leadership in Organizations class in undergrad at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies. During my first year at the Brandcenter, the topic came up in one of my classes and it has played an even larger role in my experience branding during my second year.

Here's my opinion: I don't think a company should ever change their brand vision. I think it should be that one thing that is so lofty and so elevated it would be a mere dream to actually achieve. I think it should be set in stone, inspired and give meaning to the brand, but also to employees and everyone who experiences the brand and the company in any way. It should be the heart and soul and reason for being.

For example, I worked at the Richmond Ballet for a year and their vision statement inspired me so much that I taped it to my computer. It was, "To uplift and awaken the human spirit for audiences and dancers alike." I loved reading that every day. It gave my job meaning and made me believe that the company was committed to doing extraordinary things. It was big and it felt good to associate myself with just an elevated cause. I think I would be heartbroken they ever changed it. 

Walmart is another great example. They went back to Sam Walton and his original intent for the company in order to revive and refocus the brand. There, at the company's inception they found their reason for being, the vision. It worked. Save Money. Live Better. might be the tag, but it's also an inspired vision.

I have been adamant in my beliefs about brand vision but it has been difficult to maintain confidence at the Brandcenter with so many differing opinions flying at me at all times. There are definitely people, even some professors at the Brandcenter who generally disagree with my opinion on this topic. In fact, I was feeling  most deflated about the entire concept of the vision being the unchanging heart and soul of a brand after one of my professors recently casually mentioned that my ideas on the matter were immature thinking on my part lead by lack of experience. It felt personal and I don't know when opinions became immature, but I know she meant well and she is obviously entitled to her opinion too.

The good news is, I stopped feeling deflated after I sat in on a presentation by the brilliantly inspiring Dan Cherry from Anomaly. He is a partner and strategist with a degree from the prestigious Wharton School. In his presentation, I  saw my rejected thoughts (questionably immature thoughts) realized in his own philosophies. I must admit, it felt good.

One of the most passionate points in his speech was about Brand Conviction (just another way of saying brand vision). He said at the top of every Anomaly brief was Brand Conviction. It's what should be etched in stone and is unchanging. He said that brand conviction is a brand's most basic belief philosophy, their reason for being that influences process, service and general brand behavior. He mentioned that Nike's is Human Potential and that typically you can find the brand conviction from the visionary who started the company.

I'm sure we all have our own opinion on what a brand vision should be. Those differing opinions are what makes this industry interesting after-all. Hearing Dan speak gave me renewed confidence in what I have always believed a vision statement should be. Now I realize, the only thing immature was me questioning and losing confidence in my own philosophies, and allowing someone else to make me feel like my ideas were immature just because of their personal and differing opinions, ideas, and critique. Lesson learned. Thanks Dan!

hello.

I think inspiration can come from anywhere, even the most mundane and unexpected. 

For example, when I was a little girl my family ate at Cracker Barrel... a lot. The only inspiration I should have received from these arty clogging, weekend morning experiences was to not wear a fanny pack as a roadside tourist. I successfully learned that lesson, but I had more substantial, life changing epiphany at age 8 as well. 

I remember reading a quote in their shop: "Small minded people talk about people. Average minded people talk about things. Great minded people talk about ideas." 

Now, I can't say I've never talked about people but I can say I've made a conscious effort to talk about ideas more. In fact, I'm trying my best to make it my livelihood.

After all, who doesn't want to be great minded? 

So let's get this convo rolling. I've got a lot of bad ideas and a lot less good ones. They come from any and everywhere. Feel free to share, comment or accuse. 

In any case, bring it and enjoy.