Branding starts with purpose
19.03.2019
Purpose → Authenticity → Common beliefs → Brand loyalty
Patagonia is a great example of an authentic brand. It acts responsibly and transparently. It practices what it believes, it has purpose, a reason for existing.
Patagonia is clear in it’s mission: "Our Mission: We’re in business to save our home planet.”
And they are consistent to their mission: November, 2018 - After the federal tax cuts of 2017, Patagonia donated US$10M to “groups committed to protecting air, land and water and finding solutions to the climate crisis.” —Wired
Brands that are consistently true to their purpose are authentic. But, not every brand’s purpose is going to appeal to all consumers. Which, is no bad thing, as this is what allows market differentiation and consumer choice. Humans enjoy choice and to be perceived as unique. We like to walk our own path, find our own tribe. We buy into brands that hold beliefs which are true to our own. We gravitate towards people and companies with similarly held beliefs.
We buy brands because of perceived value and wether this is intrinsic, social or emotional, brands use these values to leverage consumers by differentiating. Brand loyalty is built through consistent translation of authenticity.
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About the author, Adam
Adam is the design director of BrandCraft. BrandCraft is a branding and design consultancy based in Hong Kong. We specialise in branding, visual identity, corporate identity and rebranding.
Adam is a branding consultant and has worked with clients in the UK, USA, Hong Kong, Tokyo, South Korea and China. He has had self-initiated art and design projects exhibited at various galleries and museums including the Victoria & Albert Museum of Art and Design and regularly writes about branding and design theory.
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