Brands are Dynamic Expressions of Human Connection
The value of the “Go on a Date” exercise is it lifts organizations from the usual service or product focus and invites them to identify personality traits. Through this playful act of self inquiry, businesses ask more human questions: Who am I? What is it that I offer? Am I… even dateable? Am I “The One?”
Tying the Knot
Successful brands create emotional bonds with their audiences by reflecting shared values and aspirations. It’s this emotional resonance that transforms brands into cultural icons. To make a brand not only memorable but meaningful, we focus on its communication and behavior.
Alyssa Ure, Founder
The Path to Emotional Resonance: The Process that Sets Us Apart
Consistency, clarity and honesty are the keys to building trust and loyalty. Our customer orientation framework empowers organizations to communicate with authenticity. We ask clients answer:
To their audience (consumer, employee, stakeholder): What needs to be conveyed to you so you know what I stand for?
To itself: How does my audience interact with me so I show my purpose and value?
The Path to Emotional Resonance: In Imagery
Listening
Like fingerprints or handwriting, no two voices are alike. When clients come to us, it’s because they want to be heard, or they need amplification because other voices are drowning theirs. To ensure a brand’s message feels relevant and impactful, first we listen to an organization’s pain points and synthesize their challenges when they struggle to articulate them; and second, we prioritize attunement to the consumer’s needs.
Sometimes we can’t understand people because we’re not listening or listening well. Sometimes we understand them, but we’re not listening at the right level. We may hear the facts, for example, but miss the feelings. Strategic listening allows for understanding the context, emotions, and underlying message to gain valuable insights and make informed decisions. It's driven by a specific objective, whether gathering information for decision-making, building relationships or understanding customer needs.
Subtracting
Picasso said, “It took me my whole life to learn to draw like a child.” Utilizing the work of Leidy Klotz, we ask clients: Is everything necessary? Can it be simpler? Can the brand be better known, better understood with less?
Pablo Picasso’s Bull Series reduced complex forms to their basic elements, illustratating how truth or essence is revealed through distillation and abstraction.
Reframing
Often clients are stuck in patterns, embedded in ways it’s “always” been done. We employ a “drawing upside down” approach—shifting perspectives to uncover new solutions and insights. This left brain/right brain technique encourages fresh thinking and reveals unseen opportunities.
Anne Miltenburg’s Brand the Change has proposed changing the name of Netherland’s Ministry of Defense to the Ministry of Peace and Justice. Such a reframe would greatly influence the products and services the ministry and the military would provide, attract more diverse talent and require different partnerships—not just with other armies but also with NGOs and social enterprises. A reframe of this magnitude opens up an entire world of possibilities.
Expressing
Wieden+Kennedy’s “Just Do It” campaign for Nike has had such a profound impact because of what the tag doesn’t say. It assumes pain is part of the equation and as such, it expresses to its customer, “I see you. I’ve got you.” It’s what consumers want to hear—and even more, what they want to feel.
Robert Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions organizes emotions into key channels to identify which feelings are present. The Martec Group adapted this model for market research, distilling emotions into four core properties—Enjoyment, Interest, Commitment, and Passion. This framework, called the Emotion Landscape, maps and highlights the most prominent customer emotions, helping organizations better understand and connect with their audiences.
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