Metaphor, Meaning, and Human-Centric Brands

What creatives, customers, and companies need now.

Is it a bit absurd to think that a brand has - or even can have - a soul?

Brand building follows a particular and widely adopted process that has been proven effective by global agencies and brands alike. It starts with the conception of the thing (the product itself), followed by the assignment of a backstory and initial attributes to help us make sense of why this thing exists and what this thing will do. In order to define how it will live in the world, we craft a persona, personality, and tone of voice. We give it language, an ethos, and a core message to champion. We define its positioning in the market. We create a visual identity that the world will know it by, and we cultivate its inner life - a company culture with values and beliefs. 

In my own process, I have taken this even further by thinking of the business operations and team as the “brain”, the product as the “blood” or lifeline, the customers as the “heart”, and of course, the WHY as the very “soul” of a brand. 

Why are…