Great brands make a positive contribution to our society, says Denise Lee Yohn. This is important because companies are an integral part of our society. Whether as employers, service providers, or retailers, companies influence how we live, how we work, how we treat each other and the natural world. Companies bear a responsibility. They must address the relevant issues of our time and meet expectations. Only companies that embrace this responsibility can build a true brand and be successful.
There are key themes that are not just “nice to have,” but must be deeply anchored in the core of every brand:
Great brands practice meaningful brand management and address important topics sweden phone number data such as sustainability and purpose.
In a panel discussion hosted by Interbrand , Gilbert Heise, Head of Market & Trend Research at Volkswagen, offered an interesting example. It illustrates the social responsibility that companies bear today:
VW is responsible for 1% of global CO₂ emissions. As a major player, the impact of its own products on the environment and society is enormous. In the context of mitigating climate change, it is therefore essential that VW takes on the task of reducing CO₂ emissions. Its self-imposed goal is zero emissions. This makes sustainability more than just a buzzword, generating pride and loyalty among employees and customers alike.
Tactics for building a great brand
Now that we understand what sets Great Brands apart from others, let's look at some helpful tactics for how you can successfully build one.
Do it your way.
Design your business the way you want it. Keep your vision in mind. Live your dream. Because it is this passionate spirit that will ultimately infect everyone else – employees and customers alike. And it will set you apart from your competitors in the long term. It's healthy to look at the competition, but don't let it influence you too much. Building a great brand isn't about doing everything exactly the same way everyone else does. Quite the opposite: it's about individuality. How can you differentiate yourself from the others? Inspiring young founders like Kağan Sümer from the supermarket delivery service Gorillas or Benjamin Sadler from the fashion startup erlich textil, our guests here in the Digital Commerce Talk , embody exactly this spirit.
Tell your story.
A great brand doesn't have slogans, it has stories - says Seth Godin and hits the nail on the head. Because stories are remembered and passed on. And that is essential for growing a brand. Your idea has to spread. You have to get people talking about your brand and that works best with authentic stories. You can tell stories that revolve around the founders and position them as the core of the brand. Or the stories can revolve around your brand's core values. In both cases, stories create the context for your products and influence the way people view your products and services.