We are in the aftermath of what was another unsurprisingly disappointing world cup for England. It raised the media’s tautological questions about whether English football players are overpaid, have they become celebrities rather than athletes, how can we save our national pride in the beautiful game, etc etc.
To a degree I believe there is some truth in what the sportsman-hating journalists of the tabloids say. We can’t avoid the sport always bringing fame and fortune but surely before the endorsements, the photo-shoots and the parties, the concern should be football. Don’t worry — this post isn’t all about sport: there is a branding relevance. The loss of focus on football itself in the World Cup brought me to think about how brands can act in much the same way as our not-so-prized stars of the national team.
When brands lose focus on what they should be doing and what they set out to do, the consequences can only be negative. A simple and focused brand strategy does pay off, as long as brands have the confidence to stick with it. Luxury brands have proven this again and again. The past decade has seen Aston Martin, one of the greatest ever car manufacturers, transform itself into one of the biggest luxury sports car names in the world. This is because they have stuck to their promise to deliver beautifully crafted and finished, high end sports cars: a simple promise they never strayed from. It would certainly devalue the brand considerably if Aston Martin started a range of fluffy mirror dice to make a few extra quid each year.
Dedication and discipline to sticking to your brand promise will form a solid foundation for your brand, and it will help it through different stages of growth. Clear, well-defined values are one of your greatest assets and will help your brand reach a result more like Germany’s than England’s. And we’re not saying that (just) because Grain’s founder Christoph Geppert is German!
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