Branding lessons learned from religion (Part 2)

Speaking to a colleague a few weeks ago, I had this to say about purpose: "When you have no purpose or neglect your purpose, you will start to think 'your' friends don't like you. It's not like that, it's just that they are not your friends, you do not belong there, you are in the wrong place. When you neglect your purpose, the friendliest dog will bark at you, because you are in the wrong place. When you neglect or don't know your purpose, it will be difficult to make money, not because you don't work hard, but because you are looking for it in the wrong place."

My pastor says: "a man without a purpose is a misfit everywhere he goes."

I relate branding to purpose, therefore branding to me is positioning a service or product according to the creator's intention. Only then does it serve a purpose and avoids to be a misfit anywhere, and from that we continue with the sequel to part 1:

Compassion

Every religion group preaches about compassion, a Latin word (compati), which means 'to suffer with'. We have all experienced great brands that have been born out of frustration or poor service. Take Lamborghini for instance. The amazing fast car loved and revered by many, was a mere retaliation by an unsatisfied customer who was clued up and confident enough to give his arrogant service provider some competition, and he did it well. At the heart of that is the 'I suffer with you' (compassion). Despite marketers saying that, it is merely finding a niche. I feel that brands that will be conscious of compassion will perform better.

Evangelism

Religion does not own God, its people do. And that sense of ownership has created an emotion that makes people go out there and preach about the product, a promised land. I have possibly seen less adverts from Apple than I have heard people rave about it. We all know how more believable your next of kin or friend is than that TV advert. A clear communication of what your brand is all about and where it is going will assist you in achieving this.

© V. J. Matthew – 123RF.com

Disciples

I have experienced a mistake made, by mostly small businesses, where we are too quick to spend a lot of money without winning the heart of their 'disciples', the employees. These are a conduit between money remaining in the customer's hand and it going into your till. Unless you win them first, prepare to spend more money on unnecessary advertisement. Create a culture where your employees do not only talk about your product when they are wearing the uniform or on duty, but 24/7. Go on and create your Apostle Paul.

In concluding part 2, let's borrow from scripture in a business context:

• Your employees first; "The wages of a worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning." (Lev 19:13).
• If you can't use your brand, don't put it to the market place; "Love your neighbour like yourself." (Mark 12:31).
• Be different; do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 2:2)
• Always have a purpose. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24)
• And lastly: And the Lord answered me, and said, 'Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it'. (Habakkuk 2:2)