What do I want in a brand?

I want it to say something positive about me.

Think of some brands - Sony or McDonald's, or Microsoft or Nestlé or Yahoo. Now think of those brands, or one of their products, as a person. Do you admire that person? If so why? Go beyond generalisations such as, "young, exciting, professional," or the like.

We need to make our brand a brand people want to bring into their lives – a brand to aspire to. They want to possess the virtues of the brand. Rather than, “Hey, I wear a Rolex because of its prestige”, we want them to say, “Hey I believe the Corporation’s making a real impact – for the better.”

The artistry in all of the above lies in creating a brand that has a relationship with consumers, one that fulfills a genuine spiritual and psychological need and one that is meaningful in human terms - like a good friend you admire, or someone you instinctively trust, or someone who fascinates you, or someone who challenges and stimulates you, or someone you would be proud to be associated with.