Unicorns (and billionaire mentors).
They’re the stuff of legend (and in Silicon Valley, Unicorn is a term in the investment industry denoting a startup with a valuation that’s exceeded $1 billion. From Mashable to Business Insider to Tech Crunch, it’s that new magic milestone.)
But just as magical are remarkable brands that seem to defy the odds, come out of nowhere and gain allegiance and loyalty faster than a speeding bullet.
Brands and Unicorns
A brand can serve as an impossible-to-resist magnet for your audience or a repellant like a serious case of bad breath in a red compact London phone booth with a close friend.
The difference is all in the way you do your brand homework and study the landscape. (Any billionaire worth their weight in gold would agree.)
An Average Brand is a Horse Whereas a Remarkable Brand is a White Legendary Creature Capable of Flight
Fortunately for us and our clients, we’ve developed a system that works wonders, making it possible for brands to take flight.
It’s part:
- pulling back the curtains,
- part keeping an open mind,
- part understanding your audience and
- part accurately assessing the “noise level” in the space you’re entering.
This approach has worked its magic consistently, time after time.
And it goes well beyond the superficial design-du-jour “what’s hot now” approach or “doing what we’ve always done” methodology.
825,000 Views: A Good Start
So, I decided, after 825,000 views worldwide on Slideshare (putting me in the top 5% of most viewed presenters on Slideshare) to create a brand new presentation to provide some side-by-side examples with this new metaphor: the unicorn.
Why the unicorn?
- Because they’re magical.
- They’re rare.
- And thought of as magical signs of imminent good fortune.
Many of the same qualities sought out by brands and companies the world over.
So, why not take some inspiration from the best rebrands we’ve intimately been involved with?
I decided to share examples from a wide variety of industries: coffee, nutrition, technology, dance companies, consultancies, advisory firms, sales organization, INC 5000 winners and others. From big cities like my hometown of NYC to smaller brands in remote locations.
I did this so you can see the commonalities amongst these very different brands (regardless of industry or location): observation and insight converted into actionable and smart solutions, using design, language, color and style to differentiate a company from the noise.
Why is this important? Because there will ALWAYS be noise.
It could chaotic noise. It could be monotonous corporate noise. It could be young, hip, millennial noise. No matter what, there will always be noise.
And with noise, there will be competition.
And with competition, people have choices, whether business-to-business or a business-to-consumer space.
Which is why we all need to brand in a smart and informed way.
Enough with the foreplay.
Here’s the Slideshare presentation itself (recommended: view full screen)
If your device doesn’t allow you to view and advance the presentation here, here is the link to view the Slideshare.
How will you ensure your brand has the
necessary Unicorn magic to elevate and rise above the noise?
If you need a little visual stimulation and musical accompaniment to stir your imagination, enjoy this little short morsel: