Brands are much more than just a logo. We spotted this great report at Fast Company about Virgin Group’s new global HQ in London.
The theme was how Virgin cleverly managed to convey the brand’s values through workplace design, without using the “brand” as so many people think about it.
That’s right.
Take a look, there’s no logo proclaiming the “proud” owner.
Virgin has inspired us for years by their way of building meaningful bridges between their business units and their employees and customers.
We believe they are vanguards of an idea we’ll be exploring much further on our blog:
Logos and messages need to be replaced with ways of being that truly matter to people.
Businesses are complex organizations with many people, gears, cogs and engines at work.
Logos and messages – the hallmarks of the dying trade of “branding” – are merely superficial layers of makeup applied to business.
Meaningful businesses, on the other hand, work to make every aspect of their business matter to people.
They have a reason – they state a purpose beyond profit, a “why” that matters.
They generate passion – through their actions they evoke an emotional aura that matters.
They command a presence – by embracing a way of being that matters.
They seek a meaningful position to occupy, and then readjust, realign and reinvent the very essence of their business:
They refine their look and feel across the entire experience (witness the Virgin photo above).
They tell genuine stories and keep their voice honest and open (the “un-marketing” approach).
They make dealing with their business easy, fast and intuitive (by examining each interaction).
They create links between their business and meaningful ideals, people and causes (becoming a part of the zeitgeist)
Business that matters isn’t about logos and messages.
It’s about a way of being that truly matters to people.
Emotive Brand is a San Francisco branding agency.
