Branding means forging genuine, adaptable connections through every interaction, emphasizing authenticity over consistency for lasting relationships beyond superficial gestures.
Looking at the stars, I'm struck by how we witness their past, not their present. Similar to these distant lights, our identity forms from myriad moments. Our experiences, big and small, like childhood memories or a rainy bike ride, shape who we become. At Instrument, we view branding as a series of interactions, where each touchpoint holds potential to deepen connections. Brands must embrace every opportunity, from social posts to simple notifications, to craft meaningful relationships with their audience.
In today's fragmented world, brands mustn't rely on occasional grand statements. Instead, it's about consistent moments that resonate. Connecting brand, marketing, and product experiences to the core values builds trust and fosters lasting connections. Achieving this demands more than rigid guidelines; brands must be adaptable, expressing uniqueness while staying rooted in their essence.
It's vital for brands to move beyond mere consistency, avoiding sameness. Fluidity is key—empowering teams to engage creatively while preserving core values. True success lies in demonstrating a purpose beyond marketing, prioritizing authentic actions over surface-level gestures. This principle drives our approach at Instrument.
Rebuilding the foundation
In our recent collaboration with Dropbox, our aim was to transform their brand perception from transactional to deeply human and emotional. Recognizing the inadequacy of a single campaign, we knew a mere marketing strategy wouldn't suffice. It demanded reevaluating Dropbox's essence to establish a genuine connection with their audience.
Our research unveiled a crucial insight: prior brand conversations focused on aspirational narratives about collaboration and the future of work. However, engaging with customers revealed a different narrative—the true value lay not in the product itself, but in what it empowered users to achieve.
The "For All Things Worth" platform bridges the gap between the brand's offerings and the customer's experience. It highlights the emotional significance of digital files and artifacts within the seemingly mundane task of file storage. This concept isn't confined to a singular campaign but permeates through all facets of Dropbox's operations—from video content to podcasts, OOH marketing, and even the language used in onboarding.
This concept of value pervades every brand touchpoint, steering Dropbox's trajectory toward becoming a multi-product enterprise. It signifies a transformative shift in the brand-consumer dynamic, laying the groundwork for an enhanced and evolving relationship.
Our five principles
At Instrument, our approach involves considering the entirety of the brand experience, shaping how we collaborate with clients. There are instances where the product may be robust, but the branding lacks depth, or where a company's vision is clear, yet the product falls short. Viewing brands holistically, as a sequence of experiences, enables us to navigate challenges, connect the dots, and identify where our impact matters most.
Summarized below are five principles that underpin our perspective on brand experiences:
- Rooting brand experiences in a robust mission, vision, and values is crucial. Aligning actions with the brand's vision is pivotal for building customer trust.
- The brand's vision and values should permeate the entire customer journey, unifying its presence across various touchpoints—from marketing and digital products to customer service. Consistency fosters trust.
- Actions speak louder than words. Product experiences and societal impact hold equal importance as billboard messaging.
- Brand systems and platforms don't just ensure consistency; they also spotlight the brand's unique personality, sparking human connections and curiosity.
- While a brand's core remains steadfast, its expression should remain adaptable. This flexibility allows brands to engage in timely, relevant conversations.
Ultimately, effective communication revolves around human-to-human connections. Instead of fixating on labels like "Business-to-Business" or "Business-to-Consumer," the focus should be on establishing genuine connections between people.
If brand equals experience, consider the desired experiences customers should have. Reflect on the positive moments that bring joy, evoke wonder, or instill trust. Just like the slow emergence of a distant star's light, building a connection with a brand is a gradual, deliberate process. Every fleeting interaction contributes to shaping this connection, emphasizing the significance of each moment along the journey.
