Intentional Alignment

June 15, 2022

25 min 32 sec

Most businesses know they should have brand values. Fewer know how to write them. Even fewer actually use them.

In this episode Martin Sully introduces the concept of intentional alignment – the idea that your reputation, values, mission, vision, and brand promise should all be pulling in the same direction, creating an emotional connection that no amount of marketing budget can fake.

It starts with something counterintuitive: before you can define what your brand stands for, you need to get honest about the brands you genuinely can't stand, and why. That exercise unlocks more useful insight than any brainstorm session you'll ever run.

Martin also shares a slice of his own career – from 40-kilo limited edition books for Ferrari and Manchester United, to a university rebrand that moved it from mediocre to top-tier, to freelance experiences in New Zealand that taught him exactly how not to treat clients.

Common branding misconceptions

What's Covered in This Episode

Why emotional connection is the foundation of reputation, and why reputation is what brand building is actually about
The Pepsi vs Coke blind taste test – what it reveals about brand experience versus product preference
How to use negative brand experiences to unlock your actual values – brands with poor values, bad rep, bad press, and brands that let you down, then flip it
How to run a brand values workshop: who to involve, how to brainstorm, and what to do with the output
Two of Martin's own values as worked examples – hands on at all times, and ingenuity over normality
How to write brand values that are actionable, memorable, unique, specific, meaningful, and accessible
Mission statements vs vision statements: what they are, what they're not, and why they still matter
How vision statements can connect to bigger societal change – and why Who Gives a Crap is still one of the best examples
Brand promises: Apple Think Different, McDonald's Simple Easy Enjoyment, Nike's athlete definition

Our Podcast evolved

This episode was originally recorded for an earlier version of the podcast. The audio intro references a previous name – the content is all still the good stuff.

Ready to work out what your brand actually stands for?

The Brand Vision tool walks you through a guided discovery process – it's free and it's the place to start. Or if you want to dig into the emotional side of your brand first, try Mini Martin.

Try Mini Martin