In my view, true branding is inside-out. It reflects the personality of the company or a product consistently and over an extended period of time. However, for a brand to make a true impact, it is also internalized by the various stakeholders of the brand and experienced and expressed similarly. Complete 360 degree branding can happen only when the qualities of the brand reflect the values of the company. These values are not static but grow and evolve over a period of time while the core of the brand itself remains intact.
A brand is built on a foundation of values. Every brick that goes into building a brand needs to reflect consistency. The most successful brands have been built with consistency and consonance. I tend to believe that there are no quick fixes here.
A successful brand, built on a foundation of strong values, reflects the personality of the company and enjoys a strong customer connect.The connect is usually emotional and this explains the success of the brand. However, to stay successful in the long term, the brand needs to be experienced consistently by the customer/ stakeholders. To succeed, a brand has to be both honest and heart-felt.
