Why Brave Brands Win in Today’s World

Choose Guts, Grit and the Right Fit 

Change is the constant. That’s deep, but it’s true. 

Things shift, and if we don’t accept those shifts, we slip from…this…very…moment. To stay current takes constant work. We become heroes when we meet new tests with bravery and the willingness to change. Why would your brand be anything but exactly the same?

Simon Sinek says, ‘Leaders who embrace an infinite mindset build stronger, more innovative, more inspiring organisations.’

Brands that can reinvent themselves live, while static brands die.

Walmart changed to a more positive slogan in 2007 and became the world’s largest corporation in 2010 – ‘Live Better’

Shell has updated its logo 8 times to stay current

Smiths rebranded to Lay’s, Raider turned to Twix and Marathon became Snickers

So how do the heroes of today’s infinitely shifting marketplace constantly evolve with kickass innovations that keep us gagging for more? What links giants like Netflix, Apple and Madonna to the success of local bakeries, tour agencies and software entrepreneurs? The answer…bravery and perseverance.

Will your brand rise to a peak and then drop off the edge and give up? Or will you adopt the infinite mindset of bravery and perseverance to win again and again? Let’s take a look at some real-world brave heroes and compare them to some fear-led fallers.

Netflix Heroics Send Blockbuster Bust

Back in 1998 – if you can remember that far – a ‘Netflix and chill’ wasn’t quite so easy. Netflix was a DVD subscription service where movie lovers received films from the postman. But a bold move in 2007 transformed the setup to online streaming – and it didn’t turn out too bad now, did it?

On the flip side, look at Blockbuster. In the film giant’s heyday you couldn’t pick a flick from anywhere else. Learning about this little startup called Netflix, the CEO of Blockies, John Antioco, went to his board and said, ‘Hey, we need to start looking at this streaming technology, it’s getting better and better.’ 

But what happened? They bottled it.  

Antioco was knocked back because of fear they’d be walking away from late fees in their existing business model. Blockbuster no longer exists and Netflix reported a revenue of $15.8billion US in 2018.

Kodak Duck Out

Kodak invented a digital camera as far back as 1975. But they sat on it for 18 years because their business model was all about film sales. ‘It was just a matter of time, and yet Kodak didn’t really embrace any of it. That camera never saw the light of day,’ said inventor and Kodak employee, Steven Sasson.

Today, Kodak still struggle after bankruptcy, while other techies like Konica, Sharp and Canon embraced the technology, which then exploded into the mass market like free money. Today’s revenues for digital cameras are in excess of $22,000m US.

So, if we don’t change to meet the market, the market will change to leave us behind. Netflix, Blockbuster and Kodak are cases in point where the shift was about bravery with technology.

But what if we need to transform our brand image to refresh relevancy? Or to speak to a new consumer? To open the door to a new demographic or to present in a new and engaging way to our employees?

Let’s take a look at two established brands that had the courage to shift the way they spoke.

Bold Spice Captures The Yoof!

Old Spice took on a whole new demographic when it rebranded – first in 2008 with it’s Swagger campaign – and then in 2010 with the help of former NFL star, Isaiah Mustafa.

Remember this? Brilliant, huh?

The Man Your Man Could Smell Like injected new life, humour and relevancy into a previously dying brand. The Inquirer says, ‘Old Spice received a 2,700 percent increase in Twitter followers, an 800 percent increase in Facebook fan interaction, a 300 percent increase to the Old Spice website and around 105 million YouTube views.’

Oh, the value of a new look and feel. Just drool over those measurable engagements. Mwahhahaha!

Tiger Balm Booms with Hot Rebrand

Closer to home, Singapore’s own Tiger Balm was known up until the 90’s as a cure-all for the older generation, but it didn’t speak to the youth. After a logo redesign, a package modernisation and a new advertising campaign, the products are now available in 100 countries worldwide and serve ailments such as keyboard overuse. Since the rebrand, sales have grown from $12million US to over $100million US.

Does your brand have potential that needs your attention to realise?

Simon Sinek says, ‘This is not shiny object syndrome. When you discover a better technology or a better strategy to advance your cause, you must be willing to make this profound shift. We agree, this may hurt, but let’s do it. ’

Pick Your Team

There’s more. Beyond bravery and perseverance, you need the right people around you. Pick the right battles and design your next play with experienced and inspiring people that you trust.

Who Said Greatness Is Free?

We can be heroes. Our brands can move forwards and upwards, but we can’t stand still and watch the world go by. Because – be sure – it will.

We must get in amongst the shifts and flow like water within and around them. Be the change.

We must seize that infinite mindset by the horns and do the work to shift, grow and prosper. If we see better technology, a faster service, an improved way to share our brand with the world, a sweet market position, a new message or a more intelligent brand strategy, then we must be prepared to consider it with clear eyes and a full heart. No matter how difficult it may at first seem.

Change might be needed to:

Re-engage a market
Communicate Management messages
Embed HR Policy
Improve brand strategy 
Activate brand

And it may be simple, or may be tough, but we persevere, because we know that if we pay attention, respond and work clever, the pattern of our graph will rise and then rise again.

We don’t overhaul everything every day, but we must continually invest in our brand so that we evolve in smart and positive ways that answer the challenges of the day.

References:
The Infinite Game – Simon Sinek
Statista – Netflix revenues
Business Insider – This man invented the digital camera but Kodak wouldn’t let it see the light of day
New York Times – Kodak’s First Digital Moment
Statista –  Digital camera revenues
Adweek – How Old Spice Swaggerized Their Brand and Men Everywhere
Inquirer – How Your Favourite Brands Reinvented Themselves and Made Big Money
The Edge – Tiger Balm revitalized to attract the young