Whether we are talking about branding a country, a politician or instant noodle soup, sincerity and authenticity is of utmost importance. It is such a shame that some self-annointed branders diminish the value of the discipline by ignoring these two most important things.
Branding is a promise. Branding is not spin, and neither a catchword. Rather it is a story that tells people how and why their needs may be answered by choosing to visit or live in a certain country, vote for a certain politician or grab this instant noodle soup from the rack.
This story is not fiction, but rather a straightforward, factual narrative that talks about the value of the product or personality. It is a story that is written from a painstaking understanding of the consumers – how they want it told; what they want to read hear or see; and what really matter to them.
At the end of the day, the branders’ role is only to tell the story the way it is. It is also their duty to ensure that they will have a good story to tell. This is why, they have to go back to the root of the matter: how well will their country, politician or instant noodle soup answer the needs of the market they serve?
Read Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s view on authenticity in branding and join the discussion: http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/kanter/2009/07/the-downsides-of-branding.html
