Strong brands have brand vision that inspires.
Strong brands are clear about what they represent.
Strong brands are constantly evolving.

As we spoke earlier, creating a superior brand promise is essential to let your clients/customers know what they can expect from you and your brand. Today, we are talking about what strong brands are and what they are not.

Strong brands all seek to inspire their audience to not just use the product, but to gain an experience that simply wouldn’t occur with any other product. Let’s take Crayola Crayons for example: Crayola seeks to inspire everyone that comes in contact with their brand to “free the what if.” They are suggesting that by using their products, the user will unlock the door to a world of possibilities. Now that’s amazing!
Clearly, having a brand vision that inspires is important. Name another crayon company that comes top of mind. Exactly.

Strong brands are clear about what they represent. In lay terms, they aren’t willy-nilly. They have standards about themselves, their products and services and won’t waiver, even if trends suggests they should. Don’t mistake this with a brands inability to revamp itself, that’s just a whole other case.
Let’s take McDonalds for example: Although they have revamped themselves to reflect current healthy lifestyle trends of their customer by adding more salads, fruits and oatmeal to the menu, they are still clear in each ad that their food is real and not a byproduct. Their french fries are still golden and their burgers are still full of calories, but its real meat and potatoes. Don’t you feel a little better to know that?

Strong brands know that constant evolution is self-evident to a brands rise or demise. Change is the one constant that no one can control, but in regards to brands, you can guide them successfully to greatness. Let’s take Clorox Bleach for example: Clorox bleach decided that it didn’t just want to be in your homes, your hospitals or your laundry, they wanted to be in your office. They created Clorox wipes to evolve and expand the brand to meet the concerns of a germ-phobic nation and you are using them consistently to curb germs from your computers, printers and workspace. That is evolution at its finest.

I will continue next time with what brands are not, so remember to check www.theuptowndiva.com often. For a consultation or to just talk about brands, find me on Twitter.com @theuptowndiva and @thesocialiteprj. Find me on Facebook at Cristal Carrington.