Podcast Summary: "Is Brand Strategy Bullsh*t?"

Let's Talk Branding
Host: Stef Hamerlinck
Guest: Austin Franke, Founder of Woo Punch and Creator of BrandingBullshit.com
Release Date: September 4, 2024

Introduction

In the compelling episode titled "Is Brand Strategy Bullsh*t?", Stef Hamerlinck engages in a thought-provoking dialogue with Austin Franke, a seasoned brand strategist and designer. The conversation delves deep into the efficacy of traditional brand strategy practices, challenging established norms, and advocating for a more distinctive approach to brand-building.

Austin Franke’s Journey and Background

Austin Franke opens up about his evolution from a brand designer grappling with the insecurities of how design influences business growth to a vocal critic of conventional brand strategy.

Austin Franke [01:03]: "I'm a recovering brand strategist. Now, I have really leaned into distinctive brand assets..."

Franke recounts his initial foray into brand strategy, where he employed templates and courses to blend design with strategy. Despite initial success, he faced a client drought, prompting self-reflection and a shift towards behavioral economics and neuroscience to better understand consumer behavior.

Austin Franke [01:55]: "I started out as a brand designer that was very insecure about the ability of brand design to help businesses to grow..."

Critique of Traditional Brand Strategy

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the limitations and pitfalls of traditional brand strategy as perceived by Franke. He argues that many brand strategies are rigid, trend-dependent, and ultimately render brands undistinctive.

Austin Franke [06:45]: "Brand strategy often leads to designing something that is either really trendy... but ends up creating generic brands because strategists box their clients into specific identities."

Franke emphasizes that strategists often rely on fleeting trends to appeal to targeted demographics, which compromises the brand's longevity and uniqueness.

The Power of Distinctive Brand Assets

Contrary to conventional strategy, Franke champions the concept of distinctive brand assets—unique visual, auditory, or symbolic elements that make a brand immediately recognizable and memorable.

Austin Franke [11:01]: "...distinctive brand assets are anything that triggers or cues people to recognize your brand. So it can be a character or mascot, it can be a logo, it can be colors, it can be audio assets..."

He references the work of Ginny Romanak and the Ehrenberg Bass Institute to support his assertion that distinctiveness trumps differentiation in creating impactful brands.

Real-World Examples and Insights

The conversation is enriched with real-world examples illustrating the success of distinctive brand assets versus traditional strategies. Franke cites iconic designs from Paul Rand and mentions the pitfalls of major rebrands led by overzealous strategists.

Austin Franke [40:01]: "Rand, Paul, Michael, Beirut, Paula. Share. Natasha, Jin. Right. Like, these are people who do not subscribe to all of the brand strategy that our design community subscribes to. Their brands are very distinctive. They're iconic."

He also discusses infamous rebranding efforts like Tropicana and Pepsi, highlighting the costly repercussions of abandoning established brand assets without substantial justification.

Implications for Brand Designers

Franke urges brand designers to prioritize distinctiveness over traditional strategic elements like brand essence, personality, or color psychology, which he believes often dilute a brand's uniqueness.

Austin Franke [25:40]: "If you ignore distinctiveness in the mix of all of it, you're going to screw over your client. They are totally happy with the brand you designed for them, but it doesn't work in the long run."

He advises designers to engage deeply with clients to understand their market and customer base but cautions against getting entangled in unnecessary strategy workshops that may overlook the importance of unique brand assets.

Concluding Insights

As the episode wraps up, both Stef and Austin reflect on the necessity of balancing creativity with strategic thinking. They advocate for a design-centric approach that leverages science-backed distinctiveness to ensure brands stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Austin Franke [53:27]: "If you help them understand the science of design really well, then you can charge more for good distinctive design as well."

Franke concludes by reiterating the importance of distinctiveness as the core function of branding, suggesting that when executed correctly, it transcends the need for convoluted strategic frameworks.

Key Takeaways

• Distinctive Brand Assets Over Traditional Strategy: Emphasizing unique elements that make a brand instantly recognizable ensures longevity and memorability.

• Critique of Trend-Driven Strategies: Relying on current trends can lead to generic brand identities that fail to stand the test of time.

• Balancing Creativity and Strategy: While understanding the market is essential, it should not overshadow the pursuit of unique brand attributes.

• Practical Approach to Branding: Engaging directly with clients, understanding their needs, and leveraging distinctiveness can lead to more effective and sustainable brand identities.

Notable Quotes

• Austin Franke [01:55]: "I started out as a brand designer that was very insecure about the ability of brand design to help businesses to grow..."

• Austin Franke [11:01]: "...distinctive brand assets are anything that triggers or cues people to recognize your brand."

• Austin Franke [25:40]: "If you ignore distinctiveness in the mix of all of it, you're going to screw over your client."

• Austin Franke [40:01]: "These are people who do not subscribe to all of the brand strategy that our design community subscribes to. Their brands are very distinctive. They're iconic."

• Austin Franke [53:27]: "If you help them understand the science of design really well, then you can charge more for good distinctive design as well."

Conclusion

"Is Brand Strategy Bullsh*t?" serves as a critical examination of prevailing brand strategy methodologies, advocating for a paradigm shift towards distinctiveness. Austin Franke's insights challenge designers and marketers alike to reconsider their approaches, emphasizing that true brand success lies in creating unique and recognizable brand assets rather than adhering to transient strategic trends.

For more insights into brand-building and to explore Austin Franke’s perspectives further, visit BrandingBullshit.com and Woo Punch.