The most pertinent question we should ask when looking at brands is the existential one: why does the brand exist? Because every brand needs a purpose; without this, a brand just can not exist. While defining a purpose we should think about how we act in the different tribes we take part in. What is our reason why?

A next step is looking at what our brand does in order to reach that purpose. What do we do? This is the story we tell on how we create a certain value for our fellow tribe members. Do we help? Do we create? Do we engage or initiate? A mission should aim high, be clear and precise.

Some brands compile an extensive list of brand values. Or even be original in expressing those brand values. Instead we prefer to focus on a filtered and critically selected set of values. We work towards a handful of useful and relevant values whose consequences are felt and acknowledged in all layers and activities of the company.

How does the brand measures its success? What are the stakeholders’ expectations and how do we satisfy them? Measuring brand success or equity means taking several factors into account. Tangible factors, which are quantitative values such as revenue, profit (or loss), and sales numbers. But also more intangible factors, the qualitative values, such as consumer awareness of your brand, and goodwill. Setting the bar for success helps guiding a brand towards a profitable future.

What are the core values of the brand as if it were a real person? This set of attributes represent the essence of our brand personality. They are a series of characteristics which identify the physical, character and personality of the brand. Just as we can do with real people.

We need to know more about what surrounds the brand. Who are the competitors and what is their USP? What is the market like? Where does the brand differentiates itself? This goes further then having two intersecting lines with a few dots. Ideally we end up with a biotope-ish hemisphere from where we can further develop the brand.

What are the brand’s passions and how does that affect its behavior? Knowing what moves, surprises and inspires a brand gives more depth and likeliness to it.

The way a brand speaks about itself says a lot. Fellow tribe members judge not only about what we say, but also about how we say it. The tone-of-voice contains a handful of character traits that will support the brand values.

One of the critical and most important of experiences tribes have with brands, is the visual language of the brand. A consistent and appealing visual language takes typography, design, colors into account. But also product design, positioning etc. A well developed visual language defines the brand identity even more.

A brand needs the right kind of logo. It really needs to hold everything together and should resonate with your tribes world view. Sometimes those do not match with the personal preferences of the people on the brands side. Keeping an open mind and an objective perspective is crucial.