Remember having one of those whip rod flags on the back of your bike when you were a kid?
I’m sure they were created to improve bike safety, but they quickly became the biker’s expression of self. You might be drawn to your favorite sports team or color. Other bikers went to cool designs or size. (I was a Minnesota Vikings man all the way!)
And you didn’t fly a flag that didn’t fit you. No guy would be caught dead with a pink Barbie flag. You knew, if he was on a bike with one of those flags – it was his sister’s bike! The flags were more than decoration. They were a declaration. “This is what I’m about.”
Although we didn’t know it, we were learning some very important lessons about branding as we selected and flew our bike flags.
Your brand is your flag. No matter what kind of a storm your organization endures or how quickly you are changing directions – your flag is visible to everyone. Your employees, your customers, your potential customers. And they’re going to keep an eye on that flag.
Your potential customers will be able to spot your brand and decide if they want to come to where you are. There’s no reason for them to engage with you if you’re flag is neon orange and they’re really more of a beige buyer.
For your customers and employees, your brand flag reassures them that you’re honoring your brand. They can come to you with confidence, knowing that they’re going to get that consistent experience they’ve come to expect.
When the wind is whipping around, you, I promise — everyone is watching that flag. Will you take it down? Will you change it in the face of controversy? Is the rod strong enough to keep your flag flying?
We also notice when a company is constantly changing their flag — as though they aren’t quite sure what you’re all about or stand for. Are you guilty of the revolving door method of branding?
During battles, troops flew their flag proudly, letting it remind them (and the world) why the fight is worth fighting. Your brand flag serves the same function for your internal team. Give them something to be proud of. Give them something to believe in. Give them a flag that they’ll fight to protect.
So as you think about your brand, remember that it is going to wave high over your organization for all to see. Choose your flag carefully.
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Great analogy, Drew. Although all I ever had on my bike was a dinky basket on the handlebars.
Elaine,
And don’t forget the banana seat!
Drew
The flag alway ended up in my spokes:( On the upside it made a cool sound:)
Hey, Drew. This post is simple yet insightful, short yet informative and, of course, brings back memories.
The one I had on my bike was a Jolly Roger, which I made myself. I didn’t quite understand why my elder brother giggled when I showed it to him — then it hit me after I found it again in the garage after 10 years: I colored it a bright violet!
Great analogy, Drew. It’s always interesting to see branding put into simple terms that everyone understands. In the end, you want to keep your brand as consistent as the flag on your childhood bike. That’s how you build brand loyalty, after all.
Tessa Carroll
VBP OutSourcing
http://www.blogs.vbpoutsourcing.com
Web (as I like to call you),
We used baseball cards to make that sound. Personally, I used the Yankee cards to do that…but that’s probably a different post!
Drew
Strategic,
Well, a bit of flare for your pirates isn’t all bad.
As you know, brand is as much about perception as reality. So as long as the pirate flag made you feel kind of bad ass…you were!
Drew
Tessa,
I’ve always believed that one of the core elements of a good brand is consistency over time.
It’s that consistency that builds trust….and you can’t have loyalty without the trust.
Drew
thanks for all admin
Are you really cool