Branding is the vehicle, but who’s driving? You or someone else?

I’ve spent a lot of time in the passenger seat lately, as my daughter goes through the joys and jolts of learning to drive.
This used to really stress me out… the white-knuckle grip on the door handle, the constant shouting to “get out of the ditch!” while waving my arms like I was trying to land a plane.
But now that I’ve had a few spins around the block (literally and metaphorically), I’m able to feel more relaxed as I know what to expect!

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What’s the connection to branding?

At a talk I gave recently, we explored the deceptively tricky question: what is a brand, really?
Some people said ‘logo’. Others said ‘reputation’. A few said ‘brand story’.
None of those answers are wrong, but none of them tell the whole story either.

👉 Your brand is the vehicle that delivers your idea to your audience.

If your brand is confused, it might feel like driving a wonky car that you don’t know how to fix.

If your brand doesn’t reflect you, it might feel like being driven by someone who couldn’t care less where you’re going or how you get there.

But when your brand fits your values, your voice, and your vision? That’s when the journey feels smooth. You still need to steer, of course, but you are the one in control, and you trust the vehicle beneath you.