Out of everything your brand brings to the world, what is the one thing that goes beyond product, data sheets and key USPs?
This is the difference between promoting:
‘Cloud data storage to the NHS that has a 99.9% no-fail rate’ vs
‘Providing a truly dependable technology solution that helps save lives everyday’ (Node4)
Or ‘Manufacturing quality, outdoor clothing and gear that is sustainably manufactured’ vs
‘The creation of a global movement of adventuring environmental activists’ (Patagonia)
Brands that want to harness their own superpower must go beyond their product use cases or value proposition in order to discover the unique thing that they alone bring to the world.
What is the result of your brand’s contribution to the world? Do you bring more financial security and peace of mind to your clients? Do you facilitate a greater sense of freedom and self-fulfilment? Do you help individuals express their true self or families feel more connected?
You do not just sell widgets or provide a service where there is a need. Your brand has a superpower that contributes something more significant to your customer base. You meet a deeper need: Peace of mind, Belonging, Security, Hope, Empowerment, Freedom, Choice, Joy, Resilience and Safety, to name a few.
Define what your superpower is and that will reveal a huge area of potential you can drill into and expand upon.
By investing in your brand’s superpower and communicating it both internally to your team and externally to your clients, you uncover another powerful area of brand potential. Which in turn can lead to the creation of new products, service areas and an enhanced tone of voice.
Brands that want to harness their own superpower must go beyond their product use cases or value proposition in order to discover the unique thing that they alone bring to the world.
Bite-sized Case Study
I was involved in a pitch for one of the world’s largest entertainment groups.
They wanted to create a new live experience through which children in particular could connect with the brand.
We talked a lot about their IP and the characters they wanted to be involved, the size of the experience and ideal footfall they needed to get through the experience per hour, and the kind of physical structures they did and didn’t like.
It was only when we challenged them on what drew children to the characters and their TV shows in the first place that we highlighted the importance of this brand’s superpowers – the ability to tell stories and create a unique, personal connection.
All of our team’s efforts then went into centring our pitch on these key points: storytelling and making personal and emotional connections. We covered the technical side of the pitch of course, and ticked the boxes with regard to budgets, footfall and maintaining brand integrity.
However, the key to the success of our pitch was our focus on connecting visitors with these timeless stories. Using innovative digital technology, we empowered children to take control and take part in these stories.
We presented clear themes and made the user journey an emotional and uplifting experience.
By harnessing this brand’s superpower we were ultimately able to communicate their full potential at those live events.
Action points: What is your superpower?
✅ Do you know what your brand’s superpower is? If not, ask yourself what it is that you bring to the world beyond selling a particular widget or delivering a particular service
✅ What is the one (or more) thing that you give to the world that makes it a better place and attracts people to your brand?
✅ Once you have identified these things consider how you might create other services or products that support this superpower.
✅ Also, ask yourself whether your brand’s tone of voice or visual messaging support this cause.
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