The world of brand definition is so darned perky and optimistic, isn’t it? One part inspiration to every two parts aspiration, positive emotional impacts, smiles in the mind and all that. Obviously it has to be. Every one wants to be ‘warm’, ‘inclusive’ and ‘knowledgeable’. Nobody wants a downright depressing big idea or a loathsome brand personality, do they? No. The idea is to draw people to your brand with arms wide open, not slap them around a bit and call them hurtful names.
But, one can’t help imagine what it would be like if there were a business out there in the blue yond that bucked the trend, as it were… one that had the canastas and sheer audacity (read ‘delightful lunacy’) to be a little bit dark about it all. What would their brand personality be like? ‘Open’, ‘welcoming’ and ‘collaborative’ certainly wouldn’t get a look in for starters. What would their big idea be? ‘relentless domination’, ‘insipid moments’ and ‘unimpressed’ spring to mind. What would their beliefs comprise? ‘Near enough is good enough’, ‘dishonesty’ or ‘cold hard cash’ might find their way into the mix.
Anyway, I was bored on a plane recently (my headset wasn’t working and my iPad turned its lights off) so I decided to do it. But where to start, eh? Well, being the epitome of sheer evil for the best part of 30 years now, narky old Darth Vader seemed like the perfect candidate for creating a brand architecture. Nerd alert!! I know. Ahem. But, here’s where I landed…
Written by Harley Augustine
Amelia Cheung