Here is why brand bravery is bullsh*t

“Will, where the hell have you been?!"

I am so very sorry, we recently won a bunch of new projects at Defiant and I have been finishing up the most recent cohort of my strategy masterclass too. In truth, I also wanted to pivot to writing fewer things of greater value, which I hope this edition is the first of many. And the topic of this week’s edition is a punchy one…so shall we begin?

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INTRODUCTION
Over my twenty years in the brand-building business, one word comes up time & time again…’ bravery’. Many gurus and experts tell us we need to behave ‘bravely’ when it comes to brand building and we should embrace ‘risk’ when it comes to communications. Yet want to know the truth? Bravery is total bullsh*t…let me explain why.

Long-time readers of this newsletter will know one thing, above all else, is true. That Fame (ie getting people to talk about the brand) is proven to be the single biggest driver of brand growth.

Whilst there are many routes to fame, from leveraging celebs to tapping into culture, one truth is universal. You simply cannot achieve fame by being recessive, nice or holding back in your communications. I challenge you to name me one ‘fame-worthy’ campaign that plays it safe or pulls it punches? They simply don’t exist.

Once you understand this I think you will understand why I think bravery is bullsh*t. Once you realise the importance of fame and what it requires…you realise that being ‘brave’ and pro-risk with your brand is the least risky or brave thing you can do.

Ironically the bravest or riskiest thing you could do is hope to achieve fame and growth…without being bold or provocative. In fact, thinking you can achieve fame by playing it safe..is borderline insane.

Still don’t believe me? Then let’s explore a couple of brilliant examples that bring this point to life.

Liquid Death has grown from $3M to close to $300M in revenue in just under five years. Whilst there have been many growth levers behind its success, one thing cannot be denied. They never pull their punches, play it safe or attempt to appease. Their first launch campaign literally saw them ‘waterboard’ exes from bottled water companies. Now compare that to legacy water brands that play it safe, follow a formula and are a bit boring… total stagnation with little to no growth.

Steven Barlett has grown his ‘Diary of a CEO Podcast’ to over 6M subscribers in around three years. Whilst he employs many growth techniques, fame once again is something he employs incredibly well. Every episode has a famous guest who recounts with raw honesty and candour the hardships in their life. Something that produces fantastic clickbait and retention for his channel…and something the likes of P&G pre-testing would never allow.

And to finish a brand I have been fortunate to have worked on myself, Nike. For decades Nike’s brand purpose has centred around “We believe everybody is an athlete”. A purpose that has sought to inspire people to step up and be their best selves. A purpose that has always been brought to life with boldness and provocation. Perhaps the best recent example of this was their Nike Kaepernick campaign. A campaign which saw them side with Colin Kaepernick and take a stand against Donald Trump. A campaign that was loved by some, annoyed many more…but always aimed for fame.

CONCLUSION

What we can learn from this? Firstly, challenge anyone in your organisation who spouts the line that ‘you need to be brave’ when it comes to brand building…it conveys the wrong mentality needed for fame. Second, if you are working with a creative agency or consultant that fails to challenge you or present bold work, seriously consider sacking them. Harsh? Maybe. Much needed reality check? Yes. Honestly, if you are paying someone to deliver brand growth and they don’t scare you a little, they are simply not doing their job. If they aren’t pushing or fighting for great or impactful work…massive red flag.

I hope you liked this week’s edition and I hope you are ‘brave’ enough to share it on Twitter or Linkedin, to spread the word. And who knows if enough of you share it, I might wright more frequently again. Go on, I dare you.