I read an interesting article this weekend in Design week magazine, discussing how brands - particularly food and drink brands - are using the origin of the product to highlight its authenticity, and win new customers. It's an interesting article, and certainly nothing new - particularly with food and drink. The South West is full of food and drink producers promoting their origin as a selling point, and why not? We used the origin of the product - geographic and the family unit - as the foundation of the visual brand for Higher Fingle Farm (below). As consumers get bored, or suspicious, of what's offered by the big food brands and the supermarkets, smaller brands - with a clear, authentic link to their origins - are a refreshing alternative.
But the roll of authenticity in a brand is an interesting one, because it doesn't just have to be about a product, or geography. A brand is there to define the personality of a business, and that personality is made up of lots of things. Authenticity is important in all of them.
Authentic: Of undisputed origin. Genuine. Reliable or trustworthy.
Concise Oxford Dictionary
That's a great description of what a brand should be! And it doesn't matter whether you're selling bottles of wine or accounting services, it still applies. But the most interesting part of that definition is: Of undisputed origin.
What's the origin of your brand? I'm not talking about geography. Where does your brand come from? What behind it? What drives it? It might be the geographic origin of your product; whether that's Italian ice cream or German engineering. But if you look at someone like Apple, I'd say the origin of their product is innovation or technology. It works for services too. If you're accountants, the origin of your brand could be skill or experience, particularly if you specialise in a niche area. It could be passion that's the origin. If you look at ethical or sustainable businesses - take Innocent for example - a passionate belief in what they do drives every aspect of their business.
So take a look at your business and your brand. Is it authentic? Is its origin undisputed? Is it genuine, reliable and trustworthy? If it's not, it should be. Because that's what's valuable. That's what makes you different. That's what people buy.
If you want to know more about building an authentic brand, you might be interested in our Brand to Deliver workshop, on Thursday 25 March. To find out more call 01392 248107 or email jonathan@alderandalder.co.uk.
