Ideally, yes! And mind you, selfless doesn’t mean private.
Lets look at the importance of selflessness..
Selflessness improves relationships, Selflessness can keep you healthy, Selflessness gives us a new perspective, Selflessness forms connection, Selflessness gives you a sense of peace, Selflessness can be a form of therapy.
Typically brands spend millions of dollars to realise some of the above, if not all.
A great brand naturally flows out of the product or service. Graciously. Optimistically. With the singular focus of making it successful.
Yes, it needs shaping. Crafting. Articulating. Calibrating. But, the underlying shape- the bones of whatever it is- are present from its inception.
And the role of the brand builders is to help it find the appropriate outfit, to coach it on how to walk and talk, mentor it and set it free into the real world. So, when it finally goes out into the world, its appearance matches its personality.
Selfless, really?
Isn’t branding all about yourself? Looking inward? A transcendently selfish act?
Well, a brand is part of the society. As it steps into the world, it has to signal very clearly what it stands for.
That said, a brand cannot live in isolation. Like the fish in water, which are dependent on the ecosystem around it, a brand on its own is pretty much a useless entity.
A mobile phone needs a cellular network, an electrical infrastructure. It needs a marketplace, it needs software, it needs applications, it needs accessories. And each one of these ecosystems breaks down into smaller and smaller subsystems. Without all this, a cell phone is a useless brick of metal, plastic and glass.
With a logo on its back.
If a brand lives by itself in the forest, will anyone know it’s a brand?
You just maybe tempted to take a look at this article from BrandKnew about Personal Values and the Need for a Purpose Led Brand Culture.
ENDS