Chronicles of Progress: pt I, Brand strategy
Owner and ownership
I’ve always wanted to showcase some brand identity process from the inside. A little peek behind the curtains — if only to better understand what I’m doing through the lens of others seeing it… but also to show off more perspectives than end-result mockups.
A few weeks ago I joined a startup as Brand Advisor on a contract basis. The responsibilities will include an ongoing alignment of visual brand with the ethos and mission. The time commitment is minimal but the impact is massive. Especially for a new startup.
Owner
The company is called Owner — and yes, they can be found at owner.com.
Owner empowers small business restaurant owners with marketing tools. The tools at hand put Owner at odds with other companies like Mailchimp, Grubhub, and even Indeed (for their recruitment tools). Their website touts, “The all-in-one platform for independent restaurants to increase direct online ordering sales, save money on third party fees, and delight customers.” More about what Owner offers and how it helps folks will unfold alongside strategy.
Here is their current website:
So here is my chance to showcase some process work as it happens. I’m going to post weekly or bi-weekly updates on the progress of the visual assets.
For now, let’s start with the brand strategy process:
Archetypes
It didn’t take long to identify the Brand Archetype(s) of Owner: The Ruler and the Caregiver.
I’ve previously written on the detail and value of Brand Archetypes.
The Caregiver
Love your neighbor as yourself The Caregiver may also be known as the caretaker, altruist, saint, parent, helper, or supporter.
Summary: The one-word description for the Caregiver is altruism: the unselfish concern and/or devotion to nurture and care for others. This archetype is motivated to provide reassurance, service, advice, listening and an open heart to support the welfare of others. The Caregiver is compassionate, generous, efficient, self-sacrificing, patient, highly competent and an excellent multitasker.
Examples: Unicef, Hagrid (Harry Potter), TOMS, and Mary Poppins.
The Ruler
Power isn’t everything. It’s the only thing. The Ruler may also be known as the boss, leader, aristocrat, parent, politician, responsible citizen, role model, manager, or administrator.
Summary: The Ruler desires control above all else and is a dominant personality. They are authoritative in their communication and in their actions and carry a sense of intimidation. Their goal is for prosperity and success and for that prosperity to trickle down to those that are loyal to his rule. They are confident, responsible and in control of their lives and expect the same from others.
Examples: Rolex, Mufasa (The Lion King), Mercedes Benz, and King Arthur.
How can these blend into a single archetype: putting Control and Service at the forefront?
I’m still working on naming this well, to stand the rest of time, but right now I have these options:
Ruler + Caregiver =
Empowering Saint
Caring Sovereign
Supreme Supporter
Altruist Authority
Benevolent Magnate/Monarch
Audacious Saint (I’m fan of this one)
Caregiver and Ruler sit side by side on the Archetype wheel. Both provide structure with an outward focus. The Caregiver archetype is rooted in service while the Ruler archetype is about control.
The strengths of these two archetypes complement each other to balance their weaknesses.
The Caregiver is introduced into the Owner brand as representing the service industry.
The Ruler represents the orchestrated technology behind what Owner can offer.
Attributes
As for brand attributes, they were built on the backs of the archetypes.
“Simple” and “Trusted” are rarely effective or actionable. A brand is easily close to failure than success when it only identifies as “Modern, Trusted, and Simple.”
We tied the archetypes directly to the (aspirational) attributes.
Empowering → Empowering Authority
Authoritative, commission, authorize, qualify, unchain, effective
Highlighting the success of customers and restaurant owners
Trustworthy → Trusted Advisor
Credible, authentic, dependable, responsible, ethical, authoritative
Approachable → Affable Confidant/Mentor
Affable, genial, accessible, relatable, intentional
A sense of connection; informal/accessible language
Courageous → Audacious Saint
Audacious, brave, fearless, gallant, valor, determined
Taking risks: Restaurant owners are risk-takers
How does this actually affect the brand?
Is brand strategy effective if no one ever acknowledges it — or if it goes unseen and inactive? Well, no. But codifying the identity allows for more concentrated expression. The verbal and visual assertion become more true to the core brand.
Until next time…
That’s it. The first installment of rebranding Owner through an approved strategy and positioning.