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Building An Iconic Brand Stimulus gt Idea
Generation gt Strategic Planning Support
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Contents

• Executive Summary
• What Is An Icon
• Social Cultural Significance
• Defining The Future Radical Change
• Building An Iconic Brand
• Myths, Stories, Storytellers Principles
• Case Studies
• Apple iPod
• Austin Mini
• Coca-Cola
• Diesel
• Guinness
• Harley Davidson
• Nike
• Icons For The 20Teens
• Opportunity Change
• Post Recession Trends Generosity Community,
  Ecology Economy, Ethics Fairness, Escapism
  Fun
• Possible 20Teen Icons
• Final Thoughts

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Executive Summary

• XXX Opportunity
• Unique product with no clear direct competitors
  creating a new class/segment
• Creates an opportunity to build/position/market
  it as a stand out, iconic brand
• Icons have strong social-cultural roots,
  compelling stories powerful visual cues
• XXX has/can have all three of the requisite
  factors
• Icons tap into emerging desires, challenge
  accepted thinking define the future
• Typically lead/package/simplify/summarise
  accelerated periods of change
• Radical change in cultural landscape offers
  opportunities to develop icons
• The post recession 2010/teens are likely to see
  such a period of change
• Some of the key trends could be seen as relating
  directly to the XXX
• Eg Ecology economy, we not me, ethics
  fairness escapism fun
• Can XXX marcoms connect the product to these
  facets of the new landscape?
• This could drive and positioning the XXX as an
  icon for the 20Teens

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Defining The Future
Iconic brands follow a unique set of principles.
They need to present/behave a different way from
other brands and their future depends on knowing
and continuously nurturing their cultural and
emotional significance. It is a question of
interpreting where culture is going and tapping
into emerging desires defining the future and
paving the way for everyone else to
follow. Jonathan Ford, Designer Pearlfisher
Co-Founder
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What Makes A Brand Iconic?

• Many aspire to build brands that get etched into
  the culture of society and
• become cultural icons but few achieve this
• Marketing alone can not create an icon but it
  can make a major contribution
• Iconicity rarely happens by chance it has to be
  carefully planned/executed
• Many of the most iconic brands/products share
  some common characteristics
• Brand identity myths
• Powerful brand stories
• Involve multiple story tellers
• These factors can result in building trend
  setting brand communities
• Collections of active, committed, conscientious
  and passionate loyalists
• Represent a form of human association situated
  within a consumption context
• Typically there is an intrinsic connection
  between members
• A collective sense of difference from others not
  in the community
• Often self aware, committed and liberated from
  traditional barriers (eg geography)

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Myths, Stories Storytellers

• Identity Myths
• Every society goes through phases of prosperity
  and crisis
• Those that direct/lead via brand
  stories/activities get etched into the culture
• Creating an identity for a brand can provide an
  identity to a whole society
• Powerful stories
• Iconic brands have resonating stories that touch
  the lives of consumers
• Can be brands unique history, myth, culture,
  struggle or an underlying philosophy
• Stories offer consumers reason to elevate brands
  beyond functional/utilitarian roles
• Multiple story tellers
• Dissemination of brand stories through many parts
  of society is critical
• Stories told by brands alone are no longer enough
  (this is true now more than ever)
• 4 key story tellers company, the culture
  industries, intermediaries and consumers
• Each facilitates and blends the
  brand/myth/story/identity into fabric of society
• Source Martin Roll Three Steps To Creating An
  Iconic Brand

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1950s gt Coca-Cola gt Socio-Cultural Drivers
Product Stories
Era Trends Post-War Desire For
Positivity Globalisation Equality US
Dominance Desire For Americana Consumer Culture
Product Story/Facts Happiness, Fun
Enjoyment Same Everywhere Same For Everyone US
Symbol Reflects US Values Affordable
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1950s gt Coca-Cola gt Creative
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2000s gt Apple iPod gt Socio-Cultural Drivers
Product Stories
Era Trends Complicated Technology Desire For The
Personal Mobile Lifestyles Mass Consumerism Image
Obsessed Invasive Noisy World
Product Story/Facts Simplicity/Minimalist Individ
ual/Customisable Anytime/Anywhere Endless New
Models Design-Led Sanctuary/Escape
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2000s gt Apple iPod gt Creative
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20Teens gt Opportunity

• Icons emerge as symbols of societal change
• Often represent accelerated periods of change in
  socio-cultural evolution
• Change periods typically consist of several small
  connected drivers trends
• The change drivers include culture, economics and
  society trends
• Iconic brands often relate/enhance/represent a
  set of these
• Icons are typically singular simplifications/easy
  to understand representations
• Expect an accelerated period of social change in
  post recession society
• This creates an opportunity for a brand that can
  successfully lead/direct
• Brands can/should capitalise on todays
  consumer-driven change movement
• Genuinely addressing and reinventing the rules
  norms
• Recognise terms of connection/communications have
  been irrevocably inverted
• Find new ways to talk about relationships both
  between both B2B and B2C
• Drive new ways of thinking about this internally
  and externally