Figure With Supaman’s Dad Cap
CREATE AN ICONIC BRAND FOR YOUR CHILD
Do you know what Coca-Cola, Apple, Microsoft, Nike, Facebook, and McDonald’s all have in common? Each company represents one of the world’s most recognized brands. But more than just being easily recognized brands, each company has an iconic logo.
There is hardly any place you can travel where these companies and their logos have not reached the inhabitants. Pick a continent, visit any city, mention the company, show an inhabitant the logo, and you will undoubtedly find someone who has something good or bad to say about the respective product or service.
LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE
Unless you are living under a rock, you know that between Black Friday and the Super Bowl, the presence of the most recognized brands is more noticeable than any other time of the year. It is also worth noting that the increased presence is neither accidental or coincidental.
Accident and coincidence are two words restricted from the branding strategy of the world’s greatest brands. Not only don’t the world’s most recognized brands believe in accidents or coincidences but they would never leave their image to coincidence or accident. At every step, the brand’s message along with their image is skillfully crafted.
The intent of the most recognized brands is simple. Each time we see their logo, we should have no misunderstandings about their product or service. In short, when we see the logo, we should know exactly who they are.
WHO ARE YOU?
Whether parents recognize it or not, parenting is very similar to crafting a recognized brand. Children are the family product with the unmistakable logo. A logo that makes daily contact with the public.
Even though it is unlikely that our children are as renowned as the world’s most recognized brands, it is indisputable that the moment our children leave the house each day they come in contact with someone who will form an opinion about them. Those public opinions which are formed about our children are similar to first impressions – they are conceived quickly and can last forever.
Precisely how fast opinions are formed is trivial. It matters not if you believe first impressions are made during the span of one second, seven seconds, or thirty seconds. What parents need to focus on is the reality that who people choose to believe our children occurs quickly and those perceptions can last a lifetime.
COINCIDENCE OR PURPOSE?
It’s pretty cut and dry. Like great brands, your child doesn’t have a lot of time to communicate who they are. And more than simply having an opinion about who children are, the world forms equally instantaneous opinions about who their parents are.
So I have to ask, do you have any idea what the world is saying about your brand? Have you considered that your child and your family are brands? Is your branding purpose-driven or coincidental?
Whether you are a parent or not, take a moment to ask and answer the following two questions:
- Do I or my child convey a message which is intentional or accidental?
- Am I or my child leaving the identity and message of the family brand to chance?
NOW IS THE TIME TO BRAND
Do yourself an invaluable favor. If you haven’t given your brand its due consideration, there is no better time than the present. Take a moment to truly contemplate what you want your brand to say.
This year, set some time aside to do what the companies of the most recognized brands do – develop a branding strategy. And don’t worry this branding strategy can be completed absent an MBA. In fact, this entire branding process can be completed by including something about your family brand in that New Year’s resolution you are struggling to keep.
One last thing, in an effort to make it easy for you to begin your branding process, I have included some keywords. The keywords will help you formulate ideas about what you want people to think and how you want them to feel about your child and your family brand.
I have two final suggestions. First, keep your branding strategy simple and choose no more than three words. Second, remember that the branding strategy that you create is intended to make it easy for you and your family to be a living example of the words you choose to live by. Now start building your branding strategy today.
- Independent
- Diligent
- Responsible
- Creative
- Well-mannered
- Bighearted
- Persistent
- Assured
- Obedient
- Empathetic
- Inquisitive
- Fair-minded
When teachers, counselors, coaches, friends, family, and strangers come in contact with your child what do they think and how do they feel? When your child needs a Letter of Reference for college or a Letter of Recommendation for a job who will write them and what will they say?