There are two, equally important, halves of a brand to consider. Some might say one precedes the other, what's more important is bringing the two together in unified symmetry.

Part 1: Internal Culture
The internal component of a brand is it's culture. The language, team mindsets, company vision, firing, hiring, training programs, development, casual conversation, and core values all form a living and breathing culture.

Part 2: External Perceptions
The external component is simply the organizations reputation in the market place. Like a personal reputation, it's what people say when you're not in the room. Communication pieces, like a websites, business cards, or annual reports, all heavily influence that overall perception.

What's critical is finding a Rally Cry that aligns the two parts into one brand. It should give internal culture focus and external perceptions differentiation, driving home value in the mind of the consumer. Turbulence occurs when what's preached inside isn't true on the outside and instead of clarity a consumer is left with confusion.

Southwest is great example of alignment. They are the low cost airfare provider, and every decision they make internally (from secretary to CEO) and externally (the Bags Fly Free campaign) are perfectly symmetrical with each other. Zappos is another great example. They are perfectly aligned on "Powered by Service" inside and out.

What are some brands that seem to talk the talk but not walk the walk, perhaps not aligned?

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