I couldn’t have asked for a better internship, or to work with better people. I feel like I’m not only leaving here with a ton of new knowledge and some great work, but with five awesome older brothers. (Seven counting the other interns. Shout out to Cory and Dan!)

The Matchstic guys achieve a great balance between hard work and professionalism and the kind of playfulness that makes it easy to get out of bed in the morning and come to work. Between the high fives, fist bumps, ridiculous nicknames and frequently having various items slingshot at my head, I really feel like “one of the guys.”

I had a very vague idea of what I’d be doing here and they’ve gone above and beyond my expectations. I’ve worked on everything from naming to brand applications to logo designs. I’ve gained all sorts of practical knowledge including prepping websites, putting together business documents, and learning how client correspondence works. Not to mention I’ve overheard just about every client meeting since I’ve been here and shook hands with more people than I could count.

There is no hiding the interns and having them make coffee here (unless they want to). There is a sense of equality that extends to every member of the team. Everyone touches each project at some point. If there is something that needs to be done, it gets done by whoever can do it. You always feel personally connected to a project and really care about its outcome. I’ve literally worked under everyone here on one thing or another. The best part I think about working at a small firm is being able to see what goes on in every part of the process.

The biggest adjustments between design school and working in a firm are probably the pace and learning to be creative on demand. Where professors tend to drag out every project for weeks or months at a time, here you’ve got to reach a good solution in shortest time frame possible. Also, anything you do is going to have a real impact on a client’s business success. You have to learn to do what’s best for the client and not necessarily what’s trendy in the design world. A pleasant surprise is the fact that there are steps you can take to reach creative solutions, that it’s not just this vague process of sitting around waiting for the ideas to come.

I know I still have so much more growing to do, but I feel like Matchstic did all they could to expedite that process and give me a great head start. I’m so thankful that I was given this opportunity. These guys aren’t just a business, they’re a family. Hold on to your hat–they’ve got some great things in the works, and I’ll be around to cheer them on.

Here are my rules for crafting a great core purpose statement.

• Make it as short as possible.  Cut out as many words (and commas!) as possible without losing meaning.

• It should describe the reason employees are motivated to get out of bed and come to work every day.

• It should be easy to remember and keep top of mind as all staff dig deep into their daily tasks.

A few famous core purpose/mission statements are…

• Explore the Heavens – NASA

• Refresh the World – Coca-Cola

Here are some examples of some of my favorite core purpose statements we have helped craft.  These all answer the questions “Why do you exist?” – “We exist to…”

• Provide Financial Relief

• Change the Way People See the World

• See Africa Prosper Through Business

• Humanize IT

and of course, my favorite is answering “Why does Matchstic exist?”  ”We exist to…”

• Ignite Passionate Brands

Do you have any favorites?

Of-course you have to be good enough in all three, but in order to dominate the market it comes down to a decision. A choice between incredible speed with a flawless delivery, empathetic and sincere relationships with your customers, or obsessive and unmatched inventions.

It is such a basic decision, but it is the foundation of a brand. Without that simple choice leadership can waffle back in forth on what they really are. If you are starting the branding process, start with this question: Am I going to dominate operational excellence, customer intimacy, or product leadership? From there you can start to fanatically champion the makings of a charismatic and powerful brand.

Curious, Which current brands come to mind for the three categories?

Operational Excellence

Customer Intimacy

Product Leadership

This is a great example of how design is tied to a brand. And how commitment pays off. You never think about National Geographic without picturing that yellow frame. Basically unchanged for over 120 years. The first time in 1888! It’s become iconic and idiosyncratic to the magazine. Every issue you know that frame contains an incredible photo and door to another world.

This is yet another move away from brick & mortar operations to the digital experience. And as convenient, fast, and pleasing as it can be to go digital, I am starting to question its lasting benefit.

Dating is hard and awkward. Let’s make it easier. Eharmony.
Writing letters takes time. I want to write and send in seconds. Email.
I am tired of having to go to the bank to transfer money into savings. Online banking.
I haven’t heard from that college friend in years. I wonder what they’re up to? Facebook.
I just had a funny thought. Man, I wish I could tell it to someone. Twitter.

As much as I benefit from going digital, I also lose. I lose context, community, tone, touch, &
body language. I miss the kind of intangibles that generations past had as a simple part of their every interaction.

How far do we take this? With decades in our rear view based on a more physical way of life, I wonder what the long-term repercussions might be of the complexities and demands of the digital life.

The more I experience it, the more I see going digital providing easy outs for the kind of interactions we really need and desire. Its not all bad, but it feels like its starting to trend too far in one direction. And that makes me think, maybe its time for a new kind of rebellion.

I like American Apparel. So much in fact, I named it my favorite brand of the past decade. It is now on the brink of financial disaster. How did it come to this?

Three reasons: 1. It’s misunderstood. 2. It grew too much, too fast. 3. There is a conflict of interest.

First, how could such a failure of a brand appeal to me? For a minute, strip away all prejudices and hearsay and look at it objectively. Let’s start on the surface: American Apparel has beautiful design. To a discerning eye, the layout and typography is flawless. To the casual viewer, it’s simple and unique. The photography is an extension of their utilitarian nature — raw and untouched; real people not supermodels. The voice and messaging reflect their sarcasm and sense of humor. It might not be pretty, but it is definitely not dishonest.

It’s a true American brand. Made in the USA, simple as that. It’s arguably the most affordable American-made clothing you can buy. And true to the American way, they believe in things. Immigration reform. Gay rights. Environmental sustainability. AA has an opinion and it is damn vocal about it.

Here’s where things fall apart. There are two main perceptions of the brand: 1. The “premium” blank t-shirt company — premium quality blanks at a premium price. 2. The sleezy hipster-Gap. Because of these two things, the American Apparel as we know it cannot exist tomorrow. On the first point, the recession killed demand for premium OEM product. Everyone went for the “Hanes Beefy T”. On the second, the market cannot reconcile AA’s volatile image with its mainstream aspirations.

American Apparel really has two options:

1. Destroy, rebuild, and come back as a more focused, niche company while maintaining its personality. In this realm a brand seemingly derives power through exclusivity.

2. Give up its personality (at least the raunchiness and politics) to become a successful, global “alternative” brand (à la Uniqlo or Apple). Here, the secret is not going full milquetoast. The key is maintaining a friendly, neutral personality while injecting a bit of style. This option is very difficult. Apple and BMW have perfected the formula. The engineers and  designers get to do their thing, hard-core enthusiasts appreciate it, and casual shoppers are not offended.

You cannot have it both ways. There comes a point where integrity, personality, or beliefs must be sacrificed for growth. Having to first and foremost please shareholders, or sell to “the most” people, your image will get diluted. I want AA to come out of this mess successfully, but I’d also hate to see it lose its modern-greasy charm. There’s a place for the American Apparel as we know it, just maybe not in malls. Diluting your brand will alienate the enthusiasts while barely carving a dent in the casual shopper’s mind. That is brand purgatory, the worst place one can exist.

Brand Camp is a two-day intense branding workshop retreat that brings together five like minded entrepreneurs to discover their company’s unique identity in the marketplace. Unlike most workshops, there is a very tangible take away, the brand brief, a one page schematic that outlines every important aspect of your brand in a clear and simple way.

We are now taking reservations for our next Brand Camp Nov 7-9, email brandcamp@matchstic.com or call Craig at 404-446-1511 for more information. Space is limited to five companies per camp – so get on it!

Here are some quotes from past Campers.

“Brand Camp brought the clarity and definitions to our vision that employees have longed to hear from their leader. Now I have a succinct way to communicate to them.”

“This retreat reignited my passion for our company and it’s potential. Hearing myself talk through the brand brief, made me want to be a part of a company like that.”

1. The DNA is the set of foundational truths in which your company stands on.

What, at the core, does your company do? What does it not do? Why does it exist (beyond making a profit)?  Where is it going? What is the big idea the brand stands on? These are the foundational elements that should shape and form your culture and customer experience.  This is your courageous stake in the ground. This is where great identities are truly born- not always in the head of a designer.

2. The Skeleton is the internal alignment that shapes your internal culture.

What is your big idea? Refresh the world? Organize the world’s information? The low-cost airfare provider? Defining a rally cry, and constantly championing it, brings focus to the hard-boned structure of an organization, and that internal skeleton (your culture) inevitably shapes the external world, the skin.

3. The Skin is the tangible external surface that shapes and determines people’s perceptions.

A direct result of the DNA and skeleton, the skin is your company’s face. The challenge is to design a flag that people get excited about and rally behind. Not just a logo, but a consistent and engaging customer experience, from first touch to last, that declares why you are different.

The temptation for most companies is to skip straight to the skin, missing the heart behind it all, and trying to form a beauty that is only skin deep.

A big thanks to Jeremie Kubicek who developed this model and inspired this blog.

Design reflects culture. This can be seen in the early designs of the Walkman. The Japanese value of private space and social correctness determined it’s design. Initially perceived as solitary and unsociable, the Walkman was redesigned with a second headset jack and orange button, allowing the experience to be shared with a friend. Not the same way the other portable music alternative did, the boom box. More socially considerate and private. If the listeners wanted, they could also talk to each other through a microphone. The Walkman also expressed the Japanese genius for miniaturization, technology and individual experience. It revolutionized music on the go and paved the way for the iPod.

So what distinctions of American culture can be seen in the initial expressions of the iPod? I would propose youthfulness, fashion and individual expression as a few. The design was and always is beautifully done. I believe in part so that it might become a fashion accessory. Something to be on display not always in a pocket. I’m remembering those early dancing silhouette commercials, the white earbuds and colored models soon to come. Having an iPod made you “look” cool. Accumulation too perhaps. I think American culture says ‘you can have it all’. We love our stuff and when you have more stuff you need more space. The concept of carrying your entire music collection with you was very attractive. Not just one tape or CD but “A 1000 songs in your pocket”.

There are a couple aspects of the iPod design that I don’t think reflect American preferences. Limits. The iTunes only, rights-protected, restricted-sharing parts of the design. We love our freedom and our private property. I’m amazed we put up with someone telling us what we can and can’t do for so long. But it’s just so… cool!

Brand Champions are the ultimate raving fans, championing and understanding your exact value and positioning in the market. They are lovers and sometimes fighters. They are a multiplying sales force- an indispensable army of rambling referrals, loyal customers, and dedicated patrons, but they need one thing… you. In order to create these loyal troops you first have to lead them.

1. Define Your Tribe.

It’s really simple. First, know who “they” are. Who is your audience? What do they do? Where do they live? How do they congregate? Then figure out how you can get into the conversations, connect, and speak notable value into their lives.

2. Give them reasons to like you.

Launch growth initiatives in the form of campaigns. Find irresistible and charming ways to further connect with your people. Give them reasons to like you. Give out free swag- especially buttons, people love buttons. Post interesting articles on twitter (like this one) or a blog and speak directly into their pain points in business or life.

At the end of the day, it’s all about the customer’s relationship to the brand and how they feel about it. Customers and prospects should see a logo and be moved. They should feel something. They should see something worth championing.

If you can simply define your tribe and give them reasons to like you then you are well on the way to creating brand champions.