The danger in building a business with no mirrors

If you are not careful, branding can be like quicksand – particularly when you create an image that you can’t live up to.  Far too many businesses fall in love with aspirational positioning, and in the process of chasing a new look, lose touch with the here and now.  It’s like there are no mirrors in the office and people believe what they want to believe.

Think of it this way: you are single and looking to date more.  So you join one of the online match making sites and post as your profile picture, not yourself, but a picture of George Clooney.  I can virtually guarantee an overflow of first dates, but can almost be 100% sure that the rate of second dates will fall dramatically. 

​I think the same danger exists when companies succumb to the sunshine talk from advertising, branding and PR agencies in developing new campaigns.  The agency may be well-intentioned – or looking to do whatever it takes to land/keep the business – but at some point, someone needs to hang up a mirror in the office.

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