3% Better

Building a brand that lasts means creating conflict and tension, even destruction of the old way of doing things, as those elements are critical to the creation process.

Patagonia cannot build loyalty with their ideal customer if they waver every time someone (who wouldn’t buy their product anyway) complains about how they operate.

It simply doesn’t matter. They were never your customer to begin with, and likely weren’t going to become one in the future.

Social media gave everyone a signal, but it’s mostly noise.

Companies that operate according to their own values simply keep working toward a shared vision that compounds over time into massive value.

Look at this short manifesto outlining The Apple Marketing Philosophy written by Mike Markkula in 1977:

Empathy

We will truly understand their needs better than any other company.

Focus

In order to do a good job of those things we decide to do we must eliminate all the unimportant opportunities.

Impute

People DO judge a book by its cover.

We may have the best product, the highest quality, the most useful software, etc.; if we present them in a slipshod manner, they will be perceived as slipshod; if we present them in a creative, professional manner, we will impute the desired qualities.

Markkula published these words in ‘77, but you could imagine Tim Cook saying them in ‘25, couldn’t you?

That’s how powerful the right values can be.

In brand strategy, you need to be comfortable being wrong for long periods of time. You are effectively viewing the world six to 12 months in advance and creating a plan that will speak to the right customer at the right time – in the future.

To create a holiday campaign for a holiday that hasn’t come yet requires a certain degree of artistry and confidence. Data only gets you so far, because it can only point to what’s already resonated.

Yet in marketing, what resonated then often won’t resonate now, at least not in the same way. And the flexibility and creativity required to launch a successful marketing campaign on time is massively underrated. You need a finger on the pulse of culture, current events, and enough vision to predict an unpredictable future state.

The good news? Change is often subtle and gradual until one day everything is transformed.

The same applies to how you, your brand, and your creative work evolves.

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We don’t deliver frameworks and call it a day.

We see the road ahead as a more connected future where creatives learn and ride together.

In any form of storytelling, the most compelling narratives emerge when the inside matches the outside. It's a simple yet profound concept – the idea that your values, the core tenets driving every action, should be the blueprint for the story you share with your audience.

Differentiation then comes from embracing contrasts, mistakes, imperfections. We see these tension points as the unique moments that stand out and stand the test of time.

This philosophy echoes the innovative spirit of the late design legend Virgil Abloh. His “3% better" principle captures the idea of incremental change leading to transformation.

And it’s in this way we see real progress not as colossal leaps, but progress that is small adjustments, gathering data and feedback, and doing the daily work to ensure you continue evolving authentically.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of emulation. Brands are the worst offenders at rushing to recreate successes they see in the market

Companies spend millions to create their own version, app, or gadget, but too few take the time to differentiate their brand. Consumers quickly tune out of the sea of same they see across all channels, and suddenly your small business has to pay to boost posts simply to reach your most engaged customers.

Think about that – you’re giving ad platforms untold sums of money to reach people who already said they wanted to see your content.

We drive connections with real humans instead.

But aligning the inside with the outside isn't a task to be taken lightly. It can be challenging, even perilous. It requires an unflinching commitment to authenticity and transparency. But it's crucial. Authenticity creates a connection that transcends the superficial – which is what it takes to create a brand that endures.

Your brand isn’t just about clever taglines or persuasive sales pitches – it’s an embodiment of values. These values should resonate in every aspect of your branding – every word, every visual, every interaction, online and off.