This post is by Michael Pollock, the original owner of Small Business Branding. Yaro Starak now owns and produces the latest content for this blog.
>> Return to the Small Business Branding front page <<
I meant to talk about this a while back when I first heard it, but never seemed to get around to it. Friend and fellow blogger John Moore (Brand Autopsy) uttered some of the most simple but brilliant words I think I’ve ever heard that relate to branding.
A little background … John used to work for Starbucks, and he’s in the process of writing a book called Starbucks Tribal Knowledge. This is how John describes the book:
"What exactly is Starbucks Tribal Knowledge, you ask.
"Well … it’s the pithy quote uttered by a respected Starbucks
executive. It’s a mantra used by Starbucks project groups to bring
forth passionate followership. It’s ‘A-ha moments’ from successful (and
failed) projects. It’s company campfire stories passed down from one
generation of Partners to the next. It’s poignant. It’s
thought-provoking. It’s actionable."
Perhaps you’re wondering what we solopreneurs can learn from a huge company like Starbucks, besides how to make a mean Caramel Macchiato. I was wondering something similar until I watched a video
that John created in which he shares some brilliant business nuggets he
took with him when he left SB. Here’s the one that gets the award for
most brilliant branding quote of the year:
"Starbucks never sought to create a brand. The company was too busy being a business than trying to be a brand.
"Starbucks was too busy building a viable and profitable business to
think about something as seemingly trivial as branding. Starbucks was
too busy sourcing and roasting the highest-quality coffee beans to
think about branding. Starbucks was too busy educating customers on how
and why they should appreciate a stronger, bolder cup, more flavorful
cup of coffee to think about branding. Starbucks was too busy creating
a comforting and welcoming place for people to exhale to think about
branding."And because Starbucks was busy working on and working in the
business, they built a business, of which, the by-product was the
creation of a strong brand."Starbucks teaches us that rarely, if ever, can you sprinkle magical branding dust to create an endearing and enduring brand." (emphasis mine)
I’m trying to think of something wise to say as a follow-up, but how can you top that?