Articulate the Value Proposition
Everything starts with a clear Value Proposition (VP) — the promise the company makes to customers.
It’s a simple reason why a customer would buy a product or service from that particular business. The VP is the brand’s purpose, based on who and how it serves by solving a need or problem. The VP is not a tagline — it doesn’t change over time. Customers don’t typically see the exact wording of the VP. But it’s essence underlies all brand touch points.
There are several ways to tackle development of a value proposition. Ideally I’d do this in collaboration with the client during a workshop, then brainstorm refinements with colleagues. To give us some rails, I start with a formula I learned from Marie Forleo: We provide (product/service) for (audience) so that they (benefit).
So for this client, I’m starting with: We provide a venue for people so that they can experience comedy shows. Next, I flesh it out a bit:
What differentiates the comedy castle from other establishments nearby like bars and restaurants? What makes it unique? It’s all about humor, local, live, an institution, its also a bar with appetizers
Can you get more specific about the people it serves? They’re adults - this isn’t for kids or families as the material can be racy or socially challenging and alcohol is definitely being served
What emotional value do clientele get from the experience? It’s an escape, an opportunity to relax, unwinding from stress and lightening up
After playing with variations, I refined it to:
We provide an amusing escape in Metro Detroit for adults in need of a break from the daily grind.
The important difference between the two statements lies in the emotional aspect of the experience, not in features of the venue. The value is in how the customer will feel - not just the description of the venue. An amusing escape from daily stress is more engaging and valuable than simply a place to see comedy. From an audience perspective, it doesn’t exclude people outside of the area, but they aren’t the core target market.
Now that we have a value proposition, it’s time to think about the archetype mix.
Archetype Mix
When it comes to identity aspects of brand strategy, I use archetypes as a starting point for the voice and visuals. They are a great way to focus the client discussions on who they authentically are in the marketplace, and who their ideal target market is. This goal of this workshop exercise is to identifying a mix of three to five profiles that are foundational to the brand.
There are many different tools and approaches to building an archetype mix. For this hypothetical project, I’m using one of my favorite toys: The Archetypes in Branding Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists by Margaret Pott Hartwell and Joshua C. Chen. It includes a set of personas designed by Chen Design Associates. What I love about this resource is that it goes much deeper than the typical 12 Archetypes, and expands it 60. I say its a starting point because we know there are hundreds of profiles, and my goal is to get a mix that rings true. Each brand and company is truly unique, just like people are. Effectively articulating the differentiating aspects of the brand personality takes some digging. And I love the feeling that comes from the team getting it right.
So for Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle, I’ve identified core archetypes for the club, in it’s current state. Here are highlights:
Jester: seeks to lighten up the world. With wicked humor, originality and irreverence, the Jester transcends tradition, convention and societal norms.
Storyteller: connects people to the shared human experience with stories that can unleash powerful emotions, build credibility and allow for difficult topics to be explored. Possessing charisma, dramatic expression, keen insight and an intuitive understanding of the world.
Maverick: an independent thinker, the Maverick is smart, creative, unconventional and full of piss and vinegar with moxie and nerve. Motivated to protect freedom and willing to employ disruptive tactics to effect change.
Bro: a male who is part of a group of similar male friends stereotypically characterized as youthful, hearty, athletic, self-confident, and party-loving.
Once we articulate who the brand is, it’s really helpful to identify the brand’s ideal target market. Input from the client is key, and rebranding usually is part of larger-scale change strategy. For the sake of this exercise I’m assuming the club is ready to elevate a bit, just as the city around it has. I’m also going to assume they want to expand their target audience to a diverse, younger demographic, including more women:
Explorer: motivated by a powerful craving for new experiences, with a core desire to be free of the establishment but not necessarily to have to challenge it. An independent, nonconformist seeking to avoid boredom and entrapment.
Hedonist: seeks to find and celebrate the good things in life. Open and expansive, the hedonist is generally uncomplicated, independent, witty and generous.
Neighbor: represents the universal, unpretentious experience of being a member of the human race — believing that underneath the trappings of society is a shared core of humanity that is grounded, unselfish and friendly. One challenge for this brand is to avoid the shadow side, which can display unevolved behavior, preoccupation with the basic routines of life and group think.
