Find your Why. Save the world. How clarity on your purpose will help you build a strong brand.
Simon Sinek, in his famous TED Talk from 2009 that has been watched over 50 million times, talks about how great leaders inspire the Why of successful organisations. He illustrates his point using a simple graphic with three concentric rings He calls it the Golden Circle.
What can be found on the outside. It’s what the business offers, the service it provides. All companies know what that is.
Next, we have How. This one is a little more tricky. It is how that company sets itself apart from its competitors — what makes them unique. And many simply are not any different. Just look at the detergent segment.
Finally, we get to the centre of the circle — the Why. Why a business does what it does. It’s not about maximizing profits. It’s the reason for being. It’s why, as Simon puts it, you get up in the morning. And very few actually know why they do what they do.
Many companies see their mission in what they make — they start on the outside, often never making it to the Why. Simon argues that to be a company that inspires, you have to start from the inside out. You have to start with your Why.
“Why” is where the brand magic happens.
Apple, of course, is a prime example in Simon’s talk. What they started with was simple: computers. They separate themselves from their competitors by making good looking products that are intuitive to use.
But Apple also continuously challenges the status quo. Steve Jobs was such an inspiring leader because he believed in the Why of Apple. To think different.
It also explains why they were able to stretch their product range to include not only the Macintosh Computer but mobile phones, watches and more — and being believable in doing so.
We’ve all seen the endless queues in front of Apple Stores around the world every time something new is launched.
Another good example: Nike.
We know what they make. Are they any different to their competitors? Maybe. Maybe not. Why is the determining factor.
“Just do it” encapsulates Nike’s Why — to enable every athlete, whether pro or amateur, to perform at their uncompromising best. It’s a state of mind. A belief.
One of Nike’s earliest ads with the headline “There is no finish line” perfectly illustrates their Why. And it can be felt in their powerful ad campaign that takes a stand (or knee) with NFL player Colin Kaepernick, who was the first to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial inequality.
The ad alienated some of Nike’s customers. Something they had no regret in doing.
Let your Why control your actions.
Let’s take a closer look at Patagonia’s Why. In mid-2020, leading up to the US presidential election, the internet went crazy for a statement the company had sown into their shorts: Vote the assholes out.
This is nothing new for Patagonia. The company has its roots in making climbing equipment — some of the best in the world. Environmentalism became an important issue to the founders in 1970, when they realized how much damage pitons made, the metal spikes that are hammered into the rock to hook your rope onto.
They decided to minimize their piton business and instead focused on aluminium chocks that could be wedged into cracks by hand, reducing the environmental impact drastically.
Today, 1% of Patagonia’s annual earnings are donated to nonprofits that are fighting for a better planet. The company calls it a self-imposed Earth tax. Everything they do, both internally and externally, reflects their core values.
From being able to send in broken gear to have it fixed to providing free daycare for its employee's children. From closing their shops, so that employees could march and strike alongside climate activists, to introducing regenerative organic farming into their supply chain to grow sustainable fibres and food. When something is not perfect, they change it. For example, when PETA criticized Patagonia’s sourcing of wool, they switched suppliers.
Their core values reflect their Why. As the mission of Patagonia states, it wants to minimize its environmental impact.
Then, in 2018 they doubled down on their Why when Yvon Chouinard and CEO Rose Marcario proclaimed:
“We’re in business to save our home planet.”
Everything Patagonia does is in line with its Why. When Patagonia was one of the first companies to join the #StopHateForProfit boycott of Facebook, they were motivated by their core belief. After all, the Trump administration actively rolled back on rules and regulations that protect the environment. It’s also why they decided to sow their message into shorts.
Knowing, honing and cultivating your Why, especially as a brand that wants to make the world a better place, is essential.
Now more than ever, people want companies to take a stand. And when you’re believable and your words are matched by actions — not just for the sake of making a profit — consumers will stand with you. Patagonia, for example, has seen its profit quadruple since 2014.
Consumers want businesses to take a stand. To do what is right. Just like Nike did by having Kaepernick’s back.
And when you’re believable, and your words are matched by your actions — not just for the sake of making a profit — you will be rewarded.
Consumers will not only stand by you but become ambassadors for your brand and your Why. Especially when you’re a brand that wants to make the world a better place.
Conclusion
- Define your Why, if you haven’t already
- Why is the foundation of your core values
- Your Why needs to be more than just words
- Let your Why control your actions
- Have your brand reflect your Why, internally and externally
From https://www.studio-krug.com/blog/find-your-why-save-the-world
