• by Glenn Geisendorfer , Gabe Goldman , April 10, 2009

We've written much on what we know will be virtues of a successful 21st-century brand: trustworthiness, durability and accessibility, distinct from the core values (or motivators) they ultimately support.

 

For instance, a brand may value Independence (Harley-Davidson, say), and exercise its virtues of Trustworthiness, Durability and Accessibility to ensure that its core value is understood, and motivating, at every turn. We as a practice don't assign values to brands; we simply apply these virtues to brands in when designing for their values, whatever they may be.

Quickly, accessibility isn't so much about price and availability as it is about the removal of barriers. Trustworthy brands, through honest and sincere behaviors, ultimately win consumer confidence. And the emotionally durable brands know their positive, lasting impressions will ensure responsible and infinite growth. Yet in light of world economic affairs, we suggest a new virtue for consideration: Utility.

Utility brands establish purpose in all that they touch, and burn not a calorie more. We draw a distinction between function and utility, as the former may work, but lack purpose, empathy, or meaning; utilitarian brands are the hallmark of efficiency: right time, right message, right delivery.

Simplify and go. Now.

Getting back to basics. Dwindling budgets. Hard choices. Motivating consumers right now is more important than ever, and the core brand values that will do so need to be aligned with these new realities. Indulgence, luxury, or gratuity aren't now as democratic as they were a year ago. They are definitely still present, thriving even, but in a much more specific way -- both with less frequency, and with more exclusivity.

Wherever a brand falls, having "traded up" -- or down -- they must simplify against one, and not get lost in the middle. Now is certainly not the time to try and meet everyone's needs. See, design is at its purest about building, creating, streamlining the use and message of a brand or product. Simplification has always been the foundation of powerfully "designed" brands, and the first step to Utility.

Stay on target.

Lost in the middle, brands must fight the urge to layer on complexity in communication too. Understand that pushing a product too far, or overcomplicating its message, is understood to be a diversion from the truth: that honest devotion, thoughtfulness and planning may simply not be there. Rather than extend a product line to say, exploit a green trend in a market segment, build on that which may already be green. And when devoting the time and thought to core messaging, don't let consumers stray from it.

Take Patagonia for instance: its core traits of quality, thoughtfulness and honesty touch everything from the rigor they use in sourcing sustainable materials to the thoroughness and transparency of its business practices. They'd never have to add a "green" extension to a product line, as the qualities that prove them a sustainable company are already built in.

Form the function.

The key to being a great Utility brand is letting the function of your brand become the motivator for your success. The North Face, Uggs ... are both good examples of brands that have become vastly trendy but have not waivered in their approach to brand or product offering. For both brands, there's a quality of context that they uphold - with partners, at events, in retail - that simply makes sense, and never stretches a consumer's imagination too far from their core. And what happened to both, and is a great model for brands re-addressing themselves right now, is that this focused, sincere and functional approach ultimately defined the trend.

Again, Utility brands have purpose, and are the models of efficiency. They simply work; they have a focused that is particularly relevant now, deliver a relevant and streamlined message in support of that focus, and staying true to both, trust that the trend will just follow. Short-term strategies to get through the economic downturn may end up being long- term barriers to future success.

If you stymie your message and goals to chase short-term revenues today, you will limit the value of your company in the future. The longer companies continue to chase consumers with soft trendy marketing and un-authentic messaging the weaker they will be in the future. Like every boom there is a bust and when the economy falls, companies consolidate. Make your message strong, follow your North Star, and focus on what makes you different and unique and use that as your strength, not trend.