I was working on a few articles about content, strategy, and marketing when it hit me: we talk about “brand” as if it’s just a product name, a logo, a commercial, or maybe a well-known company. But how often do we actually stop and ask ourselves: What is a brand, really?
That question sent my thoughts spinning. You can’t build a solid strategy without first understanding what your brand is – and why it exists in the first place. A bit like Simon Sinek says: Start with why. I’ve often written and worked from the assumption that this is obvious. But is it, really?
A Brand Is Not Just One Thing
A brand can be many things. It’s not necessarily what you sell. It’s what people remember.
- A company – like Apple, TINE, or Oda
- A product – like iPhone, Pepsi, or Grandiosa
- A service – like Finn.no or Vipps
- A person – like you and me, on LinkedIn or in a job interview
- An umbrella – like Orkla or Unilever, owning many brands but also having a distinct identity
- A concept – like Fairtrade, sustainability, or eco-friendliness
A Brand Is About Feelings – Not Just Facts
It’s easy to believe branding is all about visual identity, slogans, and marketing materials. But a brand is really the sum of impressions, experiences, and emotions.
- It’s how people feel when they hear your name.
- It’s what they say about you when you’re not in the room.
- It’s the first impression – and the last.
That’s Why You Need a Clear “Why”
Before you start building your brand, you need to ask some fundamental questions:
- Why do we exist?
- What do we stand for – and what do we stand against?
- What do we want people to associate us with?
- How do we want people to feel when they interact with us?
Because your brand isn’t what you say it is. It’s what people experience it to be.
What Makes a Strong Brand?
A strong brand doesn’t just give you a nice design. It gives you direction. It helps you make decisions. It attracts the right people – as customers and colleagues.
A strong brand offers:
- Trust – people know what to expect
- Clarity – people understand what you offer
- Differentiation – people see why they should choose you
- Loyalty – people come back
- Market strength – you can handle more noise
Everything Communicates – Even What You Don’t Say
You’re building your brand all the time, whether you intend to or not.
- How you reply to emails
- How your website looks
- How your products are experienced
- How you behave in a meeting
- What people say about you online
A brand isn’t just what you control – it’s the sum of all the experiences people have with you.
Yes, You Are Also a Brand
When you write a CV, apply for a job, start your own business, or simply show up on LinkedIn – you’re building your personal brand.
What do you stand for? What’s your style? What do you want to be known for?
Some people build trust instantly. Others – like me – can seem a bit more diffuse until you’ve had the chance to really get to know them. I’m what you might call a “jack of all trades.” A generalist. And that can make it tricky to label yourself – even to yourself.
But branding isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being real. And clear enough that people understand who they’re dealing with.
For years, my label has been Product Manager – a title that fits well in many contexts. A role that connects people, sees the big picture, and helps things move forward. But it doesn’t capture everything. I rarely build something entirely new – I refine, improve, and bring clarity.
That’s what led me to create a new word: idématerialist.
A kind of personal brand in itself. A term that says more about who I am, how I think, and what you get when you work with me.
Want to know what an idématerialist is? Read more here.
What’s Your Brand?
I realized that Product Manager might not be my brand – just a title that fit in many situations. It was during my years in that role that I learned the most, worked across teams, and figured out what I’m actually good at. But it wasn’t until I landed on the word idématerialist that it really clicked.
Not as a formal job title, but as an expression of who I am, how I think – and how I create value.
Because what truly leaves a mark isn’t what’s on your business card. It’s how we make people feel. How we show up. What we communicate – and what we stand for when no one’s watching.
Branding isn’t just about what you do – but who you are while doing it.
So maybe my brand is about making complex things understandable. Combining strategy with humanity. Listening a bit more closely, seeing connections, and asking the questions that make people think.
To put it in one word: idématerialist.
What About You?
- What do you want people to think and feel when your name comes up in a conversation?
- What do you want to stand for – even when you’re not in the room?
You don’t need the perfect answer. What matters is that you start asking the question.
Before You Build – Pause and Ask “Why?”
So the next time you’re about to dive into marketing, content, or a new strategy – don’t start with what you’re making or how you’ll reach people. Start with why you exist. What you want to be. And how you want to be remembered.
Because that’s your brand.
We all carry a kind of signature – whether we’re aware of it or not.
Maybe it’s time to pause and ask:
What is my brand, really – and why that one?
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Maybe – like me – you’ll discover something new along the way.
Want to dive deeper into the power of “why”? Read: Why Asking “Why?” Makes You a Better Leader and Colleague.
Asking why doesn’t just help define your brand – it also shapes your leadership style, your decisions, and how others experience working with you. This article explores how “why” is often the missing piece between just doing your job and truly making a difference.
