Deep brand work is human
In this episode, we’re talking about the value of getting out from behind the screen and into the real world when it comes to brand work. We kicked off a new positioning project with an excursion — and while it’s not always possible, it’s always worth considering. There’s a depth you get from being on-site that you just won’t find in a Zoom call. We reflect on what’s gained by seeing things firsthand, building stronger buy-in, and making space for real connection in a digitally reliant world.
Branding Before Breakfast Ep 211 Deep brand work is human
We kicked off a brand positioning project last week with our very favourite thing to do, which is an excursion, and it’s not always possible, but I think it’s always worth thinking about because we’re all so accustomed to defaulting to Zoom or Teams and slide decks and everyone’s talking about AI and doing things faster and more efficiently.
But when you’re working closely on a really important body of work, which is what brand positioning is, taking the time to go and sit with the client to see what their practices are, their processes, their passion, their history, how things work, there’s always going to be this intangible level of depth that we are going to get from seeing things firsthand and things that they would never think to tell us in the first place. So, in terms of really understanding the essence of a company or an organisation, whether it’s a farm, an office, or a factory, getting amongst it is so good. Other than that, just on a practical level, it’s the level of stakeholder buy-in, you know, showing the care, taking the time to go and see how a business operates.
I think it’s something that has been a little bit lost in this very digitally reliant world, and don’t get me wrong, all the digital tools are great. Sometimes they’re all we’ve got if we’re working remotely and those sorts of things. But today I just want you to think about, is there anything that you are doing that would benefit from getting away from the computer and going out in the wild? Or flip side of that, is there a company that’s working with your organisation and they would benefit from getting out from behind their computer and coming to spend some time with you?
Human connection in a digital world is still really important, and let’s make sure that we keep taking the time to do the real deep work and not rely on all our tools.
Written by: Jodie de Vries
Published: May 28, 2025
