How »U« is your USP?

Let’s be honest: Can you describe in 30 seconds what makes your brand special and what kind of emotion it should evoke in your customers? It’s crucial that we’re talking about your BRAND here. Not your company and not your products. Give it a try. 30 seconds. The clock is ticking.

The clearer your brand, the more precise your communication. You know exactly who your brand is targeting and the impact it should have. Every marketing measure hits the mark, and not a cent is wasted. Your website, advertising, and even corporate events are spot on.

Take XAL, a manufacturer of innovative LED lamps. For a long time, they didn’t need to think about what makes their brand unique. The lamps were avant-garde and unique. But then the copycats arrived… Suddenly, it became crucial to clearly communicate what makes the brand XAL special and differentiates it from the competition. Although everyone in the company could sense it, they couldn’t articulate it. Through a thorough positioning process, we identified that XAL’s brand identity embodies the archetype of an explorer: XAL constantly pushes into the unknown, works at the cutting edge of what is technically possible, and achieves unprecedented solutions.

Suddenly, everyone in the company understood what this meant for brand communication: XAL’s corporate design plays with the unknown and the mysterious. In corporate publishing, fittingly, stories are told of people pushing the limits of what is technically achievable—whether in architecture or construction—and their success stories are shared.

And that’s exactly what XAL had found. Everywhere people encounter the XAL brand, this fitting emotion is present. This ensures that customers not only see but also feel what the brand stands for.

A similarly profound realization occurred at the Vienna Stock Exchange: After the brand positioning, the theme for the 250th-anniversary celebration was crystal clear: “The Next 250.” The Stock Exchange wanted to look to the future and invited the smartest minds to collectively ponder the future of finance. Interviews, panels, videos, and an anniversary publication followed. The accompanying slogan was “Delivering the future since 1771.” Every touchpoint with the brand, whether through events, publications, or media, conveyed this powerful message. The Vienna Stock Exchange was thus perceived not only as a historical institution but also as a forward-thinking player.

The example of the Vienna Stock Exchange demonstrates this and illustrates how deeply impactful clear brand positioning can be. It not only creates internal clarity but also shapes external perceptions. Customers and stakeholders understand the brand and develop an emotional connection.
Brand clarity is far more than just a pretty logo or a clever slogan. It is the foundation upon which strong, memorable, and successful brands are built and led into the future.