The Brand Spine

VISION | A set of guidelines, a clear direction for current and future actions, a condensed business proposition |

Joel BakerJoel Baker says “Vision without action is just a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world” |

Is there any value in communicating a corporate vision? A strong brand identity creates a solid link between a corporate vision and brand associations developed by consumers. The clearer and more consistent network of messages that a brand shares with its communities the greater trust and loyalty are organically developed within a marketplace. The corporate vision acts like a transparent cotton threat that harmoniously brings all the communication puzzles together. The key characteristic of a sustainable vision is its simplicity | Evans (2010Evans (2010) calls it the mental picture that is continuously nurtured and optimised by organisations. A corporate vision support brands by providing guidance, and directions, it is the “North Star” of inspirations and short/log term planning | 

MISSION |  A goal, a corporate purpose, and the organisation chart for fulfilling a vision | 

A well-defined mission supports organisations’ existence, it answers 3 questions

WHAT a brand does
WHO a brand does it for
HOW a brand does what it does

Mission focuses a brand of the organisational spine, its people, products, objectives and the reason for being | Brands deliver their visionary promises by addressing a set of areas in their mission statements   an organization and its people on a delivery of vision by drawing an attention to the following areas 

1. Customers | Who are your customers? How do you benefit them?
2. Products or services | What are the main products or services that you offer? Wha is your offerings’ uniqueness?
3. Markets | In which geographical markets do you operate?
4. Technology | What are you capabilities?
5. Concern for survival | What is your growth commitment?
6. Philosophy | What guides your brand?
7. Self-concept | What are your strengths, competencies or competitive advantages?
8. Concern for public image | Is the firm social and environmental responsibility practice ?
9. Concern for employees | How do you treat your staff” | JureviciusJurevicius.

The power of mission statements lays in their organic impact that expands rapidly only under the one condition of the clarity of its meaning |

Remember that mission statements differ from vision statements because of their adjustable nature. Vision stands for a long-term objective, steady and unchangeable. Mission creates a path leading to a visionary goal, and, by nature, paths tend to be rocky, muddy, curved or dead-ended … never predictable. Mission might change over time requiring adjustments caused by markets and economic climate’s fluctuations |

STRATEGY |  Actions to be undertaken to translate a vision, expressed in mission statements. A strategy “[…] is the art of determining how you’ll “win” in business and life” (Manktelow).

Strategy contains the set of perspectives, positioning, planning, and patterns needed to be embossed to achieve expected results. Strategy is the bridge between policy or high-order goals on the one hand and tactics or concrete actions on the other. Strategy and tactics together straddle the gap between ends and means |

“Strategy is the journey we imagine and, at the same time, it is the course we steer, the trip we actually make” (Nickols).

Brands to become, remain and place themselves on the positioning levels of marketplace competitiveness need a solid base, a silhouette that is going to provide support when the help is needed and lead when the directions might slightly drift apart |