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Do you REALLY think you’ve got a brand? You don’t, until you have this…

Author

Dan Pope
August 18, 2023

Average read time: 2 mins 46 seconds (longer if you didn’t go to BLOODY SpecSavers hahahahahahha)

Do you REALLY think you’ve got a brand? You don’t, until you have this…

This Summer, there’s queues for Barbie. But no barbecues.

Where are the Kieths and Kevins and Kens queuing outside local Butchers in Fat-Face-three-quarter-lengths-and-Oakley sunglasses and raging stonk on?

Pale Ankles n’ Pale Ale Paragons #DoomBar #FunkyFloralShirts #FunkyThreeQuarterLengths

At BBQ’s ambient panic ensues.

Ken and Kieth glued to their Samsung Galaxy (with protective case) watching the Ashes, smouldering their sausages to Ashes.

“Corrrrrr, fuck me Kev, check out my new Louisiana Smokin’ BBQ rub - I brought her off the Dark Web. Sheila doesn’t know. She’d be bloody livid. So don’t tell Dawn, please,.

“you wanna touch it Kevvy boi? Smell it Kevvy boi - fuck me Kevvy - corrrrrr, proper STONK ON Kev, need a Pale Ale to calm me down Kev”

I miss BBQs.

Feel like Picasso dunking his Sausage-paint brush into a selection of sauces. Sriracha on a Sause.

That BBQ smell.

Gorgeously soul-nourishing, sensory-melting, happiness-soaking smoky sensation of joy floats and swims and glides over the fence and tickles your nose and makes you feel all chilllllllllllllls.

Right. Enough of me waxing ad nause - there’s a story in this.

For years my family went to a local butchers in Ashtead. A small sleepy village with a Ladbrokes.

The butchers was famous.

Every weekend queues would wrap around the street like a python.

Yes, the food was INCREDIBLE.

BUT

The real reason for the queue?

Rob, the owner.

A big fella, garrulous and gargantuan personality voluptuously volleyed out his soul.

Big red whiskey-soaked nose like a Rum baba from debauchery-drenched nights on the Rum with his Bubba, Lynne.

Sparkling blue eyes like a snow wolf socketed in his round rosy chubby cheeks like little serene pools.

Rob made everyone feel warm. He remembered everyones name. People came back consistently and told all their friends.

One day, Rob left. Packed up shop. Buggered off.

A new guy came in.

Rob told us not to worry as the new bloke is getting his meat from the exactly the same farm.

At first the queues were large.

Over time they got smaller and smaller and smaller.

The new owner was sullen and moody and impersonal and cold.

Then, sadly, it got a little grubby and dirty inside.

The other day, I drove past…

TOTALLY empty.

Despite having the same shop and same product. Once the personality left so did the brands soul. Followed quickly by the customers.

Lesson One: Great Brand = Unique Personality

Good brands = great packaging + great product

Great brands = great packaging + great product + unique personality

Rude Health and Minor Figures, both have great packaging + great products.

*AND* they’ve also got + unique personalities.

How to find your unique personality in a busy world?

  1. Boil your brand down to ONE word. 

  2. Pick one friend (i.e. your perfect consumer)

  3. Ask yourself: how do we speak to our friend, consistently?

Look at the difference between Rude Health and Minor Figures.

you may need to Zoom in on this…!!

Never forget your brand IS a personality.

Your brand IS a UNIQUE connection.

For more… listen to these podcasts.

Lesson Two: The Little Things are the Big things

So many brands forget the little things. Like the new butcher not cleaning the shop. Over time people just leave and bugger off.

The LITTLE things are the BIG things.

Your competition are neglecting the little things. By simply and relentlessly focusing on the little things, you beat them.

MOTH are amazing at this. Podcast with their founder Rob is going live on Monday 8am soon. Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss out.

The copy on the pack is a little thing.

Shouting out the spirit brand they use on pack is a little thing.

Being super chill and patient with a buyer is a little thing.

Please be a wonderful human. I need a BIG favour, pretty please

Growing a newsletter is so fucking hard. Like crawling over glass in February in Hull.

Alas, I’ve just created a referral programme. And, YES there’s prizes!!!!!

Refer 5 people - get your brand shouted out on the podcast.

Refer 9 people - get a 1 hour zoom consultancy with yours truly (worth £350).

Refer 20 people - Hungry covers your next supper club, booze and food.

Thank you so much and have a lovely weekend!!!

Popey x