The Brand Model Canvas explained
Your startup brand's north star in the form of a single-page brand bible (no really, we're not kidding)
Ever wondered why brands like Samsung, Nike and Coca Cola mean so much to so many people? How do these brands sell its products almost effortlessly through prosperous and challenging times while other brands struggle to capture consumers' eyes and ultimately, revenue sources?
When it comes to a brand, product or service is only half of the equation. The secret ingredient lies in the way the brand communicates its value to consumers which creates an emotional connection. In many cases, the difference comes down to one key thing: branding.
This begs the question - what is a brand and how can a brand be effective?
As brands look to combine self-discovery with business-modelling and brand-building, many fall short of exploring the entire spectrum and true potential of symbolic brand benefits. A useful and simple tool to combine all the above efforts is the Brand Model Canvas.
So what is a Brand Model Canvas?
An adaptation of the Business Model Canvas developed by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur, the Brand Model Canvas is a strategic tool to define and communicate a brand’s concept. The one-page document focuses on the branding aspect by working through the fundamental elements of a brand which helps structure the brand narrative.
To truly understand what a brand is, we have to find its root. That root lies in the minds of consumers. To get into the minds of consumers, brands need to portray itself as a person instead of merely a product or service.
As quoted by #LeanBranding extraordinaire Laura Busche “People relate to people, and if your brand feels like people, they’ll relate to you too”.
For great brands, consumers are able to relate and connect with the brand in the same way that they relate and connect with one’s parent, friend, sibling, colleague and the like.
Our Brand Model Canvas can help you establish your root. This will then lead you to develop your brand purpose which becomes your north star as you navigate your business through good and bad troughs.
As simple as this exercise may seem, looks can be deceiving. It requires you to question your purpose and think about what it is that you stand to offer as a brand.
Take the case of health tech startup Advanx Health.
In the early stages of its inception, the team at Advanx Health took a mindful step back to assess its brand purpose. From the get-go, the brand knew what it could offer but struggled with its articulation especially in layman terms.
After going through the exercise, we fine tuned various elements of the canvas:
Brand Mission and Vision - Focusing on what the brand can offer to its consumers and how it can be articulated precisely and easily, this leaves no room for misinterpretation.
Brand Promise - By positioning it to consumer’s genetic code instead of DNA, this insinuates that each individual possesses a unique makeup.
Brand Essence - We changed the stance from the consumer making one’s own discovery to Advanx Health making the discovery for consumers instead. This speaks volumes from the perspective of trust in that consumers can trust the brand to help them instead of helping themselves.
Brand Voice - Making the brand’s voice easy and personal instills trust and confidence in its consumers.
Following the exercise, our team helped to outline its key brand strategy including developing the brand icon that has eventually been translated across all its touch points.
As scary as it may seem, the reality is that any startup looking to create a strong brand needs to first find and establish its root. As with all kinds of communications, it’s the person with a story, not the features, that sell.
Want to take a stab at building your startup’s Brand Model Canvas? Click on the b button below to download the document and get to work.
Need help with your Brand Model Canvas? Get in touch with us so we can guide you on your journey, coffee on us.