icu online lecture: «brand strategy: speaking the language of values and meaning»

Our branding agency ICU hosted an online lecture where brand strategist Kirill Samaray spoke on the topic: «Brand strategy: speaking the language of values and meaning».

The lecture opened with a quote from Estée Lauder: «We manufacture chemistry, but we sell hope». This thought succinctly conveys the idea that a brand is not just a product or service—it is the emotions, feelings, and associations that a consumer forms about a company.

The brand development process consists of several key steps:

1. setting objectives

2. conducting analysis

3. creating positioning

4. developing the brand platform

At the next stage, the brand strategist hands off the work to designers and creatives, who develop the brand’s naming and identity.

Through deep immersion, the strategist defines the brand’s goal — the starting point and directional vector for all further development steps. The goal could be:

– capturing an untapped audience and increasing market share

– entering a market segment with a new product

– expanding the brand’s presence by reaching new target segments

The format of this immersion depends on the company’s decision-making structure:

— Authoritarian: if decisions are made by a single leader, conducting an interview is the best approach.

— Democratic: if decisions are made collaboratively by management and employees, a combination of interviews and workshops works well.

— Liberal: if employees make decisions independently, a group workshop is the best option.

The next step in brand development for a strategist is conducting research, which includes:

- Brand audit: evaluating the current state of the brand

- Audience analysis: understanding consumer behavior and preferences

- Competitor analysis: identifying strengths, weaknesses, and market gaps

- Trends: exploring industry developments and market shifts

After gathering data, the strategist forms conclusions and hypotheses based on research findings.

The third stage is developing brand positioning—the unique place the brand occupies in the consumer’s mind relative to competitors, based on characteristics that are meaningful to the target audience.

One of the most detailed and crucial stages is creating the brand platform. This is a comprehensive framework that defines the brand’s desired image, ensuring consistency within the company and among its partners. The brand platform includes:

- brand essence

- mission and vision

- values and personality

- ladder of benefits and attributes

– Emotional benefit. The core value that shapes the brand’s perception and inspires consumers. It answers the question: «What do I feel?».

– Functional benefit. The tangible aspects that support the emotional benefit, appealing to logical reasoning. It answers the question: «What do I get?».

– Attributes. Factual product characteristics that prove the brand can fulfill its promises.

– Personality. The human-like character of the brand, which influences communication style and visual identity. A strong personality differentiates the brand from competitors, creates an emotional connection with the audience, and makes brand communication recognizable.

– Values. The foundation of the brand that defines its uniqueness and distinguishes it from competitors.

– Mission. Justifies the brand’s existence in the eyes of consumers, defining its purpose, advantages, and aspirations.

– Vision. An ambitious long-term goal that serves as the brand’s growth vector, aligning with business objectives.

– Brand Essence. The core promise the brand makes to consumers—its fundamental idea, around which all further communication is built.

During the lecture, our brand strategist engaged the audience in interactive discussions, encouraging participants to respond to questions and share insights. At the end of the webinar, both our strategist and brand designer conducted portfolio reviews, highlighting the strengths of participants' work and offering suggestions for improvement.

Each participant received valuable feedback, had the chance to ask questions, and, most importantly, gained a clear direction for professional growth.

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