Ralph Lauren is trying to create history. His products all create a frame of mind and a persona. You go into his stores and there are props and stage settings a saddle and a rope. He s not selling saddles. He s using the saddle to tell a story.
Stories create a connection for people.
Stories create the emotional context people need to locate themselves in a larger experience. A great brand is hard to find. I walked through a hardware store last night and came across fifty brands I didn t know existed, says Scott Bedbury. They may be great products, but not great brands. Whether the product is sneakers, coffee or a retail enterprise creating, building and maintaining a great identity depends on knowing the right principles.