Every day you own a brand, you are making decisions; whether to stand out or blend in, if you should inspire or hide. Most brand owners tend to run for the middle-ground. This is not a safe-haven. You might be surprised to discover how many organisations are friendly, yet professional. Or not.
And yet, aware of this self-evidence, clients will still often focus only upon themselves in a branding exercise, believing that nobody can object to a company whose entire personality could be reduced to these two, uninspiring words. They are right, of course: Nobody could be inspired by or find resentment for such an entity. Nor could they for the other 98% of companies whose mission statements also read "We will be the number one {insert product/service here} supplier in the marketplace and deliver the best customer service etc…." If you want to blend into the crowd, be friendly and professional.
When I went for interview at Oxford University I became immediately aware that my dark grey suit and white shirt were pretty much exactly the same as every other candidates' dark grey suit and white shirt. I made a decision at that moment that I would . Like me or hate me, I was going to ensure my interviewer would have a distinct memory of me long after I had left the interview room. I went out and bought myself a horrible ensemble of green suit, red shirt and, just to be absolutely sure there was no duplication, a blue waistcoat. I certainly got a reaction. My interviewer wrote to my school telling them of my "original, colourful personality". And I got the place. The lesson I learned was that wacky beats common. But you don't have to be wacky to make a point.
If we condensed our company's brand down to two words they would be 'bold' and 'quirky'. A prospective partner might not be enamoured with such a personality but if they weren't they probably shouldn't work with us. A client that does want these things in a digital supplier, however, need look no further – and they sure wouldn't have found it looking for 'friendly and professional'. So be different. Be the things that your competitors are not. Take risks with how you are perceived. Liberate the personalities of your staff beyond the limits of their office. By all means, be friendly to everyone you meet and act in a professional manner but resist the urge to sink to the lowest common denominator of brand.
