[MUSIC PLAYING] You might think I'm going to start off this lesson by talking to you about great brand names and unforgettable logos that you'd most likely definitely recognize. But the truth is, your company's name, and the logo you're looking to create, doesn't come until the very end of this module. And that's because, when you think of brand, you almost always start thinking about what I call brand identity. A brand identity is a physical manifestation of a brand we see in everyday life-- the logo, the catchphrase, or even the headline you typically see.
But where we're starting with today is the foundation to all of that; the brand itself. So why can't we just skip ahead to the fun stuff, and maybe pick up a logo, and some colors and, just be done with it? Well, technically you can. But I've seen it too often that companies aren't patient with their brand. And it really hurts them down the long run. The company that takes the time to articulate on its brand and build it intentionally are typically the ones that succeed.
And that's why I want to take you through this module so you can build a brand that lasts. Through building a brand, you deliver the promise to your audience of how they're going to go and benefit when interacting with your brand. Nike's purpose is to bring innovation and inspiration to everyday athletes around the world. And we'll use them as an example. With that, they promise, when buying their products or wearing Nike in general, your ability is amplified due to the innovation that they invest in.
Nike's brand isn't the swoosh or "Just Do It", Nike's brand is a promise of delivering innovation to the world's athletes. Now, don't get intimidated by Nike. I'm just using them as an example so everyone would hopefully recognize. Companies like Nike spend millions of dollars on their brands and hires outside agencies to support their founder's vision. So you shouldn't really expect to reach their level, well, at least just yet.
Today, we're talking about the minimal, viable brand, something effectively represents your business that you can be proud of, but knowing that you will most likely change in the future. Every great brand has to start somewhere, and a good brand constantly evolves. Your brand helps you differentiate as you're getting started, and it helps your audience understand what you stand for. Oftentimes a brand is an extension of its founder.
Now, this isn't always the case, but it works well when the brand's founder actually represents the customer as well. Now, consider your situation. Are you selling a product that you would typically buy? Are you a good representation, maybe, of a future buyer? If so, it would be great to consider integrating your own personality into your brand. In the next lesson, I'm going to take you through the brand architecture.
And this is where we're going to identify key pieces of your brand like your mission as well as brand pillars. And after that, we're going to dive deep into brand identity-- bringing all of that work to life. At that point, we'll have our entire brand architecture established, and we can get started and decided on the look and feel of your brand. So head to the next lesson and get started with your brand architecture.