Why aren’t more brands waking up to the fact that communication isn’t all about words?

Planners are trained to strip things down, to chase simplicity and neatly bottle it. But here’s the problem: this obsessive quest for verbal clarity can sanitise a brand, scraping away the interesting rough edges that make it special. Untangld co-founder, James Needham, explores.

I’ve just wrapped up a few months with clients, helping them craft their global brand and communications strategies. What hit me hard during this process is the stark limitation of words when it comes to defining a brand.

As planners, we’re trained to strip things down, to chase simplicity and neatly bottle it.

But here’s the problem: this obsessive quest for verbal clarity can sanitise a brand, scraping away the interesting rough edges that make it special.

The chief marketing officer gets their nice, tidy slide of 20 words or less – but at what cost?

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