Many people mistakenly use the terms “brand” and “company” interchangeably. But the truth is most companies are not brands. A true brand stands for something beyond the product you manufacture or the service you offer. It embodies a commitment to values and a relatable promise that can lead to greater preference, loyalty, and market share.
Through a multi-step process, I’ll help unlock your company’s core purpose and positioning, enabling you to discover your inner brand. My methodology isn’t about focus groups or endless data analysis. It’s about digging for and uncovering an inherent foundational truth. Good strategy is never manufactured. Rather, good strategy is unearthed. I’ve helped launch start-ups and revitalized 100-year-old legacy brands with this process. Ultimately, brand strategy is more than just improving communications. It’s a key business tool that can guide almost every decision you’ll make.
The creative development process is where strategy becomes an actionable plan for crafting effective communications. I believe RELEVANCE is the primary creative filter. Whether an idea is unique or memorable can be subject to personal taste or opinion. But RELEVANCE is easier to judge. It’s either a motivating truth for your audience or it isn’t. No amount of money, celebrity casting or executional flair can make up for the lack of it.
With a focused strategy, even the craziest creative leap can make sense. I’ve never asked a client to “just trust me” with my creative choices. Instead, I’ve asked them to trust the insights and strategy that became the starting point for those creative choices. When strategy is properly developed, it makes the creative process less like searching for an oasis in the desert and more like choosing the right set of wheels from a garage full of cars. They’ll all get you there but the impression you want to make when you arrive is up to you.
During my time on the agency frontlines, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with and learning from world-class producers, directors, editors, and VFX artists. Those lessons have been an invaluable film school, providing hands-on experiences that continue to shape my approach to directing. While I’m passionate about bringing brand stories to life through the various filmmaking tools at my disposal, my primary focus is always on serving the story.
As a filmmaker, it’s easy to get lost in technical details, distracted by the countless decisions that need to be made or consumed by the pressures of time and budget. What keeps me focused is the clarity that comes from a strong brand strategy. If you’ve done the Strategic and Creative development properly, all the other decisions are that much easier to make. Whether I’m directing rambunctious kids, coaxing a performance from a dog or framing the perfect shot of a car’s headlights from the back of a moving truck, it’s all about crafting brand stories that resonate, inspire and drive results.