Recently, I was working on a typical branding project—the outcome of which was a presentation that, among other things, contained a brief narrative (or brand anthem) introducing the positioning concept and bringing it to life through a series of short, declarative statements. It’s the sort of presentation where every word is carefully chosen and scrutinized for what it says about the brand, and how well each idea intellectually executes on the overall brand strategy. It’s difficult writing to get exactly right; and, as the prose becomes more precise, it also becomes rather dull. I have developed and delivered many of these presentations, and I’m almost never happy with them. Part of this is admittedly my own problem, but I still wonder if we’re missing something.
The something I have in mind is poetry. I’m not talking about iambic pentameter or deep, multifaceted metaphors. Specifically, I’ve been thinking about Carl Sandburg’s Chicago. Published in 1916, it’s a short poem—just 22 lines—that both describes and renders heroic the city of Chicago. What I love about it is the way in which Sandburg conveys a complex perspective about place that is both focused and broad as well as factual and emotive. It’s the brand essence of Chicago, circa 1916. The words themselves are brilliant. He doesn’t mess around—the poem begins with “Hog Butcher for the World” and it picks up steam from there. I love the cadence. It’s forceful, dramatic and almost musical. It grabs you by the throat and punches you in the gut. It’s beautiful. And it sounds even better if you read it aloud.
If we were engaged to brand the city of Chicago, we’d probably re-write that first line as “Global hub for agricultural commerce.” And that’s the problem. I’m exaggerating a bit (we could do better)—but why must business writing be so banal? It’s one thing to talk about emotional branding, but it’s another to deliver on the idea and really get it right. And, if that’s what we’re after, doesn’t it follow that our approach for translating ideas should have more in common with poetry than exposition? Should it not surprise and delight? Deliver goosebumps as well as head nods? Shouldn’t a brand anthem be, well, an anthem? I think we need to work harder at our craft, and be more ambitious with our words. The medium may not be the message, but it’s equally important.