As brands everywhere strive to be noticed and heard, many invest millions in crafting a distinctive identity. Yet authentic brands don't need to be photoshopped, perfected, or polished to stand out. Leaders can learn much about authenticity from the late singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor.
Being authentic is the most powerful brand asset you have. Consumers have grown weary of vacuous virtue-signaling. That's why 86 percent insist on authentic brands.
As a former chief marketing officer, I've built numerous brands, witnessing both success and failure. Exceptional brands harness three factors that hold true for musicians and marketers alike – identity definition, emotional resonance, and consistent inconsistency.
1. Identity Definition
Whether you're a singer or a startup, authenticity isn't forced or fabricated. It flows from who you are –even if you can't always define it. It starts by respecting your real identity rather than curating an avatar ideal.
A courageous voice is not just respected, it's envied. Many secretly covet being true to themselves, even though a public face is selectively necessary. Icons like Steve Jobs, Warren Buffett, and John McEnroe effortlessly surpass this hurdle.
O'Connor understood who she was and how it set her apart. Her unique product reflected a blend of styles. Her brand revolved around non-conformism, frequently opining about politics, race, and religion. "I didn't want to be a pop star," she said. "I wanted to be a protest singer."
Knowing your audience is branding 101.
As expanding businesses learn, mistakes happen. Things can go horribly wrong when you grow or achieve fame too quickly. O'Connor's decision not to play the Star-Spangled Banner before a 1990 concert was ill-judged. Underestimating her audience sparked outrage.
Yet she sold over 15 million records and, in 1991, earned a Grammy for Best Alternative Performance – an event she boycotted for political reasons.
2. Emotional Resonance
Consumers are the ultimate fans. If you don't inspire emotion, you have no brand. Positive connection humanizes your message and translates into repeat purchases and loyalty.
Maximizing brand power comes from sharing a backstory. Curious customers want to understand the challenges and triumphs. We might marvel at the meteoric rise of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson or ponder the fate of Alibaba's Jack Ma or Zappos's Tony Hsieh.
Sinead O'Connor always elicited an emotional response. This Irish trailblazer simultaneously thrilled, shocked, and moved audiences. Her stirring backstory defined her musical product.
Her haunting voice evoked a lifetime of pain and struggle. Screaming into the microphone about her own mother's cruelty, she exuded the trauma of a lost child. Last year, the world empathized with her as a desperate mother appealing to save her suicidal son. The outpouring of empathy was a testament to the power of her brand.
Human nature cheers the wounded as much as the underdog. It's a narrative many entrepreneurs adopt.
3. Consistently Inconsistent
Consistency of performance underpins success from L'Oréal shampoo to Red Bull. Leading brands don't compromise values. For every pair of glasses sold, eyewear company Warby Parker donates to someone in need.
While laggards resist change by adhering to the status quo, others thrive on reinvention like Nike and Lady Gaga. Successful brands are intentionally provocative – the art of surprise adds to the X factor.
A bundle of contradictions, brand O'Connor was consistent in her inconsistency – singing from a whisper to a scream, converting from Catholicism to Tridentine priestess to Islam. Her trademark image continued long after Nothing Compares to You, the symbolic shaved head an early protest against misogyny.
Authenticity isn't without risk. Ben & Jerry's is unapologetically passionate about fair trade, climate, and justice. It used its authentic voice, courageously suing parent Unilever. It took a stand.
O'Connor took a stand and spoke the truth. But the world wasn't ready to hear it. In a brand-defining gesture, O'Connor ripped a picture of Pope John Paul II on live TV, protesting against child abuse in the Catholic Church. Cassandra was canceled, scorned, and vilified. History proved her right.
Authenticity sets brands apart, positively or negatively. Brand building is more effective and less effortful when emanating from within but it must be managed.
All Things Must Pass
Occasionally, leaders encounter goal-conflict between pursuing truth and commercial gain. Should they invest short-term or long-term? Should they prioritize profits or the planet?
On the other hand, O'Connor had a clear sense of purpose. Her autobiography reflects a desire to "inspire people to be who they really are."
When global audiences describe a brand consistently, it signals authenticity. Sinead O'Connor's super brand legacy remains intact -- hailed as witty, controversial, and uncompromising. She is feted as "a mesmerizing talent who bared her heart and took on the world."
She once adorned a wall with the phrase "I just want to be heard."
Her brand message has now echoed far and wide, immortalized for those who choose to draw inspiration from it.
Inc
