Journal

Some ideas are worth revisiting.

At the beginning of every new year, we all love the idea of a clean slate; starting brand new. Reinvention, exhilarated innovation, new message, new mantra, new you! Hmm. The design world is constantly evolving to solve an array of seemingly new problems — some are new, but honestly, most are the same old same old. Our head of technology always likes to say “There are no new problems, just new solutions.” And like many other design-thinkers who manage to stay ahead of their time with the ideas, discoveries, and theories; Simon Sinek’s “The Golden Circle” theory hailed earlier mid-decade seems to have reason to sparkle again. As a theory it is by no means bulletproof (or new), but as a brand building exercise this concept could prove useful for many of today’s companies. With 2017 underway, Simon’s concept is quickly resurfacing as a strong tool to answer many of the challenges that current brands face when connecting with their more values-driven, authentic-seeking, transparency-embracing customers — or – let’s just call them what they are; millennials. How to connect with a new generation is not a new problem, and this generation might not even need a new solution.

The Why

At the core of every action we take lies a reason to why we took that action. Similarly, brands that experience long-term success understand why they were capable of such success. When relating this thinking to a business — big or small — it’s easy to neglect the ‘WHY’ and focus on the ‘WHAT’. The Golden Circle reinforces that brands, companies and people alike should focus on why they do what they do as the foundation of their business. In other words, communicating from the inside out rather than the outside in, presents the opportunity to connect with individuals on a much more personal level. Here at Designing North Studios, we predict that this simple concept will play a large role in how successful both young and experienced brands will be in 2017. As the Designing North Studios brand mantra says, ‘It’s not a location, it’s a mindset” — our mindset is our WHY; our fundamental reason for doing what we do.

Here’s an interesting way to demonstrate the importance of operating from the inside out on a personal level. Think about the job interviews of your past and try to remember how each one played out. Chances are good that you don’t remember the majority of them since they didn’t connect with you emotionally. Each one likely began with a ‘what’ formatted question and didn’t excite a response that tapped into your creativity or emotion. Now imagine if every interview began like this: Why do you do this profession and why are you here today? It’s transparent that you could relay your core message much sooner and with much less words; The Golden Circle drives this point home. As soon as the ‘why’ becomes more than an income or sales driver, a true purpose can be identified; your brand’s purpose for being.

The How

From the core of The Golden Circle we move outward one layer which represents the ‘HOW’. Still less obvious than what a brand does, how they do it reveals their differentiation amongst the competition. When a brand can accurately and consistently identify how they do what they do, they will likely be able to replicate and further strengthen the how factor. As 2016 has foreshadowed, the coming year will challenge brands to transform the ‘how’ into visual content that’s strategically created with purpose (reflecting the why factor) and uniquely shared across social media channels. Simply ‘knowing’ how a brand creates value isn’t personal enough for individuals to form a lasting connection. It needs to be experienced. This is why content truly is king and will continue to be the foundation of personal and professional bonds between brands and real people; not just those termed consumers. The ‘how’, or value proposition, is still just as important as ever but will require a bit more creativity to convey and bring to life in 2017.

The What

The outside of the Golden Circle is comprised of the ‘what’ layer and refers to a brand’s or individual’s ability to communicate what they do. Of the three layers it’s the easiest to identify which is why brands commonly rely on it to define their business. Unfortunately the best things in life don’t come easy – but you already know this. As history has shown us, there once was a time when answering a simple question – what do you do? – was enough to connect with like-minded consumers and possibly spark a person’s interest, enough so to draw them to your brand. We believe those days are gone. With technology we see innovation, and with innovation we see change which is why the ‘what’ no longer suffices as a credible factor for brands to be accepted as a part of one’s life. Now, more than ever, human beings need more than ‘what’ to make a purchase, they want to personally connect with the ‘why’.

How is it that only a few brands have achieved unthinkable success when the vast majority remain average given the same resources? How is it that an even playing field can appear to be so one-sided? The explanation may lie in the ability to create value from the inside out rather than the outside in. The Golden Circle could play an integral role in revisiting, reinventing, and rethinking the success of both current and new brands in 2017.

Designing North Studios’ strategiests and designers know a good theory and when to revive it.

When you are ready to take a look at your brand from the inside out, get in touch.