As a young art student, I remember being told a great quote from Pablo Picasso on sculpture.
When asked how he made a mighty bull from stone, his response was simple - “I start with a rock, then remove everything that’s not a bull.”
When checking the validity of the quote for this article, I was surprised to discover that it has also been attributed to Michelangelo on how he created David, along with an anonymous artist about an elephant and several other references that include an angel.
The fact that Picasso’s many bull statues were invariably cast in bronze makes it unlikely that he did lay claim to the quote.
But regardless of who said it, and whether it was about an elephant or an angel, it makes an incredibly important point.
Put simply, knowing what you want to bring out from your rock is essential.
Otherwise, you’ll just mindlessly chip away, until you find yourself standing in a pile of gravel, nursing grazed knuckles.
That’s a situation many business leaders have found themselves in recently.
So how do you avoid this waste of time and resource?
While this will no-doubt be as contentious as the origins of the sculpture quote, I believe it all comes down to a well-interrogated, considered and crafted brand strategy.
Far more than giving clarity to marketing messaging, tonality and visual language, brand strategy gives shape to the essential elements of the entire organisation.
It crystallises your company culture, reflecting the authentic beliefs and behaviours of your internal team, from interns to c-suite.
It enhances customer experience, informing every facet of product development and service delivery.
And, at a time when many organisations are being forced to focus on operational efficiency, it defines where you should, and shouldn’t, make cuts.
That makes brand your most valuable business asset.
No bull.
Thanks for reading.