Meaning matters to business; Business matters to meaning.

Discussion Paper | January 2016Adam Johnson & Clare Goodridge

If you feel safe in the area you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.

David Bowie

Humans Search for Meaning. Meaning and Self Anchors Brands as short-hand How brands can be a short-hand for self expression How brands can guide action

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Harley Davidson

On the surface, choosing to associate with this Maverick brand seems like a convenient shorthand for self expression, but the choice is actually deeply connected to personal goals and motivations saying much more about the person’s life purpose, values and aspirations than you might expect.

Mokeskine NotebooksSimilarly, somebody who identifies with the characteristics of the Artist archetype might be excited by a brand like Moleskine. And then, for example, Harley Davidson and Moleskine might be drawn on in combination to create a layered, blended identity intended to express a unique sense of self (along with the many other layers added into the mix).

Meaningful Brands Meaning and self expression Meaningfulness makes your marketing more effective People pay a premium for meaningful brands A meaningful brand is a valuable brand Lifting above transaction The Infinite Game of Meaning

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We do this by humanising brands A brand must be vulnerable to be meaningful Brands need to communicate with empathy A brand must know itself Brand identity must remain central to everything

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Using archetypes to enable connectionA familiar character or situation that transcends time, place, culture, gender and age. It represents an eternal truth. John Howard-Spink

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Discussion Questions The Havas Media research shows that there

is a huge disconnect between people and brand. Most people would not care if 74% of all brands disappeared for good.

What brands are meaningful to you? What is it that makes them meaningful?

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Discussion Questions The Havas Media research shows Meaningful Brands

deliver 100% more KPI outcomes, gain, on average, 46% more share of wallet and outperform the stock market by 133%

If meaningfulness delivers positive business results, how can you find and express your brand’s meaning?

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Discussion Questions Sir Bob Geldof talks about an emerging world

where people believe less in government, and more in business.

Can you imagine what your business looks like in this world? Where people believe in your brand?

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THE BUSINESS OF MEANINGPO Box 1299 West Leederville WA 6901

www.lover-engineer.com