Brand New

Haaii and goodmorning!

What an energy-boosting week this has been! Even though it’s officially the dark season (and yes, I’ve already put up my Christmas tree to keep my spirits up), this week was an absolute highlight. I gave two masterclasses on turning your brand into a personality, and it was absolutely amazing!

And not just that—if you’ve noticed, this newsletter has a whole new look and branding. I’m so excited, I could paint my ceiling yellow just to match my mood!!

➡️ Do you have a Brand VALUE Book?

👆That’s the question I asked the participants of the masterclass. We all have logos, colors, and fonts neatly documented in a brand book. But let’s be honest—pretty colors and shapes don’t make a brand. What does your brand truly stand for? What is its emotional value? Its DNA? Its mission?

Have you written all of this down in a Brand VALUE Book? No? That’s a missed opportunity. This foundation is what ensures your brand stays consistent—no matter the platform, campaign, or team member working on it.

Take Apple (okay, I know, a classic example, but it’s such a good one!): everything they do—from product design to marketing—breathes innovation and simplicity. Or Nike, with their "Just Do It" message—it’s not just about sportswear, it’s about inspiration.

If you don’t have a Brand VALUE Book, contact me quickly! Without it, your brand risks being inconsistent, forgettable, or just another name in the crowd. Let’s fix that!

PS. Does this 👆 feel like it’s too much of a middle finger vibe? Not the goal, I swear! Maybe it’s time to stop using it before it starts offending people by accident. 😅

➡️ Are you Guilty?! 😅

This meme has already been used in a million versions, but it still works for me hahaha.

The message here?
Most marketers say their campaigns are all about brand awareness,
but in the end, they’re measuring conversions.
The problem?
If your goal and your metrics don’t align,
you’re setting yourself up for confusion and wasted effort.
Be honest about your objectives from the start.
If it is awareness, then focus on metrics like reach, impressions, and engagement
—not sales or clicks.

PS. A real-life example from one of my clients 🙊😬😅

➡️ BrandLove: Jaguar says ‘Copy Nothing’

I can’t write this newsletter about branding without mentioning the big news from last week in Brand Land: the rebranding of car brand Jaguar. Jaguar has completely reinvented itself, this to attract a younger and wealthier (!!) audience by stepping away from its traditional image. A bold new logo, a focus on electric vehicles, and an ad campaign where the cars themselves aren’t even shown—it’s a reeeaaaally big shift.

The message of Jaguar? “We're here to delete ordinary. To go bold. To copy nothing.”
Smart or risky? Either way, it’s got people talking. (Check all marketeers going crazy on their platforms 😃)

The very clear argument from Jaguar is that it's going after a different kind of buyer: younger, hipper, (wealthier!!) and more into lifestyle and the future. Jaguar's Managing Director, Rawdon Glover, stated that the company expects to retain only 10-15% (!!) of its current customers. The man has some balls, I have to admit.

PS. What do you think of the rebranding?

➡️ Introducing: The Heart Quadrant for sustainable growth

The Jaguar rebrand is a great example of the challenge every brand faces. A brand needs to stay true to its identity (Authenticity) but also adapt to changing times and audiences (Adaptability). Hold on to the past too tightly, and you risk becoming irrelevant. Change too much, and you could lose what makes you, you.

That’s why I developed a brand-new methodology for growing organizations: the Heart Quadrant for Brands. It helps brands stay true to their core values while remaining flexible enough to evolve and grow.

The Quadrant explained!
Every brand strives to land in the top-right corner of the quadrant: the Balanced Heart, where high authenticity meets high adaptability. It’s the sweet spot where a brand stays true to its values while evolving with the market and audience.
But not every brand finds itself in the Balanced Heart.
Some are Muscles Without Skeleton: quick to adapt and chase trends, but lacking the foundation for lasting loyalty.
Others are Skeleton Without Muscles: strong in identity and authenticity but too rigid to evolve with the times.
And then there’s the Invisible Man: brands that struggle with both authenticity and adaptability, risking complete irrelevance.

Let’s apply this to Jaguar! Jaguar is a well-established brand with a strong sense of identity and heritage (high on authenticity). However, as their CEO pointed out, their current audience is aging and no longer aligned with the future they envision. Today, Jaguar finds itself in the Strong but Stuck quadrant. With their rebranding efforts, they hope to move into the Balanced Heart quadrant by improving their adaptability and appealing to a younger, more dynamic audience.

BUT! What if the rebranding doesn’t resonate? Will they risk losing all their authenticity? Could they end up chasing a new audience without staying true to their authentic values? It’s a bold move—a significant and risky transformation.

Only time will tell whether Jaguar achieves the perfect balance or took a huge misstep 🤷‍♀️.

PS. What do you think of my brand-new quadrant?

➡️ The end

Normally, I’d share a reading or watching tip here. But, as you know, I’ve been traveling abroad a lot lately, and as you can see, I’ve been working ridiculously hard this week. So, this is simply the end of the newsletter, with a heartfelt wish: see you next week!

x Ingrid