True Human Resonance

The realization that even in our extremely challenging Ukrainian reality, alongside driving immediate sales, businesses need to build brands for the long haul - to justify a higher price and protect profitability - is now coming to more and more companies

The principles of brand building were developed and refined in mature markets long ago, and today they are simply adapting to modern realities. Yet truly strong brands are still rare today

Why? Because building brands as associative networks in people's minds, which have a real, indirect impact on choice, is genuinely hard work

A brand does not begin with an agency that designed a visual identity; and it does not grow stronger thanks to tender-selected creative teams that always change, each putting its own vision onto the brand (though I understand them completely - what else can they do if the client’s brand lacks clear positioning). Naturally, all of this plays a role, but…

Brands start when distinct elements of a business - across products, service, pricing, and communication - weave together over time in people's minds into an image they feel drawn to more than others

In other words, brands start with the people who interact with them. And discovering and refining their true value requires putting these people at the very center of the conversation

And here lies the biggest challenge: people cannot answer these questions directly, because the bond between them and brands is deeper and more subtle than they can easily explain. I have always been puzzled by research boldly claiming: '70% of people today do not care about brands.' Yes, on the surface, people do not care about brands. But when you need to grab sour cream from the shelf, something suddenly 'clicks', and your hand reaches for one specific brand rather than another. Often - far from the cheapest one. And you honestly do not know why, even though you can come up with plenty of rational arguments after the fact

Building a brand is precisely about how to achieve that 'click' in highly competitive categories, where any functional, product, or service upgrade gets copied almost immediately

Because brands as networks of associations are formed in the subconscious, and people cannot simply explain why they actually pick one product over another, businesses need specialists who can uncover the subtle threads connecting your brand with people; and once found, keep them safe and make them stronger

In a small business, the owner talks to customers daily and often intuitively feels and protects this connection. Large businesses, where brands are created and managed by teams of employees who frequently change, require immense effort to build and protect customer-based brand equity

Specialized marketing research, a clear understanding of how brands are built in people's minds, and the right strategic tools all help. But universal algorithms still do not exist in this field, no matter what anyone claims. As one of my clients says: 'often you cannot explain it, you have to feel it.' And algorithms simply cannot feel

Uncovering association networks hidden from the ordinary and even the marketing eye requires significant experience and skill from a qualitative researcher who stays in close, regular conversation with different audiences

And to not just uncover, but continuously strengthen a brand image that truly works, you need long-term teamwork between the client, the researcher, and the creators - a single partner team that gradually develops a deeper feel for both the audience and the brand, moving it in one shared direction

As a qualitative research partner, I work with and look to expand collaboration with exactly these kinds of teams - where together we find, build, and protect deep resonance between brands and their audiences

For large brands, partnering with a qualitative researcher is an insurance policy. Its cost is incomparably lower than destabilizing the brand, losing its price premium, and turning it into a commodity that can only compete on price

Every Saturday, I welcome those who share the vision of this kind of partnership to Insight Home in Kyiv. I am looking for genuine, like-minded partners - for the long haul. Message me to choose your Saturday for a calm, informal dialogue. And for those outside Ukraine, we can always share a cup of tea online