Seahorse Willi has been dealing with questions about his own brand and communication for some time now. Rather, from time to time he learns a little more about what makes a Love Brand. Today we devote ourselves to the topic of »culture«. After appearance and behavior, it is the third core building block of brand identity – appearance and behavior must harmonize, that much Willi has realized so far. How he influences culture, or how much culture influences him, you can find out in the following lines.
To influence culture means to shape the influence through culture.
Rock ‘n’ Roll is such an example.
That’s why Love Brands rock.
Culture is more than music history
Today was a very emotional day. I broadened my godfather’s cultural horizon. A little unexpected and certainly different than I thought it would be, but be patient, dear friends. I was on a cultural trip because that was the last thing I was offered. As a reward for my decent behavior – or progress, somehow he said. So far, my cultural horizon has been from AC to DC, because the godfather likes to hear it with me while he thinks. When my godfather’s visit to cultural issues was announced, I asked myself how to get prepared for. Music history, art history, literary history – people, what do you think about it, do not forget, there is so much going on in front of my window, so you can see and hear all kinds of things. After all, everyone is very in need of notification these days. And if you don’t talk much yourself – unless a godfather prompts you to do so – then you see and hear things, nobody asks you upfront if you want it at all. But what am I talking about, you’re in the middle of it … At least I decided to get into the cultural journey with Hard Rock. That was the beginning.
Now I’m done. In any case, I’m pretty much exhausted, more or less dangling in the current and even let few crabs swim by freely although they were in reach. One of my doubles takes care of…
Well, because I know that you won’t leave me alone either way, before I tell you the details of the recent meeting with my godfather: As you can imagine, we haven’t gone through any Hard Rock playlists. No search engine portals or books at all.
A brand’s behavior influences its culture.
A brand’s culture influences its behavior.
Design your world as you like it
It would have been a philosophy lesson. That’s right, subjunctive. It would have been one if I hadn’t known how to prevent it.
Because I found the gag with AC/DC funny and also openly expressed what I understood by culture, my godfather felt somewhat misunderstood and was obviously freed from humor. In order to create a common starting point, he asked a well-known knowledge platform on the Internet for a general definition of culture. In doing so, we came across something, which is not surprising to me, fart dry.
Culture is essentially everything that you create yourself. Culture is a system of rules and habits that guide you in living together and in your own behavior.
In my head, male fingers suddenly played the guitar intro by Thunderstruck, but before the drums set in my godfather played the anchor man again in best manner. That is the one who always sums everything up so succinctly. News mess up my air guitar solo: behavior influences culture, culture influences behavior.
Moneytalks.
The other-countries-other-customs story
The music banause continues: »Do you understand that eating seahorses is a cultural question. Then cleaning your mouth with a napkin is a question of decency.«
Hold on, man. Next song: The »Hell’s Bells« rang. It was time for me to take the lead in our conversation.
In some Asian cultures, seahorses on skewers are considered a delicacy – also in eastern cultures, seahorse powder is a recognized medicine for revitalizing sex life. That sounds kind of funny. Even so bizarre that I had to laugh briefly myself. Seahorse on a spit, me, an aphrodisiac … That’s nonsense, what world do they live in?
In my. Yes, the other-countries-other-customs story.
After I had briefly made sure that such cultures were far enough away from my zoo … and that my glass window was burglar-proof to the outside world … so after I had got all the helpful details about the current situation, I was somewhat clear again in my head. The world in which I act as a quality label and am not seen is far enough away. Thank God.
Fortunately, there are cultural boundaries.
Here Comes The Razors Edge.
In principle: be for something
On one side of the borders there are cultures that also eat a lot of crap – that’s not much different under water. And on the other hand, there are those who do things that the other side thinks are wrong. Don’t get me wrong, folks, I respect foreign cultures, but if I’m right, it can’t be part of a Love Brand’s culture to praise your own way as a delicacy or Viagra substitute. That’s why I’m sitting here in a Central European zoo, where I pose for quality and sympathy – and not in a Far East fast food shop as a living menu.
BAM, I had nailed it.
My godfather laughed heartily. What was funny about it? He said that I already understood the principle of a culture. And that I consciously decide how I deal with culture. Because I work for something and not against. I would have understood that influences are given by the cultures in which we were born. And I would have understood that I can influence my role within a cultural group.
Highway To Hell.
Yes, coaching blah. Stop it now. It was my turn. Afterwards I told the godfather what had happened to the monkeys a long time ago in the zoo. Stall and mainstream gossip. But sometimes very entertaining.
Who is afraid of the banana?
It was about food – a banana to be precise. It was a team task for beings, in whose culture a yellow, elongated, curved fruit seems to be the ultimate. In the monkey enclosure, a banana was suspended from the ceiling. The object of desire was easily accessible to the monkeys via a ladder. There was only one catch. If one of the monkeys pulled on the cord that hung the banana from the ceiling, this triggered a short shower over the ladder. What I have to add briefly: In contrast to me, monkeys hate water.
If you dare.
Okay, the monkey was wet, the other monkeys in the enclosure in turmoil. Sure, the wet animal had to be brought to dry and left the enclosure. Everyone who left never came back. So there was room for a replacement, which promptly came through the door. Another monkey bravely climbed the ladder, pulled on the banana; dripping wet, fruitless finish.
Hard times.
One morning the shower was gone. Dismantled. Because of wasted water or whatever. At least the monkeys hadn’t been told. And even though there was no monkey that had ever gotten wet, everyone started making trouble when one of the others even looked at the ladder. From then on the banana hung on the ceiling until the end of its biological life cycle; after a short time the monkeys ignored the ladder and the banana. Who wants to get blamed instead of being rewarded? Although it has become so easy meanwhile.
Who Made Who.
Speaking of who made who. Another animal anecdote: Recently a dialogue between two dogs. One dog says to the other: Where do we actually come from? The other: All dogs are descended from wolves. – And our masters? From monkeys. – How embarrassing.
Maybe this sort of humor only draws among animals. The joke is great for anyone I’ve told the story here at the zoo. Even the monkeys, and they are already afraid of dried fruits. Highly explosive mood, guys.
TNT.
A system full of habits and rules
My godfather listened attentively to my animal lesson. I was live in concert. Culture is a system of rules and habits that guide you in living together and in your own behavior. Like the monkeys: rules, habits, no banana.
Would you like another cultural example? From the underwater world? Take the statement »fish are friends, not food« and put it in the mouth of a shark. This happened a few years ago (see »Finding Nemo«). The consequence? Revolution of the masses! The vegetarian had also arrived among the predatory fish and found it cool. The epitome of evil as a leading figure in a fish-loving mass movement. What did that mean? Swabian vegetarians. Then they call themselves vegans. For them, fish are not just friends – for them we are … a philosophy.
Aha, I think during my lecture, the circle closes, time to come to an end. Final plea of the Horse Feed.
Are you ready?
A Love Brand needs leading figures.
Role models, idols and heroes
from different cultures.
Place something out of the box
»A Love Brand needs leading figures, role models, idols, heroes from different cultures. Not that I’m breaking a lance for the protecting monkeys or toothless sharks … Rather for diversity. It’s called tolerance.«
And microphone drop.
Finish.
I’ve been dangling from that time on.
Love Brand Willi rocked.
Rock or bust.
»If we are completely honest,« said the godfather before he grinned and headed for the monkey enclosure, »we are glad to emulate those who sometimes place something out of the box, those who break a lance for others.«
For monkeys who are not afraid of a cold shower. Got it.
»Who are you breaking a lance for?« I ask the godfather quick.
»For a rehab clinic in the Black Forest and a Horse Feed in a zoo aquarium.«
Hm. Maybe I should look around for my friend Dude, the turtle from the Pacific Basin … In spring there is World Turtle Day to come finally. Good time to break a lance not just for sea creatures.
Dude rocks. Diversity rocks. The godfather rocks. Culture rocks.
For Those About To Rock – We Salute You.
Only a few things that make up a Love Brand need to be learned anew. It experiences a lot every day in the office, at home, while traveling or even in the zoo, for example. Cultures are everywhere, they influence the world in which we are born, grow up and work. Love Brands deal with the culture that they want to create around themselves. Whether fan culture or profit culture, every culture fits a behavior, every behavior fits a culture. Love Brands are characterized by tolerance, they stand for others and make it a habit. There are certain cultures from which we want to deliberately differentiate ourselves. And others who let us get involved. Therefore, the question of culture is one that I ask at the beginning of every brand positioning. Because culture is part of the brand identity..
Food For Thoughts
Here you can learn more about the first concrete steps to build your Love Brand:
