In a digital age your brand is the consumer lifeline

Within seconds you have access to the world. This also means you have access to all the products of the world within seconds. Transparency, globalisation, democratisation of technology and social media drives change on all levels. As a result we're seeing a product and service explosion. Not strange really. Anyone with an internet connection can kickstart their own company solely using online service. Consultants are only a click away. By using stuff like Elance, Wordpress, 99 Designs you'll have the IT part of your new company up and running at the speed of light. Heck, you can even finance your new company with services like Kickstarter, Indiegogo and other crowd funding platforms, if your idea is good enough.An electrolyteHow does your brand enforce my lifestyle?How do I benefit from using your brand?What stories can I tell about your brand?What's my emotional reaction when I see your logo?Self confidence is the single most important factor your brand should give me.Your brand should make me a stronger individual.Your brand should make me feel involved in something larger than life.People and companies tend to think that digital will save them. They spend shit loads of money on digital campaigns when in fact the should spend shit loads of money on the development on the way their brand is perceived.A brand is often the most valuable asset of a Corporation. Brand owners manage their brands carefully to create shareholder value, and brand valuation is an important management technique that ascribes a money value to a brand, and allows marketing investment to be managed (e.g.: prioritized across a portfolio of brands) to maximize shareholder value. Although only acquired brands appear on a company's balance sheet, the notion of putting a value on a brand forces marketing leaders to be focused on long term stewardship of the brand and managing for value.You walk into a huge fashion store and think yourself. What the heck is this? They want me to pay for