Branding expert and author David Aaker returns for his third appearance on the On Brand podcast. While he thanked me for having him back, I thanked him for continuing to create interesting work. His latest book is The Future of Purpose-Driven Branding which we discussed this week on the show.

About David Aaker

David Aaker, is the author of over one hundred articles and 18 books on marketing, business strategy, and branding that have sold over one million copies. A recognized authority on branding, he has developed concepts and methods on brand building that are used by organizations around the world. His latest book is The Future of Purpose-Driven Branding.

Episode Highlights

Purpose vs. mission. We jumped right in with a big question that David takes on in the first chapter of his book. What’s the difference between purpose and mission? “Purpose starts as a why question. Mission is a how question.” The two are related but different, which is why David addresses both in his book.

Brand as a lens. I jokingly asked David how he keeps writing books. What more is there to say?? David answered on the importance of brand as a lens that you can use to examine issues like stories (the subject of his first On Brand interview) and innovation (what we chatted about during his second visit to the show). “You need branded programs to do all of these things.”

The importance of signature programs. David spent a lot of the interview talking about why brands need signature programs that reinforce their social program rather than ad-hoc charitable, socially conscious activities. He points to Dove Beauty as the gold standard while also citing what Thrivent has done to support Habitat for Humanity.

What brand has made David smile recently? David pointed to one of his favorite examples, the brand conglomerate Unilever. Specifically, he defended Hellman’s purpose-driven work that was recently attacked in The Wall Street Journal. David makes a good—and on-brand—case for why Hellman’s is on the right track.

To learn more, check out his blog at davidaaker.com (his next post will be on the Hellman’s issue noted above) and his new book The Future of Purpose-Driven Branding.

Want more David Aaker On Brand? Check out his first appearance on signature stories and his second appearance on innovation.

As We Wrap …

Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

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