Influx

Maurice Saatchi just spoke yesterday in Cannes about his vision for the future of branding.

His idea is that brands need to identify a single word and use all means necessary to own it.

Influx isn’t really sure about this idea.

There is nothing radically new here; the most successful brands have always tried to attach themselves to single word, emotion or idea.

Saatchi is at least building a vision around this idea, or some kind of process to identity and then test suitable words and measure the success (share of word).

Brands probably need little bit more layering and nuance than a single word can provide and Saatchi’s belief the process can be controlled; that the word can be spread and a company can find a way to deliver to its word. The challenge of getting the word out and being in control of its meaning is tougher than ever and trying to get a company to stick to a single word and drive that word through the company, might take a vote from the board.

Saatchi believes this the solution to fragmented attention and multiple channels, but that’s the wrong problem. The issue is the massive increase in consumer power, which means it’s no longer just about message, but product and service delivery.

There is one brand beacon that at least delivers to Saatchi’s theory and that’s Philips. At Influx, we’ve long been admirers of company’s drive around simplicity. They are one of the few companies to make one word branding really happen across all areas of the company. However, Apple seems to have really delivered to it.

Ironically, simplicity is also the word equity Saatchi believes his agency represents.