From Plato to Steve Jobs

In our ever-changing business world, does anything ever stay the same?

People often talk about how we live in a dynamic age,

when anything can change from one day to the next,

and we must be flexible and adapt to our changing world.

But we can’t help but ask ourselves,

in such dynamic and uncertain times,

are there still some things that never change?

That question brought us back to the great philosopher Plato,

who is still as relevant as ever.

According to Plato,

our world is inhabited by “Ideas”,

perceived only by the mind,

in contrast to “Phenomena”,

which are objects of the senses.

Ideas are flawless, eternal, and unchanging,

while Phenomena are imperfect and always evolving.

For example, the Idea of a triangle is perfect, eternal, and precise.

But if we sketch a triangle, we replicate an instance of the idea,

which will never be quite as perfect as the Idea of a triangle.

What does all this have to do with our brand or business?

Here goes:

If our business is required to continuously adapt to the needs of a world in motion,

this begs the question:

Is there anything about our business – an Idea, if you like – that remains constant?

You could say that the constant in every business

is something intangible, impossible to define, like its soul or DNA.

Think about Apple or Coca Cola.

Each of these leading brands has its own spirit. It’s hard to define,

but it’s there in all their products, activities, and advertisements.

True, those companies are always changing,

always bringing in new products, ads, and even staff,

but something about them – their spirit – remains constant.

Now, ask yourselves:

What is your business’s unique spirit?

What is your brand’s DNA, the one thing that stays the same,

even when everything else changes?

We believe that every successful brand

has a strong spirit.

If you understand and define your business’s or brand’s unique spirit,

you’ll be sure to leave a mark.