Branding has always been something that was difficult to define. Marketers have debated this for a long time with differing answers depending on who you ask. Is it your logo, your colors, your website? Is it only relevant for larger companies—like Nike, Apple, or Airbnb?

In this article, I want to discuss why I think branding is the missing piece to growing your business.

The race to the bottom

Everyone’s talking about AI and truthfully it can be overwhelming. When all it seems like it’s doing is causing fear. Have you checked out this new AI tool? If you don’t incorporate AI right now you will be left behind! Being told you have no choice but to chase new tactic after new tactic.

While in the end you’re just going to sound like everyone else.

Does it even matter if you are AI proof or not?

If all that you do is play the AI game, you are in a race to the bottom with everyone else. What if standing out is more about what you create on a human level?

Think of some taglines from companies that are the gold standard:

• Think Different (Apple)
• Just Do It (Nike)
• Belong Anywhere (Airbnb)

None of these lean hard into AI. They lean into your emotions. They evoke something inside of you.

• Think Different. As a creative you can do anything. The tool is no longer holding you back. Think outside the box, because the possibilities are endless.
• Just Do It. What are you capable of when you take action instead of waiting around? Don’t think, “just do it.”
• Belong Anywhere. Just having a place to stay isn’t enough, you want a home. One that feels like your home. The warm fireplace. The coffee on the deck watching the sunrise. Snuggled on the couch with a blanket reading a good book.

See how these create a feeling? All of these companies will (if not already) incorporate some version of AI. But it’s not baked into who they are. They can ebb and flow with the roller-coaster of AI.

A strong brand is your superpower.

Every business needs a strong brand. A brand is the perception someone holds in their mind about your business. It’s shaped by everything you do, not just one thing. It’s the gut feeling people have when they encounter your brand.

You know this feeling. Think back to something you bought recently that made you feel like you had to have it. Why did you feel that way? It wasn’t because you saw another ad for it, or the list of 20 features on the website “got you.” It’s because they connected with you on a human level. One that struck a chord.

Let me clarify, this isn’t a magic pill to fixing all your business problems. This is for those who want to play the long game. That know investing in your brand is the antidote to tactics.

Your brand is the through-line—your story, your tone, your visual consistency. When everything is automated, the most human thing wins.

I believe this is the most important lever you can pull.