Did You Pour the Concrete First? Marketing Without strong brand foundations, could be costly.

When a business decides it’s time to accelerate growth, the first instinct is nearly always the same: go digital. Hire a paid media agency. Employ a freelance Google expert. Fire up some Google ads. Crank up the content. 

It’s fast. It’s measurable. It feels like action. And sometimes, it even works  for a while. 

But more often, it doesn't. Not because digital’s the wrong move, but because it’s being asked to do too much & the marketing principles (built on hundreds, if not thousands of years of logic and human insight) are forgotten in an attempt for a lead generating, sales converting silver bullet. 

The truth is performance marketing isn’t a silver bullet. It’s an amplifier. It’s a powerful tool to get your brand identity, distinctive assets and compelling narrative to your audience.

If your message is unclear, your brand forgettable, or your positioning generic digital will just expose that faster. That’s why, before we talk digital tactics, we talk disciplined foundations: purpose, brand, story, and memory structures. 

SO, WHAT ARE BRAND FOUNDATIONS? 

You wouldn’t build a house without strong foundations. Brand building is no different!

Brand foundations are the slab you build on, not the paint you put on at the end.  

They’re the strategic core that shapes how your business shows up in the world. Before you think about advertising or activation, you need answers to deeper questions: 

• What do we stand for? We like to think of this Brand Purpose. Or “Our Why” 

• What do we want to be remembered for? I prefer to say, ‘what do we want to be famous for!’  

• What do we want people to feel? What’s the emotional hook? Equally

Without these elements, your marketing might still make noise but it won’t build memory. And meaning is what people remember when it’s finally time to buy. 

BUT THIS STUFF’S JUST FOR CONSUMER BRANDS, NOT B2B RIGHT? 

Wrong! And dangerously so. 100%, consumer brands fighting with thousands of other brands for share of memory space it’s mission critical, but for B2B, it’s arguably more critical. And the reward greater if you get it right! 

It’s a common trap: B2B businesses often believe that branding is the realm of Aldi, Arnott’s, Apple, or Airbnb. That because they’re “rational buyers,” their customers don’t need emotion, narrative, or memory structures.

But here’s the kicker: B2B buyers are still human. 

They’re managing risk. Juggling stakeholders. Navigating long buying cycles. And when it’s finally time to make a decision, they lean not just on logic, but on what they remember and trust. 

Research from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and the LinkedIn B2B Institute shows that mental availability (the ability to recall a brand, when considering a purchase) is just as important in B2B as it is in B2C. In fact, it's often more critical! That’s because B2B buyers aren’t in-market most of the time. You’re not marketing for today. You’re building memory for tomorrow. If you haven’t read “How Brands Grow”, by Prof. Byron Sharp, add it to your list! 

If your brand isn’t distinctive, clear, and consistent…you’re making it harder for your buyer to choose you, even when they are ready to. 

THE COST OF SKIPPING THE BRAND WORK 

We’ve seen it too many times; Businesses with a digital marketing function, a digital marketing guy, a digital agency, a digital budget but the word “brand” barely gets a mention. 

And here’s what it almost always comes down to: the message wasn’t clear, the brand wasn’t distinctive, and the story wasn’t compelling. 

When you skip the brand work: 

• You burn cash trying to “test” what should’ve been decided upfront. 

• You confuse your audience with mixed messages and inconsistent creative. 

• Your marketing relies on volume instead of meaning and meaning always wins in the long run. 

Digital is a multiplier. If you’re multiplying clarity, consistency & connection; you’ll grow awareness, consideration & conversion. If you’re multiplying confusion? You’ll just burn budget faster. 

HOW TO CREATE STRONG BRAND FOUNDATIONS 

You don’t need a 60-page brand book. But you do need discipline, clarity, and consistency. 

Here’s where we start with clients: 

1. Define your core purpose; your why. 

1. Get razor-sharp on your positioning; who are you talking to and what are you saying? 

1. Craft a single-minded message; the most compelling thing about your brand, said over and over again. 

1. Develop your brand’s story; life is about story telling from when we can talk to our final days, story telling is at the forefront. People engage with stories! Tell your story, better than others! 

1. Build your memory structures; Create and repeat what makes you stand out! 
2. Align your team; Exciting customers about your brand is everyone’s job. Marketing Team is just the orchestra. Get everyone singing off the same song sheet! 

A FINAL THOUGHT 

When your brand foundations are strong, your marketing efforts work smarter; because amplifying a message that’s already clear, consistent, and compelling will create a snowball effect that will become infectious. Plus, you’ll be light years ahead of your competition, telling a more compelling story, that will put you front of mind with those who matter most your customers! 

Need to pour your concrete first? Reach out for a chat! We’d love to hear what makes your brand great