It was always Steve Jobs’ mantra: “Let’s make a dent in the universe”.
I liked that phrase so much, I incorporated it into the 2004 Hughtrain Manifesto:
Whatever you manufacture, somebody can make it better, faster and cheaper than you.
You do not own the molecules. They are stardust. They belong to God. What you do own is your soul. Nobody can take that away from you. And it is your soul that informs the brand.
It is your soul, and the purpose and beliefs that embodies, that people will buy into.
Ergo, great branding is a spiritual exercise.
Why is your brand great? Why does your brand matter? Seriously. If you don’t know, then nobody else can; no advertiser, no buyer, and certainly no customer.
It’s not about merit. It’s about faith. Belief. Conviction. Courage.
It’s about why you’re on this planet. To make a dent in the universe.
I don’t want to know why your brand is good, or very good, or even great. I want to know why your brand is totally frickin’ amazing.
Once you tell me, I can tell the world.
Really, is there any better way to spend one’s working hours? I don’t think so…
We dedicate todays email “Make A Dent In The Universe” to the late Stephen Hawking one of the brilliant minds of our time. RIP.
“look up at the stars and not down at your feet. try to make sense of what you see and wonder what makes the universe exist. be curious.” -stephen hawking 1942-2018
