A strong brand changes how you work.
When I started working with brands, I was surprised by how little companies expected from them.
“They just need to look good.” “A nice logo.” “As long as it doesn’t clash.”
But over time, and after many brand transformation projects, I’ve learned this: A well-built brand doesn’t just improve how you look:
It improves how you operate.
It’s not visuals. It’s business.
A costly misunderstanding
Many companies invest in campaigns, channels, and products, but they don’t have a clearly defined brand. Or worse, they have a brand that is at odds with their values. This creates friction, doubt, disconnection. And in a saturated market, small frictions are costly. Without a coherent brand, every action feels like starting from scratch. Nothing builds on what came before. The result? Tired teams, confused clients, slower decision-making.
Brand as an accelerator
A strong brand isn’t just easier on the eye.
It’s more agile, clearer, more efficient.
It aligns teams → We all speak the same language.
It prioritizes products → Easier to group, prioritize, launch.
It guides decisions → From tone of voice to channels.
It enhances connection → Every interaction adds to the whole.
Examples that prove it
Airbnb isn’t just a platform: it’s belonging.
Patagonia isn’t just clothing: it’s activism.
Slack isn’t just a tool: it’s a way of working.
In all these cases, the brand isn’t an add-on.
It’s the thread that ties everything together.
It enables scaling without losing our soul.
It attracts talent, partnerships, and community.
And now for some data to back it up…
According to the VI Brand Pulse 2024 report by GfK for AEBRAND and the Forum of Renowned Spanish Brands: Nine out of ten companies say strong branding is key to business growth. Additionally: 89% say it facilitates said growth 87% believe it helps adapt to challenges 77% think it helps attract and retain talent
And yet, major hurdles still stand: Lack of solid processes, unclear ownership, and underfunded brand teams continue to slow down their potential.
In many cases, the brand is valued but not managed.
So what if your brand isn’t doing this?
Ask yourself:
Do all our teams share the same brand pitch?
Are our messages consistent across channels?
Does our experience deliver on what we promise?
Does our identity reflect what we are, and what we aspire to be?
If the answer to several of these is a ‘no’, you probably don’t need another campaign.
You need a brand that works.
One that is, above all, a strong driver of business.
Conclusion
At Small*, we see brand as a living experience: one that aligns, empowers and transforms.
It’s not a department. It’s not an visual layer.
It’s a way of making decisions, of connecting inside and out, of building long-term value.
When branding is managed as an experience, it stops being an accessory and becomes a powerful business tool.
Because at the end of the day, the most valuable brand isn’t the one that looks the best.
It’s the one that delivers the best experience.
— Marta Sánchez, Growth Marketing Manager at Small*
