Brand Mantras

To further focus brand positioning and guide the way their marketers help consumers think about the brand, firms can define a brand mantra.

A brand mantra is a three- to five-word articulation of the brand’s heart and soul, closely related to other branding concepts like “brand essence” and “core brand promise.”

Brand mantras must economically communicate what the brand is and what it is not. 

What makes a good brand mantra?
McDonald’s “Food, Folks, and Fun” captures its brand essence and core brand promise.

A good brand mantra should communicate the category and clarify what is unique about the brand. It should also be vivid and memorable and stake out ground that is personally meaningful and relevant. For brands anticipating rapid growth, it is helpful to define the product or benefit space in which the brand would like to compete, as Nike did with “athletic performance” and Disney with “family entertainment.” But for it to be effective, no other brand should singularly excel on all dimensions.

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