What is Branding?

When I started the degree I thought I knew what my brand was, but it wasn't until I’ve come to this course (Business Branding and Storytelling) that I have truly understood how to connect with my customers. Throughout this time, I have been able to learn more about what can make my company shine to the customers. I’ve learned what things I can use on my logo and on my statements to make a great impression on the customers and to keep their loyalty. 

The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding helped me understand the most common mistakes most companies do and how to work around them to give my brand and company a steady place in my customers' hearts. I believe that with all the knowledge acquired this month my company will have a better structure that will be to create a lasting impression in the world. 

This month has pushed me to further explore the nature of why my company exists and deepen our mission and vision. With the knowledge acquired during this course, my partner and I have been able to explore more of what makes you who we are and what is really what we want to accomplish. We have learned how to make our company an extension of ourselves and how to connect with not only people like us but with others to grow and understand the market. I have seen through these studies how brands grow or flop; how they evolve or just die.

I believe that from now on our company is more focused on the future and more clear of our path using the knowledge received from this course. I am more  than prepared to take the rails and bring my company to a new clearer path where we can grow and serve our customers with our best products and practices.

Self Defining Hetain Patel (A way to become you)

At first, when I watched Hetain Patel’s TED Talk I thought it was just a funny sketch but as I continue to understand the point his was bringing across I realized that I was more connected and inspired by his work. They way he interprets how we learn from everyone and everything around us and that in imitating these things and people we fail, therefore we become more authentic. The reason why I can connect with Patel is because I have all my life being in the same position as him. I have tried to find my authenticity but in the process, I have imitated many characters: my mom, my dad, heroes, artists, etc. When I went to college to study Sociology (Bachelor’s degree) was when I realized how all of this collided to bring my uniqueness. How the culture of our parents, the places we grow and the stimulus created by the media affect us. The one thing I like the most about Patel’s art and delivery is that even though it may look like it has a political motive but in reality it is not. As he describes it, it’s the result of the ideas that he has allowed to take residence in his body; now he let it loose in what is his unique art; through video, live performance, and photography, to name a few while delivering it with humor. But is it really humor or is it a way to let out the truth that is deep within him (ourselves)? The ever-changing self-walking the path of finding individuality in a different light in his eyes. It persuades you to try to find yourself, your authenticity and create a world very much yours: find your brand. His art is very much his as it very much of us the ones that can understand and relate to his story, that is why his performances mostly leave and an open end.

A review of his work on The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/nov/28/hetain-patel-be-like-water-review