Mention ‘Darwin’ and ‘Branding’ in the same sentence and people immediately jump to the conclusion we are talking about that (usually misunderstood) concept of ‘Survival of the fittest.’
The root of the Darwinian view of evolution was far more fundamental and can provide a valuable perspective when looking at brands and how they too evolve. It was a bottom-up rather than a top-down concept. Instead of lifeforms evolving according to some pre-conceived plan, Darwin proposed that their development was the result of small changes and mutations – some were successful and led to the prospering of the organism – others, which failed to improve outcomes were bred out by natural selection.
With brands we sometimes overestimate the importance of control and brand-management. A good deal of what makes brands special comes out of natural evolution – doing small things very well, keeping and building upon the successful and eliminating anything which does not contribute to the viability of the brand.
It is the tiny details that matter. Small product benefits, notable customer service actions, minute points where expectations are exceeded.
Changes do not happen in isolation, they are relative to the environment. We talk about organisms evolving and adapting to their environment – brands must do the same. Change is constant.
Many of the great brands we all admire existed long before the heavy hand of brand management was there to direct them – and they evolved and adapted as clever and able people in all parts of the organisation did their jobs very well, getting better in small ways all the time. We have also noted the dinosaurs who failed or were unable to adapt to the changing environment.
If there is a lesson to be learned it is that concentrating on the details of the small things that brand does – and doing them well – improving the basics is vital. Allow the brand to change as the needs of customers evolve and develop, and apply only a light touch to the steering of management.
Brandmaster 
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