Bigger Than This

​BIGGER THAN this

by Fabian Geyrhalter

​Copyright © 2018 by Fabian Geyrhalter

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher at the address below.

BRANDTRO PUBLISHING

320 Pine Avenue, Suite 1010

Long Beach, CA 90802

ORDERING INFORMATION:

For details, contact the publisher at the address above or

send an email to [email protected]

ISBN 978-0-9896461-7-8

Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is accurate at the time of first publishing. The editor, publisher or author cannot accept responsibility for damage or loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the content of this publication.

​This book is dedicated to those entrepreneurs who are driven to launch brands rooted in empathy for humanity.

​CONTENTS

BRANDS IN COSTUMES, About Bigger Than This

THE RESURGENCE OF COMMODITY BRANDS IN TIMES OF INNOVATION AND DISRUPTION

THE 8 COMMODITY BRAND TRAITS AND THEIR COMMANDMENTS

| 1 |

STORY

When the background story is bigger than the product

CASE STUDY: FISHPEOPLE SEAFOOD, Fish

COMMANDMENTS

| 2 |

BELIEF

When values are bigger than the product

CASE STUDY: GEA, Shoes

COMMANDMENTS

| 3 |

CAUSE

When the cause is bigger than the product

CASE STUDY: BOMBAS, Socks

COMMANDMENTS

| 4 |

HERITAGE

When a sense of location is bigger than the product

CASE STUDY: SHINOLA, Watches

COMMANDMENTS

| 5 |

​DELIGHT

When the small delight is bigger than the product

CASE STUDY: POPPIN, Inexpensive Office Supplies

COMMANDMENTS

| 6 |

TRANSPARENCY

When trust is bigger than the product

CASE STUDY: EVERLANE, Apparel

COMMANDMENTS

| 7 |

SOLIDARITY

When solidarity is bigger than the product

CASE STUDY: PLANET FITNESS, Fitness Centers

COMMANDMENTS

| 8 |

INDIVIDUALITY

When customization is bigger than the product

CASE STUDY: FANATICS, Fan T-shirts

COMMANDMENTS

THINK BIGGER THAN THIS

APPENDIX

RESOURCES

FURTHER READING

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

REFERENCES

INDEX

​FOREWORD

by David Glaze, Creative Director, AMAZON

Authenticity. Like storytelling, disruption and the dreaded innovator, authenticity has become one of those buzzwords that gets tossed around with abandon, often vaguely twisted into copy in the hopes of riding a current marketing wave and ultimately blurring its actual meaning. However, like all such overwrought terms, the concept is actually based in an underlying truth...authenticity is indeed a valuable brand attribute, so long as it is, well, authentic. In Bigger Than This, ​Fabian Geyrhalter quickly moves beyond the clichés, identifying key building blocks of an authentic brand and specific ways to leverage them. In a delightfully concise, rapid-fire read, he makes the case for rediscovering the spark in seemingly mundane commodity products and services. Brands need not be radically new to inspire passion, he argues, but thoughtful and honest in finding, telling and embracing their story.

We all want to believe our favorite brands have a soul. Not so long ago, advertisers had the luxury of telling whatever story they chose with little chance of negative consequences. We were willing to suspend our admittedly less-developed cynicism to embrace brand stories we could relate (or aspire) to. No matter that our corn flakes were mass-produced in enormous factories; there was a nurturing breakfast in every bowl...the box clearly said so. Some ​cigarettes would make us sexy, others hip or macho. Brands told us what they believed in, and we believed what they told us. Activists or regulators would occasionally burst the brand bubble of a particularly bad actor, but generally we were left to our contented illusions.

Then came the Internet and social media. Suddenly consumers have the ability to share their individual brand experiences and echo those of others. No institution, individual or product is safe from scrutiny. Many once-revered brands have been revealed to be not so much interested in our well-being as their bottom lines, their stories simply fabricated to appeal to a particular target market. Banks, cable companies, food producers, telecoms, insurance companies...the list goes on and on.

At the same time, technological innovation has exploded, challenging us not only with ​an ongoing deluge of new devices and services but also whole new ways of interacting with each other and the world at large. This flood of information and paradigm shifting can all feel rather sterile and overwhelming, even for digital natives. The soul is missing.

It’s no surprise, then, that consumers are embracing brands, both new and old, that convey simplicity, caring and craftsmanship. It’s also no surprise that this trend creates an enormous opportunity for commodity products. We inherently understand commodity products: a watch that just tells time, a shoe that just protects feet, a whisky that’s just for drinking as is, no explanation needed. And who wouldn’t be more interested in reading an engaging founder’s story than a magazine-thick instruction manual?

The author’s genuine enthusiasm for this topic is infectious. I’ve known Fabian for almost two ​decades, since we worked together to bring the car brand Acura to life in the digital world. His passion and optimism for the process of reimagining existing brands and birthing new ones seems to have only grown over the years, along with his considerable