What will you sacrifice to be successful?

It took 26-year-old Michelangelo three years to sculpt the famous17-foot tall David.

One of the greatest masterpieces ever created.

Two other artists had abandoned the colossal block of stone after noticing imperfections in the white marble's grain.

Proving the old cliché: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. But I digress.

When asked how he made magnificent sculpture, Michelangelo is reported to have said, "I created a vision of David in my mind and simple carved away everything that was not David.”

Now as a former art history major, it would be sacrilegious of me to compare a commercial brand to the magnificence of The David. 

But there is something to glean from the quote when it comes to branding.

The great idea is in there, locked inside. To bring it to life, all you have to do is remove the excess stone.

In the immortal words of another David – as in Ogilvy – “The essence of strategy is sacrifice.”

Note sacrifice is not just prioritization. It is not just concentration. It’s the elimination of any activities that dilute the brand expression, divert the brand’s resources and distract the audience from the brand’s ultimate promise.

In an oversaturated, overwhelming, overcomplicated world of choices, consumers crave simplicity and clarity.

They want to know where you stand and what you stand for. Period. Full stop.

That’s why at Insurgents we are so adamant about finding and living your ONE WORD promise. See: https://bit.ly/3vXu2dg

Sacrifice razor-sharpens your brand. Strengthens your identity.

Culls the herd to make yourself heard.

And makes the choice between “You vs. Them” a slam dunk decision. The answer becomes a resounding YOU!

Think of it as Marie Kondo-ing your closet. Ditching all the clothes or in this case, stuff, that are out of sync, out of style. Or simple no longer fits.

Of course, sacrifice requires making hard choices.

For example: When CVS chose health and wellness as their brand promise, ditching profitable cigarettes was brave but a no-brainer.

So, before you waste time and $$$ on that umpteenth line extension, ask yourself – “Does my audience really need this?” More products and services do not equal more profits. Too many choices create confusion. Confusion creates uncertainty. Uncertainty ultimately creates NO SALE.

Before you attempt to reach women 13-75, ask yourself what do you gain by being all things to all people.

Before you chase that next shiny object, ask yourself if it really is true to your brand essence. Before you can decide what you will do, decide what you won't do. 

So, before you waste time on that umpteenth line extension, ask: “Does my audience really need this?” More products and services does not equal more profits. Too many choices create confusion. Confusion creates uncertainty. Uncertainty ultimately creates no sale.
 
Before you attempt to reach women 13-75, ask yourself "What do I gain by being all things to all people?" Remember the word target in target audience - the audience your message is meant to resonate with. You’ll create a strong connection with those who value your brand and will chose it time and again.

Before you rattle off that laundry list of features and benefits, ask yourself – “Do I really want to be the Vegematic of category xyz? It chops, it dices, it splices, it minces, mashes and purees.” Identify what's most valuable about your brand. Then build a brand world that supports, even exaggerates, your promise, your values, your personality.

Find the David in the stone and chisel it carefully.

What will you sacrifice to succeed?

Can’t decide?  That’s what Insurgents is here for. Using our proven Detonate process we’ll help you craft the art from the artifacts.