Generation Z: They're Ready for a Change. Are you?

This past year, Magnet, Inc. conducted several research studies with "Gen Zers," the cohort of 13-to-28-year-olds born between 1995 and 2010 (give or take a year or two). Our clients - two private colleges, a state-wide university system, a healthcare provider, and two banks - hired Magnet because they were keenly interested in knowing what lies ahead for them in school enrollments, memberships, and demand for products and services, respectively.

This generation, which should be spreading its wings and preparing to fly, is more apprehensive about its trajectory than its preceding generations. Gen Z, aka Zoomers, has been accused by older cohorts of having less hustle and being less participatory. They may appear less enthusiastic, but their reluctance is justifiable. They are more thoughtful and pragmatic than previous generations, and as such, they are less likely to reflexively follow in the footsteps of previous generations. All signs indicate that this generation has a different flight plan.

Business Not as Usual

"Scared” “Challenging” “Frightened” “Confused” “Stressed out” “Too expensive” “Not safe”

When we asked high-school juniors from middle-class families to describe how they feel about the future, the answers Zers provided were "scared," "challenging," "frightened," "confused," "stressed out," "too expensive," and "not safe."  These 16 and 17-year-olds, were articulate, honest, pragmatic, and forthright. Gen Zers are standing at the threshold of higher education and the professional world, and they are questioning the value of many of the conventions and institutions of American life. They are feeling the consequences of climate change, the rising costs of everything, the explosive growth in gun violence. So daunting are these existential pressures, many do not feel they can afford to or should follow the traditional path. We were so taken aback by this severe shift in sentiment that we searched for more data.

Our quest for corroborating data brought us to John Della Volpe's book entitled FIGHT: HOW GEN Z IS CHANNELING THEIR FEAR AND PASSION TO SAVE AMERICA. Mr. Della Volpe, the director of polling at Harvard's Kennedy School Institute of Politics (IOP), discovered in his research what we have encountered in our studies, and that is,

"Gen Zers were quick to point out the structural deficiencies of our institutions and why we need to reexamine every aspect of our life."

 - JOHN DELLA VOLPE. FIGHT

Gen Z: By the Numbers

Gen Z, aka Zoomers, is loosely defined as people born between 1995 and 2010, give or take a year or two. Some sources say the years range from 1997 to 2012. As of 2023, Gen Zers are between 13 and 28-years old, and there are approximately 68.6 million Gen Zers in the United States, about 20% of the US population. About 38% of Zoomers are in their middle and high school years, one-fifth (20%) are in their college years, and the remaining 40% are in their post-college and early employment years.

~   9 million | 13 - 14-year-olds | 7th & 8th grades | 13% of Gen Zers

~ 17 million | 15 - 18-year-olds | High School grades | 25%

~ 14 million | 19 - 21-year-olds | College Years | 20%

~ 28 million | 22 - 28-year-olds | Post college years | 41%

Under Pressure

Compared to other generations, Gen Zers don't expect to achieve financial security, and many doubt their ability to buy homes, have kids, or retire. As if the stress of teen and young adult life wasn't enough, the hurdles for Zoomers are much higher than in previous generations. Most Gen Zers report that the cost of living is the primary concern. Colleges are more expensive than ever, and many Zoomers' parents still have debt from their schooling. In our research, some students report that their parents have yet to see a college investment return and are apprehensive about adding more to the family's debt.

"Over the past 20 years, tuition and fees at private national universities have jumped 134%, out-of-state tuition and fees at public national universities have risen 141% and In-state tuition and fees at public National Universities have increased 175%. "

- US NEWS & WORLD REPORT -SEPTEMBER 2022

Student: "What if it [college] doesn't pay off? My mother went to college, got a degree, which she doesn't use and she's still paying off her student loans." 

Parent: "I don't want my son to rack up 20, 30, 60k and then go into the work force and not make enough money to pay it off."

Student: "I don't want to pay money if I don't know what I want to do. It's an expensive way to find out whether I like something. I can't afford to experiment."

- MAGNET, INC. FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS

The cost of healthcare and housing has risen so dramatically that in addition to the education debt they're paying off and will be paying off, it's increasingly difficult for younger people to get a place of their own and establish independence. Research from the Kaiser Family Foundation indicates that health spending from some families has increased two times faster than wages.

"Health costs continue to increase and in turn health spending by families with large employer health plans has increased 2 times faster than workers' wages over the last 10 years, according to research."

-  PETERSEN / KFF 2018

Mental Health is a Major Issue

The stress and anxiety about school, employment, gun violence, economic insecurity, political instability, personal relationships, climate change, and social media have weighed down Zoomers just as they should be preparing to fly.

This generation has wondered far too often if one of their classmates might gun them down in school. Thirty percent (30%) of Zers have been affected by gun violence. About one quarter (28%) of Zers say someone shot at them or a friend. This cohort has witnessed its elders storming the Capital. The oldest Zers were 13 when they watched their families struggle through the great recession.

"We are a generation forged by trauma and loss, but we are not defeated."

"Half of our generation reports feelings of depression and/or anxiety. The government reports our stress levels are twice those of adults over thirty."

- DAVID HOGG, FIGHT

Seventy-five percent of Generation Z felt stress because of mass shootings (13 percentage points higher than adults overall). Sixty-two percent were concerned about the rise in suicide rates (+18 compared to adults overall). Fifty-eight percent were anxious about climate change and global warming (+17 compared to adults overall).

- JOHN DELLA VOLPE, FIGHT

Adding to the uphill climb of trying to get a life will be the mental health bills or the costs and consequences of not getting therapy. Gen Zers need and want mental health services; however, they are more than three times more likely to cite the lack of access to affordable mental health care compared with 55- to 64-year-olds. Perhaps the most alarming statistic is that when comparing 2007–2009 with 2016–2018, researchers found that suicide rates among youths 18 to 34 increased by 47 percent.

Telling It Like It Is

Gen Z is on a search for truth. The value honesty and authenticity and they are very tired of the bullshit they’ve been hearing from older generational cohorts.  As such, they have little patience for chirpy ad speak. They admit they are scared. Yet, they dare to fight and stand up to the old guard that has been denying and putting off major existential issues like climate change.  

 “Blah, blah, blah. This is all we hear. They [older generations] have had thirty years of blah, blah, blah and where has that led us?”

- GRETA THUNBERG

 It is no longer a forgone conclusion that college is the next right move. When talking about higher education, some Gen Zers from middle- and lower-income families are unsure about the value, their concern about racking up more debt is valid. However, they ask important questions: Is it worth it? Will I get the best skills at college? Do I really need a 4-year degree? Does a college education adequately reflect real-world conditions?

Gen Zers are asking the right questions and telling it like it is. Even when we research the most mundane household products, Zers want to know what the brand is doing for the world. What is the brand's contribution to the betterment of society or the planet? How's the product going to be packaged? What are the ingredients?

 In one of our focus groups for a college, one of our participants stated that she is not signing up for the traditional game of life: college, marriage, kids, house in the suburbs, etc.    

" I don't need a huge house that costs too much to heat and cool. I don't want to spend money, water, and gas on a lawn I don't need. Your generation [Boomers] is shackled to a desk working late into your life to pay off all your debt. I'm not even sure I want to get married and have kids." 

-CARLY, 18-YEAR-OLD MAGNET FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANT FROM CA.

Listen Up

Listen to what Boomers have to say. Their concerns are real, and their intentions are good. Sure, there are exceptions to this, but most of the Zers we’ve researched are eager to work hard and make a difference in a way that makes the world cleaner, safer, smarter, and more affordable.  Yes, they are demanding but they are not lazy or listless. They don’t want to put up with toxic work environments. They are not willing to put up with some of the unreasonable conditions that previous generations tolerated.

Gen Z has seen major institutions fail them and their parents: Wall Street, The Church, Healthcare, Gun Control, Government, Environmental Protection, Law Enforcement, Corporate America, Education, and Marriage. We don't need to furnish examples for each of these institutions since, sadly, we can all recall ways each of these structures has let us down.

They Want Purpose

Young people want brands that are rooted in doing what's right. One study states that up to 87 percent of millennials and 94 percent of Gen Zers want the brand in their lives to address pressing social and environmental issues. That explains why Millennials and Gen Zers are establishing B Corporations. Research indicates that businesses that pursue a B-Corp model, which puts profit on par with environmental and social impact, are growing much faster than traditional companies. For example, in 2021, new B Corp Certification submissions were up 16% compared to 2020 (and we saw a 24% increase in 2020 compared to 2019).

Gen Z wants to know what your brand is doing to make the world a better place. So, of course, they want brands that deliver on all the functional attributes, such as quality, affordability, reliability, and convenience. Still, on top of that, they want responsible, compassionate, inclusive, eco-friendly, and ethical brands. The latter set of attributes is now part of the value equation. A 2021 study by the firm Porter Novelli revealed some exciting findings about purpose-based brands.

More than three-quarters (78%) of respondents said they'd be more likely to work for a purpose-driven company, while nearly the same amount would be more likely to trust (76%) and be loyal to (72%) that company.

 - PORTER NOVELLI, 2021

Millennials and Gen Z want to put their money where their values are. Magnet, Inc. recently conducted focus groups and a quantitative study for some banks to understand better segments called "Fiscal Rookies" and "New Money." These segments, which comprise upwardly mobile millennials and Zers, say that more than competitive rates are needed when looking for a bank. They are willing to forgo the best rates to be with a financial institution that is making a meaningful difference. 

"I was with [Bank X] for a long time because my bank was bought by them. I left the bank because they still contribute to political campaigns which I don't agree with. I also care who the CEO is and what they're making."

"It matters to me if every teller is making a living wage. That would make a difference for me. If they advertised that their tellers were making $25 per hour in Boston, I would run to that bank."

"I want to hear that they are donating to local charities. I want to know that it's not just something that they're saying because they're local."

 - MAGNET FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS

Gallup's new book BLIND SPOT indicates that companies that have emotionally engaged customers have seen, on average, 66% higher sales growth and 10% growth in net profit, and a 25% increase in customer loyalty.

 Companies that care about customers listen to them more. If you want to please this up-and-coming generation, banks would be well advised to care about Gen Zers financial well-being ahead of bank’s own interests. In the financial sector, engaged customers are 39% more likely to sign up for new services, 49% more likely to increase balances, and 32% more likely to seek financial advice from their financial institution. But first, these people need to believe that your institution honestly cares about their economic well-being. 

 At this point, only 9% of consumers strongly agree their bank puts their financial well-being ahead of the bank. And only 12% strongly agree that their bank wants to help them to reach their financial goals. So, there's plenty of opportunity for banks to show they care. A bank that can engage its customers and genuinely care about its customer's financial well-being will enjoy higher returns.

The Good News

As Boomers and Xers, our world began and ended in the neighborhoods we grew up in. As digital natives, Gen Z has had the world in their hands, and they are used to communicating with people all over the planet. This cohort connects with and is comfortable with different kinds of people worldwide. They also have a heightened awareness of humanity, world issues, and empathy for those in need. You see this in the actions and words of Greta Thunberg, environmental activist; Malala, women's rights activist; and David Hogg, gun control activist. These young people stand up for what's right and have the world's attention through social media and digital tech in general.

“I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act.”

GRETA THUNBURG

Gen Z is also the most racially and ethnically diverse of the cohorts, and they have been a part of the significant rise in the Hispanic population. So, this younger generation is globally connected and more comfortable and inclusive in a multicultural world. And what that means is that it will be taking in more ideas from more types of people and places. So, as we blend, we become more tolerant and learn from each other.

They're voting in record numbers. It is estimated that 27% of people ages 18-29 voted in 2022, making this the midterm election with the second-highest youth voter turnout in almost three decades. The highest turnout was in 2018, with 31% participation. Youth turnout was even higher in some battleground states.

They demand positive change for a better world. Knowing what Generation Zers have been through and seeing the world through their eyes will help you to understand why they are very different from the previous cohorts. If you are in business, you would be well advised to shape your brand around this cohort's view. Remember: they expect you to make a real and meaningful contribution. Your brand will benefit if it means what it says, and that appreciation will also carry over to other generational cohorts. 

Gen Z: Your Customer or Your Competition?

If you don't address their needs, they will create a brand that does. Will Gen Zers be your customers or your competition? Do you know the term "hacking," a Millennial neologism still in use? Hacking entered the lexicon because younger generations proficient with technology were discovering and creating more efficient and effective ways of getting things done. Many of them had no choice but to improvise, and from these innovations, we are starting to enjoy more efficient and socially responsible products and services.

“Young Americans are seeking a better, modern form of capitalism that rewards the industriousness and innovation of all Americans, not just the shrinking slice of privileged whites graduating from college with a network of connections and little debt.”

JOHN DELLA VOLPE, FIGHT

Gen Z: Innovative Disruptors

We can't promise Zers the life we had, nor should we suggest we know the right way to live. But we can support Zers in disrupting, inventing, and forging a new and mindful way of life. Show them empathy as they fight the fights that some of us Boomers did half-heartedly.  

Gen Z is an almost 70 million-strong cohort that represents a renaissance in global ingenuity and innovation. It would be wrong to suggest that an entire generation speaks in one unified voice, which is why we should all take research on generational cohorts with a grain of salt. However, this is one time when we see noticeable shifts in attitudes and behavior. We see it in their choice of products and services, their participation in elections, and their remarkable candor in focus groups. If you don't believe me, get a group of them together and hear what they have to say.

 Sources:

John Della Volpe, FIGHT: How Gen Z is channeling their fear and passion to save America

Porter Novelli, Purpose Perception Implicit Association Study 2021

McKinsey & Company: How Gen Z Sees its Place in the Working World? With Trepidation.

Magnet, Inc., Generation Z: Brand Strategy Research

Gallup, 4 Things Gen Z and Millennials Expect from Their Workplace

Gallup, Blind Spot: The Global Rise of Unhappiness and How Leaders Missed It.

The Fourth Turning: William Strauss & Neil Howe

Brand Positioning: A Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious

Recently, some brand managers asked what I thought was the best way to test brand positionings. Over these many years, I have found that the best way is qualitatively, usually in mini focus groups (6 participants per group). We conduct enough mini-groups with qualified audience members until we feel confident with the findings.  

How do we know the winning idea is right? When one group after the next leads us in the same direction, we know we're on to something. Also, in groups, participants can explain what works and what doesn't and why. And, most of all, we know it's right because it feels right. It makes sense, it's energizing, and all aspects of the brand naturally fall into place. It's exhilarating when suddenly you see participants start to build on an idea and make it their own. Then, you know.  

First, let's establish that the positioning idea we are formulating already exists; we just haven't found it. You wouldn't force an artificial consistency on a brand. Authenticity is what gives a brand (or a person for that matter) its magnetic virtue.  To uncover this truth, we use what we call positioning concepts, each of which covers a point of interest about the brand. Examining consumers' reactions to these points of interest coupled with in-depth discussion and deep listening leads us to a blinding glimpse of the obvious. It's an invigorating idea that's always been there and serves as the driving force for all the supporting points. 

The concepts we use are a means to get our audiences talking and lead us in the right direction. Through a real-time, relaxed, and honest conversation via qualitative, we can work with participants to find the "emotional pay dirt." By being face to face with consumers, we can make sure participants focus on the general idea and not get hung up on the writing of the statement or a short phrase. With focus groups and in-depth interviews, we can detect subtle reactions and pick up on the softer remarks that often lead to something exciting. Once we've found a promising idea, the qualitative sessions allow us to zoom in closer and work with consumers to explore how that idea might come alive. We can probe how the idea might take shape. How should it be expressed? Where and how would you expect to see it, hear it, experience it?

Conversely, testing positioning concepts quantitatively becomes a discrete choice exercise wherein respondents choose the best of a group of statements in a survey. None of the statements is ever the absolute best direction, but because it's quantitative, there's no chance to find "the ideas in-between" that would get us to "pay dirt." In a quantitative survey, people often "satisfice" the study and skim through the concepts, neither really reading the statement nor fully appreciating what we're trying to express. So much of positioning and communication is about subtleties and nuance, which we cannot express in a rigid quant survey. As Einstein said, "everything that counts cannot be counted." 

With all that said, quantitative has its place and can be useful for testing aspects of the positioning after the qualitative. Quantitative can yield insight that substantiates the positioning that we divined from the qualitative, but it is not the optimal methodology for locating that exactly right idea. 

The following is a piece we give to clients when testing positioning concepts. Perhaps you'll find it useful.

EXPLANATION OF POSITIONING CONCEPTS

The purpose of positioning concepts is to stimulate thinking and elicit discussion to determine what aspects of a brand spark interest. Each concept, which consists of a couple of sentences, covers an idea that could potentially be the basis for the brand's positioning. Sometimes we develop more than one concept for the same idea since one expression can be more effective.

We are not looking for clever phrases or slogans. Instead, we are just exploring general ideas to find the "emotional pay dirt." It's essential to cover all the possible directions; however, we don't labor too much on writing the perfect sequence of words since consumers invariably tell us that what we thought was so great is not entirely on target.

Sometimes we might "stretch" an idea a little bit to see how it plays. If it is wildly successful then, even if it's not deliverable now, the client might want to "swim up to" that direction. Positioning is more than "what is." It is about "what could be." In essence, each concept is a piece of the brand story. We hand these over to consumers to let them reassemble pieces of the brand story in a meaningful way. Invariably, we find that some parts (concepts) are a turn-off, others hold no strong interest, and some are close to hitting the mark. We work with participants on the modifications to the more potent ideas that will take us to the right positioning.  

Testing positioning concepts is as much - if not more - a generative as it is an evaluative exercise. We never expect any single idea to be the definitive answer, but the concepts can lead us to that blinding glimpse of the obvious.

Making a name for yourself

With enough marketing dollars, one can imbue any brand name, nonsensical or not, with meaning and value.  However, most fledgling brands do not have vast sums of money to educate the world on their value proposition and what their name means.  From the split second your brand name is uttered or viewed, it should start working for you.  It should sound right, look right, feel right, and ideally, connote or denote some meaningful aspect of the brand.  What do we mean by right, you might ask?  It should have cognitive fluency. 

The difference between a good name and a bad name has a lot to do with the "fluency effect," which is the term used to describe the ease or difficulty with which someone can process information.  Names that are easier to process have a clear advantage over more complicated names.  A good name should be readily encoded and easily accessed from memory.  A good name invites the prospect to learn more about the brand and to ultimately purchase the product, support the cause, or join the organization, whatever the objective might be.

Leonard Mlodinow, the author of Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior, offers some very compelling evidence on the power of good names.

"The ease with which a person can process information (such as the name of a stock) does exert an unconscious effect on people's assessment of that information."

"Investors were indeed more likely to invest in the initial public offerings of companies whose name or ticker symbols were easy to pronounce than in companies with complicated names or symbols."

Other studies show that people tend to react more favorably to things that are easy to comprehend. This is called the "illusion of truth" effect.

"It is easier to trust medicines with simpler names as compared with those that are difficult to pronounce – the human mind associates ease-of-reading with ease-of-trusting."

Surprisingly, many business people tend to overlook some essential details when they develop a brand name.  In their rush to launch a brand, they miss some critical factors.  If their name references a local area, will it have credibility when the brand's trade area expands?  Can the name also be acceptable as an abbreviation?  For instance, the Federation for Employment and Guidance Service became "FEGS," which was a total liability until it finally closed its doors.  

Name Changes to the Rescue

Some names sound unappetizing. Some names conjure the wrong associations. Still, some names actually work against the very objective that the brand is trying to accomplish. For instance, if you’re trying to introduce young people into the field of science, you should avoid using the word “science” since many young people decide early on that “science” is a difficult course they took in school. Call your “science center” a “discovery center,” and it becomes less threatening. You’ll get more people over the threshold where they can discover that science is fun.

The following provides seven essential tips one should consider when developing a new brand name:

·       Start with your brand's positioning. What is the single-minded seminal idea that your brand wants to convey to its target audiences? Ideally, your new name should denote or connote your brand's positioning.  For example, Zip Car is a natural extension of its brand promise, "Join instantly.  Drive in Minutes." Ally Bank makes its positioning clear right up front. Rocket Mortgage delivers on its promise of speed and ease. Apple implies simplicity and ease.

·       Remember the fluency effect.  The mind equates ease of understanding with ease of trusting. This is a mental heuristic whereby one name is processed more fluently, smoothly, more quickly than others.  The ease in cognitive processing helps with memorability and likability since people feel closer to things they understand. 

·       Consider using names of objects:  Names with concrete referents conjure mental images more quickly than abstract nouns.  For example, words such as Apple, Dove, Black Dog Bakery, Blue Moon Beer, and Rocket Mortgage are more easily encoded and recalled. Magnet (our name) is easy to remember because it's also a familiar object, and it ties into the positioning idea of "Creating powerfully attractive brands."

·       Phonetics: A client of ours, Sanford Institute for Savings, abbreviated their name, thinking this would help open their business outside of Sanford, ME.  This backfired in several ways: 1) "SIS" sounds like "Cyst." 2) The sibilant "ess" sounds like air leaking from a tire or the hiss of a snake, which does not say solid for a bank and does not stand up well against more comprehensible phonetically dependable names such as Northeast Bank (See cognitive fluency). By the way, much to the relief of employees and customers, we changed SIS to Partners Bank. 

·       Geography: Beware of using a name that may paint you into a corner. For instance, it's sometimes (not always) difficult to expand your trade area and specific target audiences with a local name. 

·       Wearability/Usability: Is this a name that you will want people to wear?  Many clients do not have the money to spend heavily on advertising to imbue a character with meaning, so how the name and logo fit on a cap, a shirt, a mug, a bumper sticker can matter a lot. 

·       Descriptors matter as much as the name: The descriptor, i.e., the definition of your product or service, is often overlooked and can be as important, if not more important, than the name itself.  For example, a medical center, a clinic, or a medical group can offer the same service; however, one of these entities is perceived to be of greater value.  The same is true for exercise, wherein a gym, fitness center, health club, fitness studio, or wellness center can offer the same services, but one of these is more appealing to a broader swath of the public.  One of these descriptors will enable you to provide more services with greater credibility. Or, how about a Science Center?  If your objective is to draw more people into the field of science, then "Science Center" is NOT the best descriptor. Contact us, and we'll be happy to explain.

Building a Great Brand Positioning

It’s one thing to discover your brand positioning, that brilliant, single-minded, salient idea that compellingly distinguishes your brand from the competition. However, it’s quite another to get that idea through the gauntlet of management, employees, stakeholders, over-thinkers and technocrats before it gets to “real-life exposure."  There are many pitfalls all along the way and this will help you to spot them.

What is brand positioning?

A brand’s positioning is the single-minded, compelling idea from which all aspects of the brand emanate: systems, culture, values, products, services as well as communications.

Positioning: It's not what is, it's what could be.

It is not an attempt to capture everything that the brand is.  The positioning statement exists to clearly and succinctly state, in one sentence, what the brand could and should be.  A brand positioning statement is about where you want to take the brand.

Why is positioning important?

Branding is about efficiently establishing favorable images, thoughts and associations in consumers' minds.  The more focused the brand is, the more successful it will be in creating those impressions.   The benefits of positioning are as follows:

• Enables consumers to quickly discern what makes your brand different.

• Creates an efficient communications development process.

• Creates a more aligned and cohesive organization. Shouldn't everybody responsible for the brand be able to quickly and succinctly state the brand's positioning?

• Imbues the brand with an aura of strength and confidence. People like brands that know what they stand for.

• Provides a reason why. Products and services have greater perceived value when tied to a higher purpose.

Brand Positioning is Simple But It Is Not Easy

The positioning idea should by definition be simple. We are trying to penetrate the consumer's psyche. Thus, the simpler the idea, the easier it is to remember.  The process of developing a brand positioning is in theory quite simple.  You explore what the brand is all about, you develop hypotheses about what makes it distinct and compelling and, last but not least, you test these ideas in some fashion with your target audience to see what resonates.   The mechanics of the process are somewhat straightforward but what can make it difficult are the egos, opinions, and the general resistance to change you encounter along the way.  And, if you attempt to please everybody along the way you will most certainly fail.  When it comes to brand positioning, "people-pleasers" need not apply.  

Think about it: you are asking brand stakeholders to distill the essence of what they are into a single sentence.   Trying to get any group of people to agree on a simple, single-minded idea is no easy task.  Far too often Magnet, Inc. comes across clients that have worked with so-called "branding experts" who have, after a protracted and expensive process arrived at a turgid, long-winded, uninspiring brand positioning statement that conveniently covers multiple thoughts. I will ask brand stakeholders to tell me what their positioning is at which point they look searchingly toward the ceiling and at each other to find the words.  Someone attempts to recite it, another corrects him and, finally, the senior most person asks the junior most person to get the document containing the sacred sequence of words that is supposed to drive all facets of their brand.  Not only should a positioning be simple, everybody in your organization should be able to snappily recite it with ease. 

With all that said, here are 15 things to think about in the development of a brand positioning:

1) Leadership must be involved.  Positioning is how you plan to face the world. If the leadership is not on board, forget about making any sort of meaningful change.

2) The brand is not about the client. Clients want to impose their agenda, which is more often than not the same as the consumer's agenda.  If you find that your positioning is remarkably convenient to your needs, then I can bet that it's not compelling to your audience.

3) Spread out when exploring. The best ideas come from the most unlikely places. Try the loading dock. Seriously, if your exploratory phase is limited to the marketing department, then you are missing the bits and pieces that makes branding interesting and real.

4) Explore the absurd and amusing ideas. You know the idea that at first blush seems absurd and elicits laughter?  Explore it. There’s usually something there.

5) Include the consumer in the process. "Internal strategizing" is a contradiction in terms. Give your brand to your audience and they'll tell you what you need to know. If you think you are going to find the answer without including your target audience, youare mistaken. 

6) Pull back the camera. A rigid quantitative survey instrument will not give you the "emotional pay dirt." Use lots of divergent thinking techniques and open up the dialog with focus group, in-depth interviews and ethnographic research.  

7) Listen for noises.  Positioning is about sparking interest. Listen for the ideas that make you go “oooo,” “ahhh,” and “aha.”  Use that as your gauge. If your not making people go "oooo" then you're probably missing the big idea.

8) You need more than research.  Positioning development is a science and an art, perhaps more art. It’s the random odds and end and bits and pieces that lead to the big idea.

“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” - Einstein

9) Inspire.  A great idea put in the wrong hands is a painful thing to watch.  Make sure that whoever is driving the process can stir hearts and minds. Be dramatic.

10) Tell it like it is.   Too many "branding experts" have neither the chutzpah or integrity to tell the client when their ideas are pure folly.  It takes courage to be simple.

11) A positioning statement is not a Christmas tree.  Too many "positioning statements" cover too many thoughts because the branding expert invites everybody to hang an ornament on it.  Positioning by committee is easy to approve but no one can remember the statement. 

12) The idea must have heart.  Make people feel something. Scientific research shows that people act upon ideas that create a “felt shift.”    The positioning statement should be as evocative as the creative that follows. Take it from Carlos.

“Look at every path closely and deliberately, then ask ourselves this crucial question: Does this path have a heart? If it does, then the path is good. If it doesn't, it is of no use.” - - Carlos Castaneda

13) The idea must have creative firepower.  When people start building on the idea, you know you are there. Conversely, if people cannot readily see how the idea would come to life, you probably need more work.

14. Execution is everything.  Positioning is like a combination shot. It all needs to line up just right.

15. Don't take your foot off the gas.  Even the smartest, sharpest idea needs some force to penetrate people’s minds. If it’s the right idea, invest in it.  It will pay you back many times over.

The 2016 Election - A Case for More Qualitative Research

Perhaps the outcome of the 2016 presidential election serves as an excellent example of why we should not lean too heavily on quantitative research. Alternatively, why we should give qualitative more of a role in analytics and decision making. Sure, quantitative analysis plays an essential role in any researcher's arsenal, but sometimes, maybe even often, we become too reliant on the "math," which can be deceptively comforting. I say this as someone who holds a degree in economics and mathematics and conducts a lot of quantitative studies.

I started out last night's election-watch with Nate Silver's fivethirtyeight.com giving Clinton a 75% chance of winning. The charts, the stats, and the incredibly cool info-graphics made it all seem so sure. FiveThirtyEight prides itself on using "hard numbers and statistics to tell a compelling story." Several hours into the vote count, the probability had completely flipped with 538, now giving Trump a 75% chance of winning. In direct contrast to "predictive analytics," the math was continually readjusting to catch up to the reality - "reactive analytics."

It seems like the Clinton campaign should have done a little more deep listening and a lot less "scientific" polling from a distance. So much for the digital marketing experts and statisticians who relied more on their algorithms and data collection techniques than they did on good old fashioned listening.

The Donald kept saying that the reality he was experiencing was not consistent with the polls. "It's amazing; we're getting tens of thousands of people at my rallies." "I don't need Beyonce." "You should see the crowds." Trump was out there with the people in the thick of it while the Democrats were tweaking algorithms and cocooning in the comfort of their "hard numbers."

So, when clients ask whether we need to do some qualitative research, I'll be using the 2016 presidential election as an excellent example of why it pays for researchers and branders to dive into the thick of humanity and do some deep listening. Counting is not the same as listening, and "hard numbers" do not tell the whole story.