Can You Answer the B.H.O.Q.?
It’s the one question that leaders at all levels struggle to answer.
The penetrating question that stops many marketing executives dead in their tracks. Sends them scrambling like frantic crabs during a Carolina hurricane. Leaves them yammering and stammering like the nervous public defender in My Cousin Vinny.
An explosive question that can’t be answered by analytics, data or A.I. Will never be discovered by combing through customer demographics or spreadsheets.
We call it the B.H.O.Q.
The Big Hairy Open Question.
Coined by Manhattan’s Idea Volcano during an AIRBNB living room rant, his profound utterance found its way on to a cell phone video. As soon as Mark birthed the acronym, we both knew he was on to something BIG. For example, Coca-Cola has answered this question. So has Dove, Harley-Davidson, Jack Daniels, Lulu Lemon, Ferrari, NIKE, Starbucks. Caterpillar, Patagonia, Virgin, Apple and many of the world’s other most loved and respected brands. Here are the precise words that describe the B.H.O.Q.:
Who Are You … Beyond Your Products & Services?
It’s a deceptively simple question. You will be tempted to blow it off until you take some time to reflect on how you actually answer it. It’s a straight from the heart question that speaks to your True Identity, the core of who you are and what your brand represents – beyond what you make, do or sell. In our ongoing work with BIG LITTLE LEGENDS, the B.H.O.Q. has been answered by a wide range of folks from Jim Gilbert at Canada’s Huggable Car Dealer to B.J. Werzyn at West Shore Home, Raptor Mining, Thermalwood Canada, Hillberg & Berk, the Savannah Bananas, the City of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and many more.
Bringing a wealth of Madison Avenue strategic insight to the conversation, Mark DiMassimo of the highly respected New York-based DiGo Brand Agency, challenges you to really think about how this question applies to your Main Street business. From dockside in Tampa, “CAN YOU ANSWER THE B.H.O.Q? on this segment of Leaders & Legends.
“Too many companies want their brands to reflect some idealised, perfected image of themselves. As a consequence, their brands acquire no texture, no character and no public trust”
- RICHARD BRANSON
p.s…. If brainstorming was a professional sport, Mark DiMassimo would be a an early 1st round draft choice. As someone who was once a touring piano player, he believes the choice is simple. If you are not building a legendary brand, you are a commodity. By definition, any commodity-driven business becomes a race to the bottom with minimal profit. The way DiMassimo sees it, creating your own legendary brand extends far beyond differentiating products and services. It’s about making a genuine emotional connection that inspires customer loyalty and drives demand. Having an iconic brand identity – one that answers the B.H.O.Q.- gives anyone a long-term asset that compounds over time. The accumulated Reputational Equity allows you to charge premium prices, trigger organic word-of-mouth, and build a highly differentiated brand fortress that’s impossible to penetrate. Here are some quick examples of how some brands have answered the B.H.O.G. with an Iconic Identity that extends beyond products and services. Beyond computers, athletic footwear, an airline, outdoor clothing and water.
APPLE: In 1997, “Think Different” was a public declaration that this brand was designed for rebels, misfits and round pegs in square holes. For people who are not fond of rules with no use for the status quo.
NIKE: Dating back to 1988, “Just Do It” is a call to action; a battle cry to move forward no matter what stands in your way.
VIRGIN: Founded on a spirit of cheeky irreverence, this brand has consistently disrupted status quo while expanding the boundaries of great customer service.
PATAGONIA: Starting in 1973, founder Yvon Chouinard built a company that became a movement for eco-conscious consumers and environmental activism.
LIQUID DEATH: The “Bad Boys of Beverages”. These Demons of Drink have turned the purest commodity on the planet into a decadent, unstoppable force.
But, hold on a minute…
If this is how some of the best brands in the world have answered the B.H.O.Q, how does this concept translate to small to mid-size companies.
Look no further than what continues to unfold in Edmonton, Alberta with Raptor Mining. Featured in Chapter 8 of BIG LITTLE LEGENDS, Craig Harder shares his thoughts on having a vision that goes beyond that which is merely functional.
Logos, graphic design and websites reflect visual consistency.
Brand Identity is the soul of your business.
The reason why customers and your people believe in you.
p.p.s… From Baltimore, Maryland’s “Mr. Electricity”, Harvard-educated leadership coach Mark Jankowski chimes in with this observation:
“I think it should be called “The B.H.U.Q.” – The Big Hairy Ultimate Question. It’s the one that very few CEO’s and marketing executives can answer simply because it’s a non-linear question. When Jim Collins came up the B.H.A.G in “Good To Great”, he was asking a totally linear question. One with a clear objective, an audacious goal that you could work backwards from. The beauty of this question … The Big Hairy Open Question … is that there is nothing linear about it. It demands a level of thinking and reflection that many business leaders struggle with. Which is precisely the reason why they should be embracing all the nuances and subtleties of this ultimate question.”
Make it stand out
One of the top Executive Coaches in North America, Mark Jankowski leads an organization called VOLTAGE.
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BIG LITTLE LEGENDS: SPOTLIGHTED IN FORBES
BRAND STRATEGY: ON PURPOSE & ON TRACK.
It’s been called a metaphorical road trip that is both journey and destination. THE BRANDING HIGHWAY is designed for larger companies and organizations looking to emerge as an undeniable, undisputed, "Category of One.” This proven, market-tested process is an avenue for Executive Teams to discover both a highly distinctive Brand Identity as well as develop the foundation for your own Media Company. Impossible to describe. Filled with many twists and turns, here is a quick preview:
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