Plant the Flag
When is a photograph much more than an image frozen in time? When is a flag much more than a colorful piece of cloth?
Look no further than the iconic snapshot taken by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press on February 23, 1945. Four days after the Marines stormed the beaches at Iwo Jima, a squad of exhausted soldiers grabbed Old Glory, stuck it on a lead pipe and secured it firmly on the windy summit of heavily fortified Mount Suribachi.
The Marines paid a heavy price to plant that flag. No fewer than 6,821 American souls made this war-torn island their final resting place. Another 19,217 Marines were wounded and 2,648 permanently traumatized with combat fatigue. Meanwhile, the Imperial Japanese Army began the Battle of Iwo Jima with 21,000 troops. Only 216 were taken prisoner. You do the math.
“This photo that lives forever immortalizes the fighting spirit demanded to defend democracy and its freedoms. An everlasting symbol of service, sacrifice, perseverance and esprit de corps.”
With a lens setting between f/8 and f/11 at a shutter speed at 1/400th second, Joe Rosenthal clicked and made history. His dramatic photo captured the essence of what the U.S. and its allies were fighting against in WW II.
So how does this photo of a war-torn flag apply to building a legendary brand?
In two unshakeable, foundational words. Core Values.
The vast majority of companies claim they have core values but, are really spewing generic bullet points like ‘integrity’, ‘innovation’, ‘quality’, ‘respect’, ‘transparency’ and so on. Core values that actually shape brand identity and provide direction only have meaning when they are battle tested, supported by fact and articulated by the very specific things you stand against.
What core values are you willing to die for? What are the things that do not happen and will never happen on your watch – no matter how many dollars are on the table? When the chips are down and the bullets are flying, on which mountains will you and your brand take a stand and “Plant The Flag” on Leaders & Legends.
“People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf”
p.s… Within the context of today’s social media battleground, brand leadership is responsible for crafting a distinct identity, core values and greater purpose (beyond profit) that will increase their capability to attract customers and job candidates who believe the same things. It all begins with knowing Who You Are (beyond products and services) as opposed to what you do, make or sell. Only then can CEO’s and senior execs embrace a fundamental belief, social cause or initiative that is fully aligned with their brand story.
“Planting The Flag” and drawing a sharp line in the sand should never be confused with formulaic cliches with corresponding air quotes like “unique selling propositions”, “competitive advantage” or “mission statements”. When you Plant The Flag, you declare in no uncertain terms that this who you are and what you’re all about. Like it or don’t like it. The best brands in the world are perfectly OK knowing that people are free to shop somewhere else if core values don’t align. Here is a Top Ten List of what Plant The Flag looks like in real-life.
1. PATAGONIA: Imagine the audacity of a clothing company that actively tells you not to buy its products? Their infamous “Don't Buy This Jacket” ad campaign urged customers to consider the environmental cost of their purchases. Patagonia is against consumerism and donates 1% of sales to environmental causes and help protect Mother Earth.
2. NIKE: Taking a stand to Plant The Flag means being bold, brave and facing intense criticism. When NIKE came out against racial inequality with a campaign featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, it was clear the athletic footwear giant was willing to put money and market share where its mouth was.
3. APPLE: From the very beginning, this Silicon Valley tech firm came out swinging against all forms of status quo and conformity. Especially in 1984 with an epic Super Bowl commercial. Since those early days in Steve Jobs garage at 2066 Crist Drive in Los Altos, CA, Apple has been on a mission to eradicate complexity in favour of simplicity. To do whatever it takes to enable the rebels, the misfits, the troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who are not fond of rules and see things differently.
4. LUSH: One bath bomb at a time, LUSH is on a mission to put an end to animal testing. They’ve even created their own “Lush Prize” to fund alternatives to animal testing.
5. BEN & JERRY’S: While churning out delicious desserts, Ben & Jerry’s also stands against non-GMO products. They actively seek cost-effective options for farmers within their supply chain to convert to non-GMO animal feed. Their campaigns and products speak to their strong political, social, and cultural values served with a sprinkle of humour and friendly tone.
6. LIQUID DEATH: In a nutshell, this brand has decided to Plant The Flag against anything that smack of boring, ordinary and mundane. Willing to slay the dragons of conventional marketing to help Murder Your Thirst.
7. CHICK-FIL-A: When founder Truett Cathy opened the first location in Hapeville, Georgia in 1946, he mandated they would be closed on Sundays to allow employees time to rest, recharge, and worship. Sundays continue to be a day of rest at all of the chicken chain’s 3,000+ locations. By some estimates, this decision to Plant The Flag costs Chick-Fil-A about $1.2 billion annually in lost revenue.
8. THE MASTERS: No running, shouting or jeering from spectators who are referred to as ‘patrons’. No cellphones or cameras. No hats worn backwards. Caddies must wear white jumpsuits.
9. AC/DC: Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famers have sold over 200 million records and continue to fill the largest stadiums on earth. Meat and potatoes, hard rock with a four on the floor beat. No keyboards. No synthesizers. No power ballads. No female backing vocals. Within a simple, blues-based structure, driving riffs and howling vocals have created a highly distinctive sound. Decades after emerging from Australia, AC/DC are legends that still leaves audiences ‘Thunderstruck’. There is a lot to learn from the wisdom of guitarist Angus Young: “A lot of bands can chop and change their style into almost anything. We’ve never gotten sidetracked like that: we know what we do best, and we’ve never strayed from it. If we did, then it wouldn’t be AC/DC. I mean, if I wanna hear some reggae, then I’ll buy a @#$%in’ Bob Marley album!”
10. DOVE: The ‘Real Beauty’ campaign successfully positioned Dove as an advocate for authentic beauty and self-acceptance. By standing against airbrushing and deep fakes associated with the entire advertising industry, Dove has emerged as the #1 challenger of conventional beauty ideals.
p.p.s. … A diminutive 5-foot-5, Joe Rosenthal piled up stones and a sandbag so he had something to stand on when he snapped the iconic Iwo Jima photograph. The centerpiece of a war-bond poster that helped raise $26 billion before the war in the Pacific ended, it also appeared on a U.S. postage stamp and nine years later it became enshrined as the Marine Corps War Memorial. A little over two months after capturing the moment, Rosenthal was awarded the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Photography. The 2006 Hollywood film Flags of Our Fathers, directed by Clint Eastwood, also depicted Joe’s involvement in the moments leading up to the flag being unfurled on Mount Suribachi.
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