In the 60 Minute Brand Strategist, Idris Mootee posits that one way to describe a brand is that it is a “point of view.”

What a fantastic way to describe it.

A brand is your unique point of view on how to deliver your type of product.

Do you believe your product should be inexpensive or high quality?

Should you focus on design or utility?

Is it important to offer concierge-like service or is it better to get ’em in and get ‘em out?

UBER’s point of view is that it’s more convenient to pay a set price and be able to get a car service via a simple app to get where you want to go. That’s what defines their brand.

airbnb believes that ordinary people should be able to rent out their rooms and homes to make money for themselves and give guests an opportunity to get a real taste of what it’s like to actually live in the area they’re visiting. That is how they stand out.

Whether you agree with them or not is up to you. But they decided that this is their unique view of their business and that’s what makes them strong brands.

If you don’t really have a point of view, you don’t really have a brand.

If you feel your point of view is the same as your competitors, then there’s no defining reason why they should go to you over another.

This is why defining your company’s values is so critical and why they should never be generic or trite. Ask yourself how does your business see the world differently. That’s the key to your true brand.