“If you don’t have anything interesting to say as a brand, you’re just a product.”

Spencer Baim, Chief Strategic Officer, Vice Media

This is a damning statement. And we love it.

Some of you will know youth media company Vice as master storytellers. People forget that Vice – and its creative agency, Virtue – know about branding.

The essence of this quotation is that proper brands have stories to tell, things to share, ideas to believe in. Otherwise… “you’re just product”. Which sounds like something Eminem would say.

Now there’s not necessarily anything wrong with “just product”. But if your competitors are finding ways to engage with customers by using content, then you’re in trouble.

As other articles in this series show, content engenders trust. It shows respect and care for customers. It says ‘We’re in this for the long term, like you.’

So say something interesting, again and again.
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