Behind the badge and beyond the advertising, any brand is only as good as the sense of common purpose and belief it has in itself, its people and its vision for success.
In a remarkable few weeks where 5000/1 outsiders Leicester City won the Barclay’s Premiership and Apple reported a 14% fall in the value of their shares – whatever next? Has the world gone mad?
I played competitive football for 27 years, which coincidentally is about exactly the same amount of time I've been an Apple advocate. Not once in all those years did I walk on the pitch believing we couldn't win. Regardless of whether we were top or bottom of the league.
Belief is everything. Without it, it's simply not worth turning up. Leicester City have it. They've done the seemingly impossible and I for one see no reason why they can't do it again next year.
While the world loves the underdog there's a cynical side to us all. We love to see the giants come crashing down. I wouldn't hold your breath. Personally I don't believe for a minute that Apple are close to imploding.
When everyone pulls together, the whole is always much more than the sum of the parts – it’s the definition of teamwork. The impossible becomes possible and a team that cost less than Gareth Bale have earned the bragging rights. They've built a culture that any club or brand would be proud of. A sense of common purpose, cultural alignment and desire that although born of modest means, has made all the difference.
The same is true of Apple. While the world loves the underdog there's a cynical side to us all. We love to see the giants come crashing down. I wouldn't hold your breath. Personally I don't believe for a minute that Apple are close to imploding. In fact I think the opposite. Assuming (and maybe it's a big assumption) that the belief, passion and sense of collective enthusiasm for who they are, what they do and what they have built stills burns brightly.
The best brands are built from the inside out. Long before a brand is adopted by the consumer, its promises and its goals are defined and created on behalf of the business.
What it needs to capture and personify is what defines "you", it’s what makes "you" different – your aims, visions and ambitions. It’s what it stands for and how it helps provide direction and galvanise the business that matters – the behaviors instilled in its staff, and ultimately the culture. Not the name or the logo.
The positivity and sense of common motivation that can be built and developed are what lies at the heart of great brands, successful brands, successful businesses and equally successful clubs. Apple has grown beyond simply being a brand.
It’s a philosophy, it’s a business and it’s never been afraid to think differently. It believes in what it it’s doing, done and more importantly capable of still achieving.