The Living Brand Framework in Action
In our last post, we talked about why traditional brand guidelines no longer work the way they should. A dusty pdf document can’t evolve and adapt to the new realities of business. Let’s dive into how to build a Living Brand system for your organization.
Step 1: Build Your Brand Foundation (The Unchanging Core)
Start by identifying your brand's strategic anchors—the elements that don't change even as everything else evolves. As Ray Dalio explains in his book Principles:
“Your values are what you consider important, literally what you ‘value.’ Principles are what allow you to live a life consistent with those values. Principles connect your values to your actions; they are beacons that guide your actions, and help you successfully deal with the laws of reality.”
This means that businesses should build their brands naturally from their principles, and Dalio believes that organizations thrive when decisions align with deeply understood values.
Your brand positioning statement should guide decisions and reflect the authentic culture of your organization. This is far more than just an impressive mission statement.
It needs to answer: Who are we for? What do we help them achieve? What makes us different from alternatives? Why should they believe us?
Here's a quick test we call "The 3-Sentence Brand Test":
Sentence 1: We help [audience] achieve [outcome]
Sentence 2: Unlike [alternatives], we [unique approach]
Sentence 3: This matters because [why it creates value]
If your team can't articulate these three sentences consistently, your brand foundation needs work.
Your core narrative framework builds on this positioning. The result should be a flexible structure that helps tell your brand story in ways that make sense for their context.
Aka: A salesperson can incorporate your brand story in a customer meeting. A marketercan weave it into a blog post. A customer success manager can refer to it during onboarding. Different expressions, same narrative core.
Step 2: Design Your Expression System (The Flexible Middle)
Now translate your brand foundation into practical guidance for daily execution.
Start with personality and voice. Instead of abstract descriptions: "We're innovative and customer-focused."
Use the "this not that" approach:
We're confident, not arrogant
We're conversational, not casual
We're expert, not academic
We're direct, not blunt
This comparative approach gives people actual guidance for making voice decisions in the moment.
For visual identity, create systems that work across contexts. Instead of "always use this exact layout.”
Provide principles like: "Lead with the customer benefit, use white space to create focus, and let imagery support the message rather than decorating it."
The Expression System becomes your team's reference point for brand decisions. Not "Is this allowed?" but "Is this aligned?"
Step 3: Create Activation Tools (The Daily Reality)
Build the practical resources your team actually needs.
Your brand hub should be central, accessible, and searchable. Everyone should be able to find what they need in under two minutes. Logo files, color codes, templates, messaging frameworks, examples—all in one place.
Smart templates embed brand thinking. A sales deck template shouldn't just have your logo and colors—it should guide the narrative structure, suggest proof points, and include messaging frameworks that help salespeople adapt the story for different prospects.
Quick reference guides for common scenarios save enormous time:
"How to talk about our product on social media."
"How to respond to competitor comparisons."
"How to explain our pricing structure."
These aren't static scripts—they're frameworks that help people make good decisions quickly.
Self-service resources reduce bottlenecks. Instead of every asset requiring marketing approval, this approach gives teams the tools and guidance they need to create on-brand content independently.
This isn’t saying your high-level executives shouldn’t have eyes on things, but save tiered approval processes for high-stakes, high-visibility materials.
Integration with existing tools matters more than you think. If your team uses Canva, build Canva brand templates. If they work in PowerPoint, create PowerPoint systems. Meet people where they work.
Step 4: Establish Evolution Practices (The Learning Loop)
Create regular rhythms for brand health and improvement.
Monthly check-ins don't need to be elaborate. Gather quick feedback:
What brand challenges came up this month? Where did teams struggle with consistency? What customer feedback have we heard about our messaging?
Save the deeper dives for quarterly brand performance reviews. Look at consistency metrics across channels. Review customer perception data. Identify what's working and what needs adjustment.
Customer feedback integration is crucial. Your brand exists in the minds of your customers, not your brand guidelines. If customers consistently misunderstand your positioning or don't recognize your brand across channels, that's actionable intelligence.
Team feedback mechanisms matter just as much. The people using your brand system every day know where it's helping and where it's getting in the way. Listen to them.
It’s always important to stay aware of how you are governing your brand elements. It’s a fine line between governance that enables rather than restricts. Create clear decision frameworks:
These elements never change (strategic positioning, core narrative).
These elements can adapt quarterly (messaging emphasis, visual direction).
These elements can flex daily (content topics, channel tactics).
