What makes a brand ICONIC?
Hmmm, good question…….. It’s a term that is thrown around a bit at the moment, but does it actually matter these days?
I’ve been pondering this the last few weeks as I’ve finished reading two books that both currently live on best seller lists in their home countries.
The first is “Big Money Energy” written by Ryan Serhant. Yep, THAT guy from Million Dollar Listing New York who has just launched his own multimedia real estate company - Serhant. (I flipping love MDLNY and his over the top personality and the way he goes about life and business is fascinating to me. I also love that I get a voyeuristic glimpse at my beloved Manhattan because a real life sighting is still a very long way off.) The other, was “Of Gold and Dust” written by the insanely talented Founder and Creative Director, the incomparable Samantha Wills, of the modern luxe-bohemian Australian jewellery label by the same name.
(head here to check out stockist info of your local independent bookstore)
You know that whole ‘never judge a book by its cover’ thing, well it rings true in this case because on the outside these books couldn’t be more different. They are written by authors who are clearly VERY different (on the outside, as I don’t know either of them personally.) However, on the inside though and when you reach the last page of both books, they have a very similar tie in….stay with me here.
Ryan Serhant unashamedly goes about his life with the intention to become EXTREMELY wealthy via an industry that actually wasn’t even his first love or career goal - he wanted to be an actor. He now sells luxury real estate and last year (amid the PEAK of the pandemic in NYC) he launched his own stand alone company, Serhant. which he defines as a ‘multi-media real estate company’ creating podcasts, network TV shows, digital content and trademarked industry data designed to inform and entertain an audience far beyond just those in the market for a new (very fancy) abode. He is open about his ambition to earn billions (and acquire the materialistic possessions one does with extreme wealth) and do ‘things’ ie. Real Estate - differently.
Well, the fact that I’m even writing about him and his business is a testament to the fact that it’s kinda working. I bought his book didn’t I? I follow him on social media. Do I want to actually buy a $20m apartment in Manhattan in 2021? Heck no. Well…..maybe one day in my dreams, but I’m certainly not in the market this very day.
Source: Instagram @bigmoneyenergy
This guy has achieved what he set out to (and, obviously he’s had the help of a brilliant team) in 10 years and is now the top agent in New York City. He most certainly IS doing real estate differently, selling over $400m in property in his first few months of operation alone during a pandemic and amongst fierce competition of brokers also calling #thecitythatneversleeps their work place. So does that make the “Serhant” brand #iconic in the real estate world? Or is 10 years in an industry and #1 ranking not enough to be coined an icon, despite immense success?
Samantha Wills started out as a jewellery designer working at the Bondi markets and creating her designs by hand on her kitchen table. She had a vision to live a creative life and each step she took personally and professionally is a testament to that original vision. Her story is well known and even more so now as in 2019, together with her business partner, closed the Samantha Wills jewellery line that was a shock to fans of the brand and the industry alike. If you have read her new book “Of Gold and Dust” then you will know of the countless celebrities that wore SW pieces and extensive list of stores stocking SW collections. If you search the hashtag #samanthawills or even their statement piece, a luxe-boho ring called the #bohemianbardot you will see thousands of posts from super fans wearing and showing off with maximum pride their collections. Each post usually features multiple pieces of the same item purchased by superfans, just in different colours. I own two of these #bohemianbardot rings myself and despite not getting worn much lately as my tastes have changed a little, I can’t bear to part with them knowing that the brand is no more. Even the packaging each piece of jewellery arrived in – a hand carved box from India – became a collector’s item.
Source: Instagram @samanthawills
The Samantha Wills jewellery brand was a profitable multimillion dollar business of which brand extensions and personal ambassadorships with the likes of Yellowglen, Optus and Victoria Racing Carnival came to life. Over 15 years of working at building a market leading business, the Samantha Wills brand undoubtedly owned the luxe-bohemian brand aesthestic and is still one of the most recognisable accessories labels and Aussie exports abroad. So does 15 years (most of them as a market leader), countless celebrity endorsements and global reaching superfans = an iconic brand?
Well, the thing is, I actually don’t have the answer. Both of these business owners embraced diversification to enhance both their brand awareness AND revenue. They are undoubtedly BIG brands. Both of these founders are open about how they have achieved and exceeded their goals so far. Both of them are synonymous with their differing industries. Ryan Serhant with real estate and Samantha Wills with jewellery and accessories.
So does an #iconic brand have a timeframe in which it needs to be achieved? One that can outlive its original founders and continue to be consumed in some format for years to come? Or is it a profitability and bottom line the blows its competitors out of the water that takes a brand to icon status? Maybe it’s the impact on the world in a way that counts for generations to come? Is it simply, just longevity? The notion that if you can stick around in business for a lengthy amount of time, that makes a brand worthy, because heck, it’s HARD WORK.
While I still don’t have an answer to the question I’m posing to you, it’s clear to me that the definition of an #iconic brand is subjective to each of us, based on what we each individually value and admire.
To me, TRUST and PURPOSE play a large part for me to think of a brand as #iconic. It doesn’t matter the type of brand I’m dealing with, from luxe to less, high to low - there is that inherent trust with certain brands where my expectations will be met or exceeded time and time again. They are the brands I go back to, time and time again. We all have these. Our TRUSTED brands.
So maybe in the end being an icon doesn’t actually matter and it’s just another empty label. Perhaps it’s instead those brands that leave a lasting LEGACY in the lives of those it’s served (or still serves) regardless of their time in operation that matters. Leaving a LEGACY correlates directly to a brand having made an IMPACT. A brand with a #legacy made a difference to someone or something. It doesn’t matter if that brand is ‘big’ or not.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Leave a comment below and tell me what you think – what’s an iconic brand in your eyes and does it really matter anymore?
Until next month, have a happy day!
Michelle x