The 3 ingredients that make a strong brand strategist

Strategy is often called an art and a science. But what exactly is the “art” and the “science” of it?

The science part is the analysis. The research. Loads of strategists are great researchers. Able to find data and information that no one has looked for, that tells you the things you want to avoid and the things you want to be doing.

But to me, how strong you are as a brand strategist is determined not just by your ability to conduct research and analyse information, but by these three ingredients: 

👉 How good you are at finding information and analysing it to validate your ideas
👉 Your ability to spot patterns and opportunities that most people miss
👉 How strong your intuition and creative instincts are.

So let's look a little bit closer at these 3 ingredients.

1. 📈 Strategic analysis: This is all about your ability to use research and information to validate your assumptions or instincts. 

2. 💡 Creative intuition: This is your ability to develop and trust your creative instincts. 

3. 🧩 Lateral thinking: This comes from experience and expertise, and means the ability to spot patterns and draw connections between seemingly unrelated things. 

So why is intuition important?

When we have strategic decisions to make, we often look outside for the answer. We turn to Google, we read books, we ask our friends, and we consult experts. Rightly so, we use information to try and make well-informed and smart decisions, grounded in reality.

The problem is when we base our decisions solely on data and neglect our intuition, which often limits our capacity to make bold, innovative moves. 

Yes, as a strategist you need to be able to use data and research as a tool to inspire, strengthen, and validate your instincts. But you have to make sure you’re getting the right balance between information and intuition.

Intuition is this intrinsic ability to know instinctively, without conscious thinking, if something feels right or wrong. And this is crucial when doing strategy. Often, there isn't a “right" or a “wrong” strategy, but there is one that feels right, based on a deep understanding of the brand, its customers, and the world they live in. 

Branding and strategy involve both the mind and the heart. It's got to be informed by the right data and research, but it also has to have that intuitive side – that ‘gut feeling’ or ‘light bulb moment’. And this is where you need to trust your instincts and take more risks. 

So my advice? Start paying a little more attention. Both to the signals you receive from the market and its people, and to your intuition and instincts.  

It's all about balance. Lean too heavily on the data and research, and you'll kill all originality. Only go with your gut feeling, and you'll miss the mark with a brand that feels out of touch with the very people it's trying to target. But strike the right balance, and you'll deliver a stand-out strategy that feels different, and feels right. 

So over to you. Which one of these ingredients do you feel is your strongest star ingredient, and which do you feel less confident about?