When confidence becomes visible.
Before a business can communicate with confidence externally, it sometimes needs to rediscover exactly what it is that makes it distinctive. The internal team needs to believe in the story and embrace the proposition before customers can buy into it.
Our work with LANX, the Lancashire-based footwear brand, whose commitment to British manufacturing and craftsmanship sits at the heart of everything it does, demonstrates this. As the brand project progressed, an idea emerged that captured the spirit of the business and the character of the people behind it.
The phrase 'Get 'em Worn' felt honest and it reflected the idea that great shoes shouldn't be hidden away or preserved for special occasions, but should become part of everyday life. More importantly, it spoke the authentic language of the brand itself.
However, would it feel too regional and would people outside Lancashire understand it? Would a colloquial expression limit the appeal of a growing national business? These were reasonable concerns. But our belief is that the ideas that seem slightly uncomfortable are often the ones that become memorable.
Businesses sometimes worry that authenticity may narrow their audience. The safer option may be to soften an idea, to make it more neutral and more universally acceptable. But what happened in this case was entirely the opposite.
LANX embraced the line and began using it consistently and confidently. Over time, 'Get 'em Worn' became not just a strapline but an expression of the brand's character.
There’s a tendency to search for increasingly sophisticated ideas when often they emerge from the language, values and personality that already exist within the organisation. The challenge isn’t finding the idea; it’s finding the confidence to use it.
Many businesses also underestimate the value of authenticity because they confuse it with informality or regionality - yet the strongest brands rarely speak in generic corporate language. The purpose of our work is to help businesses become more ‘themselves’ and this is why clarity and authenticity matters.
People trust organisations that are comfortable in their own identity and 'Get 'em Worn' was about much more than just a strapline or a visual language evolution. It was about giving LANX a renewed confidence to express itself consistently and with authenticity.
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