Is your brand authentic?

Last week, I was invited by the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts to speak on the topic of “Authentic” brands. Zara Logue, Adj Asst Professor/Design Community Liaison is leading a class of 5th year seniors into examining “the term authenticity and how it relates to authorship, architecture, art, and design.” Everything from communication design to the designers role in crafting products is being scrutinized against the ever-elusive definition of authentic. I say ever-elusive, because authentic has different meanings for everyone. To some, authenticity means simply staying true to oneself. To others, authenticity implies personalization or playing a positive role in the community. While I don’t claim to have a universal definition (and self-admittedly skeptical that any brand can remain authentic), in my presentation I try to convey a number of behaviors brands can adopt in an attempt to be authentic.

It all begins with adopting the attitude that brand is behavior – it is much, much more than logos, color palettes and slogans.

Authentic Brands, Design Thinking and Wicked Problems
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My thanks to Zara and the rest of the class for bringing me into the conversation.

- Keith Gerr