Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to help build some great brands. I’ve seen what it takes, from defining a powerful position to developing creative ideas and materials that bring that position to life. I’ve also seen what makes brands win.
Unfortunately, I’ve also seen what kills them.
And it’s probably not what you’d expect.
While it’s easy to assume that weak creative ideas or limited budgets are the biggest obstacles to building a strong brand, the true killer of great branding efforts is something far more pervasive: fear.
Fear Loves the Status Quo
Fear is a powerful emotion. It’s meant to keep us safe, but more often than not, it keeps organizations locked in the status quo. It discourages risk, limits ambition, and quietly erodes the potential of what could be great brands.
I’ve seen fear stall momentum, dilute positioning, and prevent brands from ever gaining traction, not because the ideas weren’t strong, but because they felt uncomfortable.
Fear is part of being human, but not everyone allows it to dictate their decisions.
Consider Richard Branson. Early in his career, fear didn’t stop him from borrowing money from his aunt to start a business. It didn’t prevent him from doing things that invited ridicule, or attention. Wearing a wedding dress to promote Virgin Brides or bungee jumping from a casino rooftop to launch an airline weren’t safe plays. But they were effective.
Fear didn’t own him. And because of that, his brand grew.
Fear Is a Choice
Closer to home, one of our own clients demonstrated the same courage.
We were engaged to help reposition their brand and their 30-store network in a market where margins were shrinking and competitors were closing in. After extensive research across Western Canada, we uncovered a new way to tell their story, one that fit their audience perfectly, but carried a bit of edge.
When we presented the idea, we didn’t ask for permission. We asked a different question: Can you live with this?
They chose to quiet their fear and move forward.
Within six months, their president called to say the campaign had delivered the strongest return in both revenue and brand impact in more than 30 years. While we were proud of the work, the real success came from their willingness to push past fear and embrace clarity over comfort.
Fear vs. Standing Out
At reBox Creative, we understand fear well. Silencing it is something we practice daily.
How else do you explain giving a keynote speech, or manning a trade show booth, without wearing pants?
Yes, it happened. Tailored jackets. Polished shoes. Cufflinks. Boxer shorts.
It was risky. It was uncomfortable. And it worked.
People lined up to see who we were and what we stood for. We could have said “Marketing without brand positioning is like going to work half naked.” Instead, we showed it.
Safe wasn’t an option. Fear couldn’t exist on that trade show floor.
The Real Cost of Playing It Safe
There’s no guaranteed formula for building a world-class brand. But there is one certainty I can stand behind:
Fear kills great brands.
Only by pushing past it, by choosing clarity, conviction, and courage over comfort, can organizations move beyond mediocrity and build brands that truly stand out. If fear is holding your brand back, contact us, we’ll help you move forward with confidence.
