The Russian Doll Concept
Most brands operate from a surface-level idea, clear enough to execute, but rarely deep enough to evolve. I help uncover the deeper idea, the one beneath all layers. Like a nested doll, the real power lies in the core: broad enough to evolve, sharp enough to unify.
Finding your brand's true core: the idea behind the idea
When searching for a brand's essence, many stop too soon. True brand discovery isn't simply about removing layers, it's about uncovering something both sharper and more expansive at the same time. Like a set of Russian dolls, most people, including clients, can identify only the second or third layer inward, rarely venturing deeper to find the macro concept hidden within.
The paradox of precision and possibility
The deeper you go toward a brand's core, the more you move from rigid definitions to something fluid and essential. Paradoxically, this precision doesn't constrain, it liberates. When you reach the true core idea, you don't limit expression but multiply it. A well-defined core allows for evolution, transformation, and endless creative directions.
Beyond surface definitions
Most brands become imprisoned by narrow definitions that limit their flexibility and adaptability. They cling to surface-level attributes like "boldness" or "authenticity" without uncovering the broader truth beneath these qualities.
The power of the innermost doll
The strength of a truly powerful brand lies in reaching those innermost dolls, the seventh or eighth layer, where you discover a concept broad enough to take many forms yet focused enough to create coherence. At this level, the brand gains remarkable depth while simultaneously broadening its perspective.
Creating a conceptual lens
When properly identified, this core concept acts as a lens through which every action, decision, and expression is filtered. It converges all brand elements into one coherent ray that maintains incredible diversity while projecting unmistakable power.
This isn't about limiting yourself to certain qualities or characteristics. It's about discovering a broader truth, a freedom, that allows your brand to evolve while remaining true to its essence. When you reach this level of understanding, your brand doesn't just stand for something; it stands within something much larger that can manifest in countless authentic ways.
The brands that truly resonate in our world have mastered this balance: they've found their innermost doll, their core idea, and allowed it to guide them toward both coherence and creative possibility.
By Marc Kandalaft
