Wayde Bull.
Founder of branding agency Principals, Wayde Bull, outlines the branding truths that have stuck with him over the past three decades.
After 30 years in branding, you see a lot of familiar patterns. Truths surface. Proven principles quietly shape the work.
As Principals marks its 30th year, we’ve been reflecting on the ideas that have stayed with us over time. No grand theories — just a few proven ways of thinking that might offer a little inspiration for your brand.
I made a list of 30 – one for each year we’ve been in business. But in the interests of time, here are the top 10.
- Brand strategy is idea wrangling.
One of my favourite definitions of brands was coined by American advertising legend Lee Clow, who describes them as “empty vessels into which ideas are poured.” The most memorable ones are built around just a few ideas that are vibrant, category relevant and hard to associate with anyone else. Choose your ideas wisely. - Strategy requires sacrifice.
A narrow focus makes for a sharper impact. Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter reminds us that “the essence of strategy is choosing what not to do”. Aesop lives this mantra beautifully, with its tightly curated range and its commitment to elegant restraint in both its visual language and its poetic tone of voice. Every touchpoint — from packaging to store experience — speaks the same considered dialect. The brand’s deliberate minimalism becomes brand magnetism. - Don’t be a crowd pleaser.
Trying to win everyone’s approval can wash all the flavour out of your brand. The ones we remember stand for something bigger than themselves — a belief, a tension, a cause — and celebrate it loudly. Oatly chose a side, talked straight, and drew in a passionate community that shares its non-dairy values. Brands that resonate rarely aim for the middle. - Branding starts on the inside.
The most resilient brand cultures are the ones whose people innately believe in what they’re building. Mecca has always treated its team as its special ingredient, giving them ownership, education and the latitude to create standout guest experiences. When your internal culture and external brand are in sync, belief becomes contagious. Customers sense when staff are genuinely proud of where they work. - Be recognisable in a glance.
Great branding makes people feel something before a word is read. Tiffany & Co.’s signature blue box is so distinct and emotionally charged, it’s said to quicken the pulse of jewellery lovers. That trademark colour alone signals love, elegance, and moments worth remembering. The strongest codes don’t just spark recognition, they stir emotions. - Consistency, not uniformity.
You don’t need to look the same every time, but you do need to feel like the same brand. Absolut has played with endless visual themes and ideas while holding fast to a few unmistakable design codes — its bottle shape, its wordmark, and its pared-back ads. These elements are its DNA strand. When the core holds rock steady, expression can run wild. - Voice is a brand’s superpower.
Distinctive brands sound like someone, not just anyone. Red Bull has carved out a voice full of adrenaline, risk, and exhilaration — a tone reflected in everything it champions, from Formula 1 and extreme sports to street culture. Its words run deeper than marketing, shaping internal language, guiding experience design, and giving the brand a cultural backbone that holds everything together. - Let people fill your brand with meaning.
The best brands aren’t made by marketers — they’re co-authored by their audience. Triple J has always invited young Australians to shape the way it sounds, championing new voices and underground energy. When people see themselves in a brand, they’ll gladly participate in building it. - Think like an underdog, even at the top.
Challenger energy isn’t defined by small budgets — it’s fuelled by a bold ’never settle' mindset. Virgin kept its rebel voice long after it became a global force, staying hungry and embracing the new. The best brands never act entitled. They earn attention like they’re still proving themselves. - Not everything important is measurable.
Many valuable brand effects can’t be captured in a dashboard. Goosebumps, joy, a sudden smile — these customer responses have very real commercial benefit, even if they’re hard to graph. Leave room for the unquantifiable magic in your marketing.
Wayde Bull is a Founder and Planning Director at Principals.