Brand Promise Vs. Value Proposition

Working as a brand strategist has quite a few blessings. One thing is you’re always learning. Branding never fails to throw up some conundrum or other that requires you to seek a new answer. For instance, I’ve always thought of value propositions as variable, changeable over time as business circumstances may dictate. But many colleagues – and clients – insist that the value proposition should be a plank in the brand platform. It should be baked into the brand’s immutable DNA, just like the brand promise. Some even equate the two. Luckily, another blessing from branding is you get to meet many accomplished and fascinating people. One such is Barry Horwitz who publishes a really terrific monthly newsletter, The Strategy Game. That’s where I read his eye-opening article on value propositions. Barry specializes in growing organizations in strategic and sustainable ways. During his career at Boston Consulting Group, he worked extensively with Fortune 500 companies. Since then, he’s co-founded and led a venture-backed Internet company, he’s built successful new divisions within larger organizations, and he consults with mature businesses, startups and nonprofits alike. I thought his would be the perfect mind to help settle the brand promise/value proposition issue. When we Zoomed recently, I asked him about it.

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