Meaning is Beyond Cool
When we consider something as cool, it is only cool because of its meaning. Movies, songs, fashion, and brands only resonate because they provide a symbol of something that we believe in. Something cool is something that represents an idea or a movement that inspires us.
At its best, marketing is the business function of providing meaning. It is the soul and the heart of your brand. Rather than creating products and services purely from a self-serving motivation only to drive revenue, the next era of marketing will be led by companies that allow marketers to tap into a deep, meaningful, even spiritual mission for the brand. True success in marketing is derived from doing something, or representing something pure and beautiful that comes from the realm of art and nature -- something that serves human needs and causes no harm.
Set your marketers free in that direction and you will discover the soul of your company. You will be in the very profitable business of creating meaning and, when this happens, your brand will naturally rise along with your profits. Meaning is the ultimate cool.
