What’s an Elephant? A Parable on Branding…

Rajasthan, India 2005 | All content © 2012 MAC+COB

You’ve probably heard of the Indian legend of the three blind men and the elephant…lacking one of the key senses, they have only their hands to explore what an elephant is all about.

One feels the tusk, “Clearly an elephant is like a spear, sharp and dangerous!”

Another feels a leg, “No, no – an elephant is like a tree trunk, sturdy and still!”

The last grabs hold of the tail, “You’re both wrong! An elephant is like a rope, strong and useful!”

Though the blind men are all having perfectly legitimate experiences with parts of the elephant, none of them can see the animal for what it truly is – a combination of all these things and so much more.

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Re-branding = Archeology + Gardening + Permaculture

Growing in the garden of branding is a lot like permaculture | All content © MAC+COB

Re-branding is like archeology, gardening and permaculture all rolled into one. The more you dig, the more you understand your roots. The more you add the right mix of nutrients (good ideas, energy, resources) the richer your biodiversity becomes. The more you think about it all in a holistic, cross-pollinating way – as an ecosystem – the more you begin to understand how your branding is a living, evolving organism that is only as robust and healthy as your commitment to cultivate it.