Episode 55: Brand Strategy Isn’t Sexy — It’s Sticky Notes & Brutal Clarity
Today’s Brand Spark kicks off Week 4 of Behind the Brand with a reality check: brand strategy isn’t sexy — it’s a mirror, a notebook, and a room full of hard questions.
Ready to build something real?https://ogsolutions.nl/brand-glow-up-audit/
"Strategy is the part of the brand that happens before anyone claps for it. That's what most people skip."
Full transcript
Most people think brand strategy has something to do with a mood board. Let me tell you, it's not. Today's Brand Spark kicks off week 4 of Behind the Brand with a straight up reality check. Brand strategy isn't sexy, guys. Brand strategy is a mirror, a notebook and a room full of hard questions. Are you ready to build something real?
Good morning and welcome to Morning Cup of Brand Spark. I'm Gina Dunn, founder of OG Solutions and the one who pulls you off the Pinterest board and back into the real brand work. Today is Monday, June 23rd. And let's begin with a week of behind the brand with this line. Brand strategy isn't sexy. Brand strategy is sticky notes and brutal clarity. So let's spark it up.
Brand strategy lives in this fantasy of quote unquote the rebrand. You think you need maybe a new color palette, you need a killer logo, you need a beautiful website, or you need a copywriter with poetic genius. But what you actually need is time with a mirror. You need a notebook and you need a strategy session that might hurt a little bit.
The most expensive brand problem is skipping the questions and jumping right to the visuals. And those of you who've worked with me, you know exactly what I mean here. A rebrand doesn't fix clarity issues, strategy does. And strategy looks a lot more like a Google Doc and voice notes than it does a slick brand board. It looks like a mind map.
What real strategy is. Real brand strategy is, who is this for? What do they need to hear? What do I stand for? And what proof do I have? And when you answer these questions inside my Spark package, it's actually not really pretty at first. It's super messy. It's raw and it's unglamorous and it should be this way.
Strategy is the part of the brand that happens before anyone claps for it. That's what most people skip. It's not performative. This part is foundational and it's in your bones.
but it's also where the magic lives. If you want a brand that actually sticks, this is where it begins. It doesn't begin with Canva. It doesn't begin with a tagline. It begins with the uncomfortable moment where you realize that you've been saying the same thing as everyone else, and you're ready to say something that's actually yours and unique. Strategy doesn't feel sexy when you're in it, but it's the only reason your brand will live.
and will matter later. So here's your spark check for today. Three things. Spark one. What brand work are you avoiding because it feels boring or it feels messy or it feels unnecessary? Spark two. What questions have you never answered clearly?
and Spark 3, what would change if you spent 20 minutes answering some of these questions today, right now?
A Pinterest board won't build your brand, but this will a brand strategy. If you want to get in a real strategy room with me, head over to ogsolutions.nl and pick up a clarity session. guys, strategy isn't sex, you guys, strategy, it's not sexy. It's sober. And it's actually so, so very sacred. And it's how we build what lasts.
the test of time and build your legacy. And that's your brand spark for today. I'll see you tomorrow.
Key takeaways & FAQ
Five things to steal
- 01 Brand strategy starts with hard questions, not colors, logos, or mood boards.
- 02 Skipping strategy and jumping to visuals is your most expensive brand mistake.
- 03 Real strategy looks like a messy Google Doc, not a polished brand board.
- 04 Clarity problems cannot be solved by a rebrand — only strategy fixes clarity.
- 05 Spend 20 minutes answering foundational brand questions before touching any design tool.
Frequently asked
Brand strategy is the foundational work that happens before any visual decisions. According to Gina Dunn, it involves answering core questions like who the brand is for, what the audience needs to hear, what you stand for, and what proof you have. A rebrand doesn't fix clarity issues — strategy does. Skipping this step and jumping straight to visuals is described as the most expensive brand problem a business can make.
Gina Dunn outlines four essential brand strategy questions: Who is this for? What do they need to hear? What do I stand for? And what proof do I have? She notes that answering these questions is messy, raw, and unglamorous at first — and that's exactly how it should be. These questions form the foundation before any tagline, design, or visual identity work begins.
According to Gina Dunn, visual assets like logos, color palettes, and websites cannot solve underlying clarity issues. The real problem is often that a brand is saying the same thing as everyone else, and no amount of design will fix that. Strategy — not aesthetics — is what gives a brand its distinct voice and ensures it actually sticks and lasts over time.
Gina Dunn suggests a simple three-part spark check: identify what brand work you've been avoiding because it feels boring or messy, pinpoint questions you've never clearly answered about your brand, and then spend just 20 minutes actually answering those questions. She emphasizes that strategy doesn't begin with Canva or a tagline — it begins with the uncomfortable moment of realizing you need something uniquely yours.
Liked this episode? Get my weekly semi-regular newsletter on brand and positioning.
One short read every few weeks. Just the sharpest thinking from the period, from me to you, in under five minutes.