Jack Perlinski - DAIS
In 1985, Coca-Cola launched New Coke in an attempt to win back share from Pepsi. Instead of success, the move sparked outrage. The product lasted just 79 days before being pulled. Coca-Cola underestimated the role of nostalgia and overlooked why people loved the brand in the first place.
The lesson is clear. Short-term tactics rarely build brand value. Strong brands are built on consistent behaviours that are lived and reinforced over time. One of the best ways to explain this is through a simple story I call the Power of the Pig.
To draw a pig, you begin with an E for the snout, a little M for the ears, a W for the front feet, another W for the back feet, and a small S for the tail. Join it all together with a continuous line, add a little O for the eye, and you have a pig.
At first, you are an observer. Then, through involvement and practice, you become a participant who can draw it yourself. With repetition and your own touches, you eventually master it. The essence of the lesson remains, but it becomes your own.
That is how long-term branding works. It is a clear, teachable and repeatable process that everyone in the business can practise until it becomes part of the culture.
Short-term activities such as reactive campaigns, viral moments or a fresh logo can generate attention, but without connection to a deeper strategy they rarely build lasting equity.
Long-term brand behaviours create enduring value. They:
When brand behaviours are embedded, every person in the organisation becomes a confident and consistent storyteller. From the receptionist to the CEO, everyone is aligned and customers feel that clarity too.
Coca-Cola eventually returned to what made it iconic: timeless behaviours that reinforced its promise and identity. That is the power of long-term brand strategy. It builds legacy, not just campaigns.
So, what is your version of the pig drawing? What simple, repeatable story or behaviour can your team master and share in their own authentic way? Quick wins may spark attention, but only consistent brand behaviours build the trust, loyalty and value that last.
To understand the health of your brand and how to build long-term value, please feel free to contact DAIS for a brand health check. www.dais.com.au | ph: 07 3216 0990
