The Power of Perception

At Showcase Communications, we love stories of all kinds, but we really love a good Broadway show. One of my favorites is Wicked— now out in theaters as a major motion picture—and when it comes to branding, there is no better show than Wicked to teach us the power of perception.

Here’s an example. One night when the Wicked Broadway show was running at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, I helped with a community engagement event following the performance. At this event, the actors playing the two witches were about to present a coffee talk. As I walked in, a very cute young Wicked fan mistook me for one of the performers. She excitedly asked me: “Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?” I laughed and said: “Well, that depends on who you ask!” 

And that, my friends, is why Wicked is a perfect masterclass in branding: Whether you are the good witch or the bad witch all depends on three key factors: perception, storytelling, and personal experience. These factors shape how people feel, think, and talk about you.
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Perception and Branding

One of Wicked’s key characters, Elphaba—the green witch—provides a great example of how these three pillars play a role in branding. Elphaba looks different from other people with whom she interacts. She’s from a different background and maybe is a bit standoffish with others in the beginning, and the other characters start out thinking of her as ‘bad.’ 

That’s perception, which is how your audience sees you, whether their view is accurate or not. It’s how people feel when they hear your name or walk in the room.

The good news is, like Elphaba, we have the power to shape our brand image, even a “Wicked Witch of the West” perception, should it appear. Instinctively, we may feel a need to control every single narrative—but tight control is not the best way to build a true authentic brand, and it’s impossible to control every narrative anyway.

So let’s take a step back for a second and talk about what your ‘brand’ is (or is not): It’s not simply your logo, color palette, or even a well-crafted tagline. It’s not just dynamic photography and social media posts. These aspects combined are executions of your brand identity—but your brand is something more. A strong brand can help build a strong reputation, and your reputation is one of the strongest currencies you have in business.

It begins with having a clear understanding of who you are, what you represent, and what you bring to the world. It’s a nuanced blend of how you carry yourself when you enter a room and the stories people tell other people about you. 

That means understanding your mission, your vision, your values, and your purpose. You must define your unique market position and value proposition. And you must clearly define who you serve, your target audiences, and your stakeholders. 

You also need to understand how people currently perceive you. That starts with strategy and research, including focus groups and social media listening. Learn what people know, think, and feel about you. Look toward the various stakeholder groups—including employees—to get a look from the inside out. 

When I worked with the PAC, one of my favorite things to do was to talk with people at the check-in tables. It was easy to pick up patterns just by having conversations and honestly listening. Do enough of this to be able to recognize bigger trends—one comment on one social site won’t do it.

Learn what factors are influencing this perception, and look for the gaps—be honest—and work very purposefully to align with the perception that you want. 

And you can control what you can control: How you represent yourself. Then, as other people start to experience your brand, and if their experience matches with their perception, then you have a little more control over the narrative.

That’s how you begin to shape your brand.
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Storytelling and Personal Experience

Once we have a solid understanding of the perception of our brand, we can identify the right stories to bring our brand to life. Storytelling is powerful because it can showcase impact, build connections, and give proof of credibility. But if we haven’t done our homework to understand the current perception of our brand, we don’t know what stories to tell, or if we are telling the right ones.

Purposeful storytelling also is based on that understanding of who you are and who you are not. Done right, it engages audiences and invites them to engage with you.

As the storytelling unfolds in Wicked, we start to learn more about Elphaba’s values and motivations. And she herself starts to see the need to change, too—to begin to open up to other people, and through this process, a beautiful friendship forms with the character Galinda. 

As the other characters in Wicked begin to have a personal experience with Elphaba that’s different from their initial perception, they realize that she’s more complex and nuanced than maybe they initially thought. And that continues to give Elphaba confidence and she really starts to evolve to who she is.

Your brand reputation and how you are perceived sometimes depends on the experiences and touchpoints that you’ve had with other people. Every touchpoint matters from customer service to social media, and each experience builds your reputation (good or bad). The engagement people have with your brand will either confirm or deny their perception of who you are.
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Aligning Your Pillars

Clearly, perception alone is only one aspect that defines who Elphaba is—who any of us are. Going deeper, telling our stories, is another. Interacting with people, offering a personal experience, is a third and very important aspect—it seals the deal. When these three pillars are aligned, then you have the ability to create a brand that truly resonates with people. (Think of a triangle—considered the strongest geometric shape).

By focusing on these three elements, you can ensure your brand isn’t just seen—you can ensure it’s felt.

Like Elphaba, your goal isn’t necessarily to control every narrative, but to build a foundation of authenticity and consistency that lets your true essence shine through.