Consistent brand codes and strong narratives
1. Why brand codes are crucial today
Brands don't work through messages alone – they work through symbols. Colours, images, typography, tonality, materials, spaces, rituals: these are all codes that convey cultural meaning.
In an accelerated, visually overloaded world, people recognise patterns in a fraction of a second. Perception works through ‘visual chunking’ and rapid contextualisation. That's why it's no longer enough to simply formulate a positioning.
It must be visible, tangible and culturally relevant at all levels.
Marketing today is no longer about ‘selling’ but about building relationships. To do this, the narrative must be culturally relevant and the codes must be congruent.
Semiotics is the science of signs and their cultural significance.
2. What we understand by semiotics
Semiotics combines three levels:
Product – what something is
Communication – what is said or shown
Cultural significance – what is meant
People are cultural beings. We don't market products – we shape cultural meanings. That is why we work not only ‘inside-out’ (consumer psychology), but above all ‘outside-in’: We analyse which narratives, images and beliefs currently shape a culture – consciously and superconsciously.
3. How we proceed
a) Decoding: In-depth cultural analysis
We work with a curated circle of semiotic experts – recruited on an interdisciplinary, category-specific and international basis.
In structured audits and workbooks, they analyse:
1. Dominant imagery and design codes
2. Language patterns and narratives
3. Symbolism, archetypes, implicit meanings
4. Discourses and cultural shifts
In addition, we use AI-supported discourse analysis and social listening to reveal relevant terms, debates and emerging trends.
This enables us to decipher which signs are truly culturally effective – and which are merely decorative.
b) Mapping: Making cultural development logic visible
A key tool is our cultural evolution map.
We distinguish between:
1. Outdated narratives & codes
2. Dominant patterns
3. Emerging meanings with future potential
This reveals where a category stands culturally – and where strategic growth opportunities lie.
c) Encoding: Strategic translation
Based on this analysis, we develop a precise brand positioning – and translate it into consistent brand codes.
In doing so, we systematically check:
1. Are the signs congruent?
2. Do all levels contribute to the narrative?
3. Is the brand distinct from the competition?
The goal is semiotic congruence and relevance at all brand levels – from the product to the design to the corporate culture.
4. Our output
The result is not a trend slide, but a strategic basis for decision-making:
1. A cultural map of the category
2. A clear classification into obsolete / dominant / emergent
3. A defined narrative roadmap
4. A set of strategic brand codes
5. Guidelines for design, communication, experience and brand culture
This makes brand positioning operational. Not just as a claim – but as a culturally connectable system of signs, meanings and experiences.
