Take a look at the picture above and tell me what comes to mind………………………Y……. me.

A key feature of branding success is consistency. Without consistency brand awareness becomes impossible to achieve, no matter how much money is spent on marketing.

With the introduction of “The Beast” brand name and image, Yohan Blake and his marketing team runs the risk of having to manage two brands and brand images and will begin to look more schizophrenic with every falter as he meanders between the two.

Blake recently launched his YBAfraid.com website and foundation with…..YB featuring as a prefix. He has also developed a range of t-shirt designs around this brand and name.

This is a far more appealing brand name and image and will allow much greater usage and acceptance not only by him and his team, but the wider public. Further, the ‘YB’ and ‘Beast’ images are at opposite ends of the metaphoric spectrum. ‘YB’ suggests hope, drive and determination, while the ‘Beast’ is a darker image, suggesting anger and hostility – a delicate almost impossible balance to make.

Based on the 5 Key Elements required to build a Successful Brand, how does YB measure up for Yohan Blake?

Brand Position

The YB Brand Position is already a part Yohan’s organization, having established it with the foundation. From this it’s clear what it does and for whom, what are his unique values and how customers will benefit from working with his product/service, and what key differentiation he has that make him different from the competition like Bolt.

“So where has Blake come from? In terms of his development he is still in his formative years. But the record showed going into 2011 that Blake had already gone toe-to-toe with the globe’s greatest sprinters and demonstrated that he is mature beyond his years. He is mentally tough going into the race and, when the gun fires, is explosive out of the blocks.”

Brand Promise

The YB Brand Promise is the single most important thing that Yohan’s organization promises to deliver to its customers—EVERY time. To come up with his brand promise, he must consider what customers, employees, and partners should expect from every interaction with him. Every business decision should be weighed against this promise to be sure that a) it fully reflects the promise, or b) at the very least it does not contradict the promise.

 “My dream is for my country Jamaica to become a first world country.  I want to see the less fortunate become more fortunate, and I want Jamaicans to have access to first class education, health care and security. I would love Jamaica to have the means and ability to one day hosts a World Games, like the Olympics or the World Championships.”

Brand Personality

Brand Traits illustrate what the Yohan Blake organization wants its brand to be known for. He should for example think about specific personality traits he wants prospects, clients, employees, and partners to use to describe his organization. He should have 4-6 traits (5 is ideal), each being a single term (usually an adjective).

“Because I grew up in extreme poverty, I know how it feels to have nothing.   I have always wanted to be in a position to give back and now I have the opportunity to do so.  I want to help young people to do great things and to achieve the unexpected. My foundation will help Jamaica to achieve these goals. “

Brand Story

The Brand Story illustrates the Yohan Blake organization’s history, along with how the history adds value and credibility to the brand. It also usually includes a summary of his products or service offerings.

“Because of my success on the track, I am now able to attract support for my cause, which is to help young people, especially the most vulnerable young people- the ones with no parents or role models achieve success. I grew up poor and it’s not nice. I want to do as much as I can to give as many young people a chance to get out of that situation.”

Brand Associations

Brand Associations are the specific physical artifacts that make up the brand. This is his name, logo, colours, taglines, fonts, imagery, etc. Yohan’s brand associations must reflect his brand promise, ALL of his brand traits, and support his brand positioning statement.

Also important is brand affinity – that is the willingness for corporate entities and brands, associations and individuals to identify and associate with the brand.

How did the name ‘YB Afraid’ come about?

“It’s a play on my initials. We will have themes, such as, YB Afraid to dream, YB Afraid to give, YB Afraid to care etc. You will see these throughout the site. It’s catchy and I think people will like it as much as I do.”