1-3-1 Principle

“What do we say?” There may not be a question more commonly sparred over in brand marketing departments today.

“You gotta grab them by the throat,” as the bold ones say. “Just advance the conversation,” says branding of the modern age. At Charley + Company, we call it a case of “mistaken identity:” An inability to distinguish arbitrary attention from meaningful awareness.

The 1-3-1 Principle (Diamond Distinction™), is a solution to the infamous “What do we say?” It asks marketers to think of messaging in the concept of a diamond. On a classic diamond, there lies a top point (1), a wider middle body (3), and a bottom point (1).

This 1-3-1 represents the anatomy of a message. An effectively distinct message that is:

• 1 = External Slogan (Emotional message)
• 3 = Key Benefits (General category benefits)
• 1 = Internal Mission (What does it mean?)

When clients struggle with “What do we say?” At Charley + Company, we consider the Diamond Distinction™ approach a good starting point.