The Red Thread: creating and managing brand value by Jez Frampton
Biography: Jez Frampton, Interbrand’s Group Chief Executive, is responsible for managing the firm’s worldwide interests and enhancing the strategic and creative offering. Jez’s
“ All of the ropes of the royal fleet, from the strongest to the thinnest, are braided so that a red thread travels through all of them, and you cannot remove it without untying all of them. Even the smallest fragment will still allow you to recognize that the rope belongs to the crown.” From Goethe’s Elective Affinities (1809)
experience has provided him the opportunity to work with different
The Red Thread is a concept woven through many cultures. According to Greek mythology, Theseus found his way through the Minotaur’s labyrinth by following Ariadne’s red thread, and a famous Chinese proverb describes an invisible red thread that connects us to all of the people we’ll ever meet. The Russians call it krasnaia nit, and the French le fil rouge. In German, roter faden – literally “red thread” – is used to describe the central or recurrent theme of a larger work.
clients across multiple sectors, including premier brands like Budweiser, IBM and Toyota.
The idea of a bright, illuminating thread that runs through everything, from
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Best Global Brands 2008
the smallest fragment to the whole, is powerful and captivating. In our world, this is a wonderfully rich and simple metaphor for brand value. The brands at the very top of our Best Global Brands ranking understand the reality behind this metaphor. For them, the notion of value runs like a red thread through their brands, driving demand throughout every aspect of their business. They know that their brands must function as assets, not as expenses, and that even the greatest brand idea is only as powerful as its ability to generate value.