The year was 1966. Eons before I was born. The modern marvel of that year was the audio cassette, also known as tape. In the 90s, I thought it was cool to carry around cassettes. Sliding them into my Sony Walkman WM-F68. While others were sporting CD players, I refused and stayed with cassettes. Even though they had that signature low hiss and were not better than digital, there was something special about those cassettes. And in the early 2000s, Napoleon Dynamite proved my point yet again. But after years of thinking about it, I believe what is most special about cassettes is how each one can be custom-made and labeled to create mixtapes. Brands could learn a thing or two from mixtapes.

What’s Your Brand’s Mixtape?

The modern equivalent of the Spotify Playlist, every person and brand has a mixtape. A compilation of beats that make up who they are. Austin Kleon says, “people are a mixtape of everything they consume.” So what you put into your company and brand defines you. Do you know what that is? Does your brand have an opinion about food, cinema, culture, music—heck, styles of houses? Does your brand appreciate splashy colors, smiley emojis, or the latest theories on alien civilizations? Your job, your brand, your personality is dependent on what you like. So, if you don’t know what your brand mixtape is, find it. Set goals to define your brand, because it will make you 1000x times more awesome.

Let People Empower Your Tune

Mixtapes aren’t just full of one track. They are full of a bunch of tracks compiled together that complement and build off each other. As a brand, you need your people. You only have so much energy and time in this life, focus on the people around you that help your brand grow and stretch. Make new connections and rekindle old ones. Be loyal to those that love you most. Oh, and search for the ones with different perspectives, because your own brand clones are boring to hang out with.

Rewind Every Once in a While

The past is there to teach your brand about the future. So look back at what has and hasn’t worked. Maybe you perform better on LinkedIn than on Twitter. Maybe your email open rates are your best trait. Maybe people love your packaging design but hate your website. It’s important to reflect on the past and use that to move forward. Rewind, fast forward, and mix it up.

Be a Kid with a Cassette

We were all kids once. Some of us with cassette players, some with CD players, and some with iPods or maybe even iPhones. We’ve all had playlists and mixtapes of all sorts, shapes, and sizes. Revisit what makes you and your mixtape so special. Keep it simple, and it can guide your brand and your personality moving forward.

If you are ready to mix things up with Creative Energy, reach out and we can help define your brand.