Passports And Branding

I had to renew my passport today. From abroad. It’ll be 4-5 weeks until my new one arrives.

It’s a funny feeling, being grounded, when you’re used to traveling. I keep my bag ever-ready for wherever you need to go, each pocket and segment carefully cleaned and considered. Yet I can’t go anywhere.

That little burgundy book with “Passport” written on the front is the main thing people to see to determine whether or not they believe me when I travel. Green cards and things aside, that little burgundy book shows where I’ve been, who I am, whether or not I’m “safe”. When mine is burgundy and theirs is navy, I’m not “one of you”. I’m different. But a different that you seem to trust.

The marketplace is like this.

A few colors, words and pictures and we have made our assumptions about you. About what you might think, believe, stand for.

We call it a brand.

“Brand” sounds static, visual, a description of who we are. Really, a brand is about where we can go. About whether we’re like you or not. It’s used for movement. My brand enables me to connect with certain types of people. So does yours.

It’s not easy, but we get to choose what passport we have. What’s yours, and where does it enable you to go?