internet – their own ecosystem – which they populate with their own content. Brands act as editors, keeping what is good, junking what is bad; brands act as curators, exhibiting information in a way that is ordered and compelling. It is brands that re-assemble our attention, that provide a resort for those who are interested; it is brands that act as enablers of culture, watering holes for the herd; an enclave within the landscape of interruptions. The Well-Behaved Brand For some while now – about the past five years – we at Ogilvy & Mather have been noticing something else. Brands may not be about to die but they are having to work harder to matter to people. If people are asked whether brands matter, more than half in developed countries and still more in developing countries say “yes”. “Mattering” is quite a high bar, so these figures seem significant to me. However, our research shows that consumers are demanding much more from their brands: a logo, a reason why, an emotional promise, a cultural belief – all these may no longer be enough. If you really get into what matters, an interesting picture emerges. The things that matter group into those that are concerned with trademark, those that are functional, those that are emotional, those that are to do with belief – and then those that are to do with behaviour, what a brand does in order to matter to you. Think of it as a kind of “archeology of mattering” (see table). Today, the top layer is about doing: what does a brand offer by way of service? These are some of the things that matter to people. In plain words, fewer empty promises, please. Show that you mean what you say by doing something. In the digital age brands that behave well have the edge. Many brands require significant transformation. In the past, putting a flag out, often with a new tagline or positioning, was the way to begin to make that happen. But in a world where few taglines are memorable or meaningful anymore, actions that demonstrate new points of view are a better way to drive change in perception.