This is our design thinking inspired methodology we developed - it helps us to conceptualise and create more human centred and inspired brands

1. The
Human
Brand Theory™
The Human Brand Theory 1

2. We help strategic thinkers turn their
big scary dreams into ingenious ideas
that inspire and thrive.
These are the ideas that end up
changing the world.
This is what we do, this is why we exist.
The Human Brand Theory 2

3. Dream
IdeateThrive
Human
Centred &
Inspired
Certainty
Performance
The Human Brand Theory 3
Our strategic process

4. We help people dream
bigger dreams that are more
human inspired, i.e. helping
them realise and visualise
how their dream can make a
difference in the world or in
someone’s life.
We help people ideate their
dreams with greater certainty,
focus and clarity.
We help people’s dreams and
ideas thrive, inspire and
become infectious. We help
to give their dreams the
ability to perform and have
impact in the world.
The Human Brand Theory 4
How we help strategic thinkers
Dream Ideate Thrive

5. Product:
Theoretical platform:
The Human Brand Theory™ is a design thinking inspired
methodology we use to conceptualise and define brands. The goal
is create brands that are human inspired and thus more relevant,
meaningful, of value and memorable to the people who the brand is
meant to serve.
Design Thinking + Systemic Thinking + Human Science
[Psychology, Sociology, Neuroscience]
The Human Brand Theory 5

6. Scenario
Planning
Methodology
Ecosystem
Insights
Methodology
Design Thinking
Methodology to
help us construct
human centred
brands
Narrative,
Semiotics,
Artefacts and
Rituals
Methodology
Systemic Thinking
Methodology to turn
brand thinking into a
functioning and
healthy system
Systemic Thinking
Methodology that
helps us to define and
solve complex system
problems
Out multi tiered
strategic methodology
that focuses on
building memory
structure, attachment
and long term
behaviour change
The Human Brand Theory 6
The products we use to make our process more effective and scientific

7. Document Road Map
This will be of
interest to you
when…
What is this?
Why does it
exist?
What does it
do?
Why should it
matter to you?
1 2 3 4 5
The Human Brand Theory 7

8. This will be of interest to you when…1
# Audiences are not “engaging” with your brand
# You are losing market share year on year against weaker competitors
# Your brand is not being considered when people are searching for products
& services
# Stagnation or loss in brand nett promoter score
# Audiences do you not find your brand meaningful or distinct
# Brand is no longer relevant to people
# Weakening of brand – audience relationship
You need to consider The Human Brand Theory when you experience and
see the following patterns in regards to your brand(s).
The Human Brand Theory 8

9. The
Human
Brand Theory™
The research results are now too compelling to ignore.
Multiple global best sellers, case studies and research
studies show that brands that exist to serve and add
value to peoples lives, outperform brands who are solely
driven by differentiation and profit.
We believe that human
being inspired Brand
strategy is the future
cornerstone of brand
growth and performance
What is this?2
The Human Brand Theory™
is a design thinking paradigm
we developed to create
brands that more effectively
add value to peoples lives
and thus create dissonance
and attachment.
The Human Brand Theory 9

10. The
Human
Brand Theory™
# Helps to make your brand more memorable
# Helps to create better memory building patterns, i.e. narrative
# Helps your brand to be more authentic and human centred
# Helps your brand be more consistent in regards to communication and behaviour
# Helps to make your brand more relevant to stakeholder mind-set and goals
# Helps your brand to be more meaningful and compelling
# Helps your brand to be more distinct and considered
What is this?2
The Human Brand Theory 10

11. The Why of The Human Brand Theory™?3
Relevant Meaningful Distinct Of Value Memorable
1 2 3 4 5
We felt that we needed to create our own methodology to help us address the modern
market need to create brands that are far more consumer centred in approach and offering.
The Human Brand Theory™ is Design Thinking inspired brand construction process that
relies heavily on psychology, sociology and other social/ human sciences to help us build
brands that add more value to peoples lives, thus creating more attachment and that are
more desirable to begin with.
The end result is the following, the creation of brands that are more:
The Human Brand Theory 11

12. “I am your
audience!”
If we start to understand how peoples
minds and “hearts” are connected. Then
we can start to understand that wants,
life goals and desires of people, which
means we can better understand how a
brand can add value to peoples lives.
What does it do?4
The methodology says that we need to
start to better understand human
behaviour across as many audience
segments as possible.
The Human Brand Theory™ is driven by
the obsession to understand human and
societal behaviour and the resulting
patterns, as well as better understanding
why these patterns are being observed.
Based on the behavioural patterns
analysed, we are far better enabled to
understand how brands can tap into
subconscious desire and needs in order
to add more real value to the lives of
people.
The Human Brand Theory 12

13. We then use this understand of peoples
wants, life goals and desires to define a
more human centred brand that is always
driven by adding value.
This process helps us to build better brands
that are more effective at resonating with
people, creating subconscious goal
activation and create communication and
engagement activities that will develop
powerful memory structure, which in turn
makes your brand more relevant,
memorable, meaningful and of value to
your audiences.
Inspirational
Intelligent
Innovative
Brave
Curious
Optimist
Adventurer
“This allows to build truly human centred, or
as we call it, human inspired brands”
The Human Brand Theory 13

14. 5
95% of consumer decision making is subconscious.
In the modern super competitive world of brands, consumers are becoming more and
more engaged and bombarded with information and competitive offerings. The end
result is a situation where it is becoming increasingly difficult for brands to compete for
share of mind and heart. It is therefore essential to more effectively create brands that
speak to peoples hearts and minds. In simple terms, you need a brand that can
resonate with people on a subconscious level - in order to do this, we need to be far
more scientific and human behaviour focused than ever before.
The Human Brand Theory™ is built on multiple human sciences and disciplines in order to
ensure a process that is as scientific and robust as possible. These processes are
sequenced and utilised in order to gain insights and consumers drivers, and as such our
process are exceptionally effective at taking the insights and translating them into meaning
platforms and experiences that build memory structures, attachment and connection points
that can help to keep the brand top of mind and always considered.
Why does The Human Brand Theory™ matter?
The Human Brand Theory 14

15. Andre le Roux is a Strategist, Mentor and brand Theorist who has been working in the brand strategy industry
for more than 10 years. He is passionate about the science of strategy. He has a B.A. in Industrial Psychology
and an Higher Diploma in IMC. Andre likes to think of himself as a systemic brand thinker that is constantly
searching for new and more scientific ways to create more powerful and impactful brands that truly will add
value to the lives of all stakeholders.
Andre Le Roux
072 387 2079
andre@mercuryone.co.za
Thys de Beer
082 565 5508
Thys@vegaschool.com
Thys de Beer is an admitted advocate (non-practising) the head of brand Strategy at Vega School of Brand
Leadership, as well as the head of the Honours in Brand Leadership at Vega Cape Town. He has been in the
industry for over 10 years and he has recently completed his Master’s Degree researching the role of design
thinking in brand strategy.
Thys is an intellectual that is looking to change people’s perceptions about the power of the brand.
“I am an Alchemist; I love the power of collaboration and discovering insights that help to build authentic brands”
“I am a thinker and explorer and I love to find new ways of building better brands through using systemic thinking.”
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16. The
Human
Brand Theory™
Please Note that all information contained in this presentation is proprietary and remains the property of the owners [Andre le Roux and
Thys de Beer] – all rights reserved. Information can only be shared if written consent is given by owners 16The Human Brand Theory