{"id":3739,"date":"2026-09-23T22:43:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T13:43:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lionheart.co.jp\/?p=3739"},"modified":"2026-09-23T22:43:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T13:43:44","slug":"brand-consistency-translation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lionheart.co.jp\/en\/blog\/brand-consistency-translation\/","title":{"rendered":"What companies whose brands appear "disjointed" lack is the ability to translate."},"content":{"rendered":"
Something a brand producer said on a talk show the other day has been stuck in my head ever since. It was about Starbucks. The concept behind that store is to be a "third place," a third place that is neither home nor work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The interesting part was what came next. "So, what's the purpose of that thick, expensive-looking cup?" That cup is more than just a container; it's a symbol of the relationship between the customer and the brand.\u201c"contact"\u201d<\/strong>And so, they've translated the abstract concept of a "third place" into a tangible experience that you can actually touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I listened to this story, I felt I finally understood the source of the unease I'd often felt in my daily work. When I talk to representatives from B2B companies, I'm surprised how many have already completed these "points" of refinement\u2014creating a logo, revamping their corporate website, unifying their business card designs. Yet, the feeling that "the brand somehow looks disjointed" remains. I think the reason for this is that the entire process of "translation" is missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I understand corporate branding as "the activity of consistently communicating a company's philosophy and raison d'\u00eatre through all touchpoints." The definition is simple, but in practice, the "consistently" part is incredibly difficult. From here on, I'd like to talk about the nature of that difficulty and how we deal with it on a daily basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why does the concept of "third place" reside even in those thick cups?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The concept itself isn't actually that complicated. "We want to be a third place to belong." Just hearing that, it's a simple statement that anyone can agree with. But when you try to translate this statement into countless touchpoints such as store design, staff service, containers, website, and social media, it suddenly becomes difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What kind of store is a "third place"? What kind of customer service is a "third place"? Most companies stop thinking at this point. In the program, a more concrete answer to this "translation" was given: "service that warmly welcomes people from the neighborhood." "Good morning, Mr. Ichikawa. Is the usual latte okay?"\u2014Only by raising the resolution to this level does the staff know what they need to do today, and it also explains why they spend money on those containers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I myself have experienced the power of being called by your name. When I was stationed in the Philippines for three and a half years to set up a subsidiary, the local staff seemed to have trouble pronouncing the "tsu" in "ATSUSHI," so they called me by a slightly different name each time I went. So I started calling myself "ASH" partway through, and since I had dyed my hair ash blonde at the time, they remembered my name right away. When I started being called "ASH" at the cafe I frequented, it felt distinctly different from being called by a number or bell, and I felt my relationship with the shop and the staff gradually building up. The design of actions like numbers and bells can change whether or not the concept of a "third place" is conveyed\u2014I think this is also a form of translation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This commitment to containers continues to evolve. Starbucks has served its drinks in mugs since its arrival in Japan in 1996, but at the end of March 2023, it introduced reusable plastic glasses nationwide for iced beverages, and in May 2025, it made mugs and glasses available for mobile order and pay. In the two years since introducing the glasses, they reduced disposable cup and lid waste by approximately 1,400 tons. Instead of translating the term "third place" once and being done with it, they continue to re-translate it repeatedly to suit the times. Watching these updates, I think that consistency is not about "not staying the same," but about "continuing to update on the same axis."<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The corporate branding work we do every day is, at its core, a continuous process of "translation." We translate abstract words like our philosophy into visual language like a logo, into the experience of a website, and into customer service like sales materials, one by one. Creating a logo isn't the goal; the real test is whether the same words are repeatedly spoken at the countless touchpoints that follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
"79% presents challenges in internal communication." What happens in companies where the company's philosophy fails to reach its target audience.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This translation work isn't just about external touchpoints. In fact, I feel the situation is far more serious internally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the "Internal Communication Survey" conducted by Sophia Co., Ltd. in 2024, companies that answered that they have "problems" with internal communication...79%<\/strong>It seems to be rising to that level. What's even more concerning is that only a small percentage of employees answered that they "sympathize" with their company's management strategy.10%<\/strong>The numbers show that there were only a few people like that. Looking at where the problems are occurring, 581 TP3T are feeling issues between departments, 511 TP3T between superiors and subordinates, and 421 TP3T between management and employees. Well, it's not exactly pleasant to hear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This essentially means that while the "words" of philosophy and vision are upheld, they remain stagnant within the company, failing to translate into daily actions. A similar observation was made in a Nikkei Research survey. Employees in departments that do not have direct contact with customers (such as accounting and manufacturing) tend to have lower levels of awareness in terms of understanding, empathy, and action. However, even without direct contact, if they empathize with the company philosophy, more than 70% translate that into actual actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In other words, I think the key to penetration is not so much "whether or not there is contact," but rather "whether or not the translation is relatable." People don't easily take action just by being given orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A brand isn't something you "display," it's something you "use."<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Lionheart has a philosophy called "creating smiles," and what I always think about while implementing this within the company is that a philosophy isn't something you frame and display; it's a tool you actually "use" in the face of daily decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
"Will this proposal truly bring a smile to our customers' faces?" "Does this interaction lead to smiles among our colleagues?" I pull these questions out into my daily small decision-making and apply them to the situation at hand. As I repeat this process, I've come to realize that a company's philosophy doesn't gain meaning the moment it's declared, but only when it's put into practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are companies that are content with simply publishing their philosophy in their internal newsletter, and companies that use that philosophy as a criterion for daily decision-making. Even if they use the same words, this difference directly impacts the consistency of their brand. I believe that what needs translation is not just the visuals for external audiences, but the daily decisions of each and every employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consistency begins with a leader having an unwavering sense of self.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Another thing that stood out to me in the talk show I just watched was the point that "branding requires a leader." It's important not to leave a situation where people don't know what to do. A leader's job is to clearly communicate the situation in easy-to-understand terms so that employees can act without hesitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This isn't just true for executives; I think it applies to everyone in a leadership position within a team. When you look at companies that lack brand consistency, you often see that each person in charge has a slightly different interpretation of what that "brand identity" means. That in itself isn't a bad thing. However, if there isn't someone who can ultimately unify those differing interpretations and say, "This is who we are," then the touchpoints will become increasingly fragmented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The moment we see the most impact from helping with branding isn't actually when the logo or website is completed. It's when the CEO or project manager can confidently say in a meeting, "That doesn't feel like us." That moment arrives when values like MVV (Mission, Vision, Values) are articulated. And from that point on, consistent decision-making begins to flow within the company, even without our external involvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be honest, I myself can't yet articulate that core principle with complete confidence. Nevertheless, I intend to consciously maintain a point of reference within myself when I'm lost, and to continue to articulate it and show it to those around me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rethinking corporate branding as a "translation table of points of contact"<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to branding for B2B companies, the discussion often ends with "creative materials" such as logos, corporate websites, and brochures. But what's truly important, I believe, is whether someone is comprehensively checking whether each of these creative materials is a "translation" of the abstract words that represent the company's philosophy and concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the LinkedIn B2B Institute's "95:5 rule," which states that only 51 TP3T companies in the market are currently considering a purchase, while the remaining 951 TP3T are future prospects, it becomes clear that a B2B company's brand is gradually remembered over a long period of time through various touchpoints. That's why it's such a waste to have one touchpoint that's perfectly crafted while the branding is inconsistent at other touchpoints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When starting a corporate branding project, instead of thinking about the logo or a list of things to create, I think it's better to start by defining the role of "how should our company's philosophy be translated at this point of contact?" The logo, website, business cards, and sales pitch are all just lines on that list of roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, when we help our clients with their branding, we rarely start by presenting logo or design proposals. We begin by working together to articulate their philosophy and concept, and then we start by brainstorming how to translate it for each touchpoint, such as "this is how we'll translate it on the recruitment page" or "this is how we'll translate it at the trade show booth." It's a mundane process, but we've seen many times how skipping this step and only focusing on the visuals ultimately leads to a breakdown in consistency somewhere along the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
From the term "third place" to the greeting "Good morning, Ichikawa-san," and from the philosophy of "creating smiles" to daily decision-making, I believe that brand consistency is nothing more than the accumulation of a humble yet never-ending process of carefully translating abstract words into each and every point of contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you feel like your brand is currently looking somewhat disjointed, it might not be a visual issue, but simply a point of connection where the translation has stalled. We would be happy if you would remember us as a sounding board to help you find and re-translate that connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Why](\"https:\/\/www.lionheart.co.jp\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/img_h2_cup.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Consistency](\"https:\/\/www.lionheart.co.jp\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/img_h2_axis.jpg\")
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