Why your brand needs a point of view

If someone handed you a megaphone and a crowd, and invited you to share your message to thousands of people, what would you say?

What would you stand for? Not just as a business owner, but as a human being who sees the world in a particular way? What would you argue for? What would you challenge?

In a world saturated with messages, how you see the world matters. It’s not enough to be useful, efficient, or even ethical. 

Whether you’re a founder shaping a new venture or a changemaker in an established organisation, a strong point of view is one of your greatest strategic assets.

What is a brand point of view?

Your point of view (POV) is the unique lens you bring to your work. It’s how you interpret your space, your audience’s needs, and the change you’re working towards. It’s not a slogan and it’s not just your tone of voice, though it will shape both. It’s the set of convictions that sit under the surface:

• What you believe is broken in your industry (or the world)

• What you wish more people knew

• What needs to change, and how

Think of Patagonia, whose stance on consumerism redefined what an outdoor brand could be. Or Tony’s Chocolonely, whose packaging shows the inequality they exist to challenge. These aren’t just marketing moves, they’re expressions of belief.

A strong POV makes your brand feel alive. It gives your audience something to connect with, join, or be moved by.

Why so few businesses have a POV

Most brands are built from the outside in. They begin with market needs or category norms - “What do people want?” “What are our competitors doing?” - and then try to find a place to fit.

But without a clear perspective, it’s easy to end up sounding hollow, or just like everyone else. 

Sometimes, brands avoid taking a stance because they don’t want to alienate anyone. Or they don’t feel confident claiming space. But knowing what you stand for gives you a centre of gravity that helps every decision, message and move that you make stay aligned.

Your point of view is what makes you unforgettable. It sharpens your messaging, informs your product decisions, and helps the right people find you. It’s not just expressive, it’s strategic.

POV as part of a grounded brand strategy

In my work with founders and purpose-led organisations, I use a strategy framework that begins with three internal sources of clarity:

• Purpose: What are you here to change, and why?

• Point of View: How do you see the world differently from others?

• Power: Where do you hold credibility, energy, or a right to lead?

These elements are more than just abstract ideas. Together, they help shape meaningful, distinctive, and strategically sound positioning.

Where traditional strategy often starts with external inputs - audience research, competitor analysis, market trends - this approach offers a way to orient yourself first. They act as anchors before you navigate outward.

And POV is the bridge. It connects your purpose to the outside world. It helps your audience understand what you’re about and why it matters.

Finding your soapbox

Here’s a thought experiment I like to use with clients: Imagine you’re on a soapbox at Hyde Park Corner. You have five minutes and a crowd. What are you bursting to say? What do you wish people understood? This simple prompt helps you cut through the noise and name what matters most.

To answer this question, you might ask yourself:

• What frustrates me about how things are done in my industry?

• What truth do I wish more people would acknowledge?

• What do I believe is possible - that others might not see yet?

• What advice do I always find myself giving?

You might start to uncover statements like:

• “I believe too many charities are afraid to own their voice.”

• “I believe founders deserve strategy that feels like them, not a corporate straitjacket.”

• “I believe better decisions come from clarity, not complexity.”

These aren’t marketing lines, they’re markers of conviction. The kind of thinking that makes someone sit up and say: Yes. That makes sense to me, I like it.

When your POV is clear, everything gets sharper

A strong POV does more than help you talk about what you do. It helps you decide what to build, what to prioritise, and what to ignore.

It filters product ideas, guides content, and gives your team language they can rally behind. It helps your brand feel cohesive, because it’s grounded in belief, not just tactics.

And perhaps most importantly, it makes you easier to remember.

What makes a strong point of view?

A good POV doesn’t need to be loud or controversial. It just needs to be clear and committed. Look for something that’s:

• Specific: Not “We care about quality,” but “We believe simplicity is the ultimate form of quality.”

• Bold: It should push away some people and pull others in.

• Strategic: It should shape what you offer, not just what you say.

• Consistent: It should show up in your messaging, your decisions, and your everyday interactions.

When it’s real, it will ripple through everything.

Say it loud and often

Your point of view is your shortcut to resonance, clarity, and distinction. It’s what helps you create something that stands out and that stands for something, so take the time to find yours.

Ask yourself what you’d say on the soapbox. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly polished yet, just start by noticing what you feel. That’s where the good stuff lies.

Once you’ve found it, say it out loud and say it often. No one else can replicate the way you see the world.