Relevance

Every brand should be known for something - a reason for being - one customers understand and believe in. This is relevance.

Relevance can manifest itself in three stages of brand maturity:

Stage one: Personality. The brand works to become clear and compelling to customers (the brand behaves as a learning child). Dependence.

Stage two: Character. The reputation of the brand and its behaviors are known (the brand behaves as a young adult, sorting out priorities). Independence.

Stage three: Purpose. The brand has an ongoing reason for being that is widely understood and reinforces the brand's behavior (the brand behaves as a mature adult with a mission in life). Interdependence.