Brand promise is the collective experience people have with your brand once you combine all other factors of your brand foundation. So it's not tactical or directive. It's the essence of the brand.

You may be familiar with some of the standards:

• Disney: Fun family entertainment

• Coca-Cola: To inspire moments of optimism and uplift.

• Nike: Authentic athletic performance

Makes sense for billion dollar brands. But what if you're not that?

A number of years ago I worked with the local Freestore Foodbank. An amazing organization that helps people get back on their feet through a range of services. When we talked with internal people, they gushed about their ability to help people transition into positive life situations.

But people outside the group thought they only gave away food.

We found that food was the catalyst to everything else.

If you haven't eaten in three days, chances are very good that you don't have much interest in talking about clothing, job skills, housing, etc.

Food comes first.

The brand promise became: Using food as a gateway to life transformations.

It captures the essence of the brand and gave internal audiences a focus.