Brand Ontology for the Polycene Era
As a branding curator, I recommend this incisive essay on brand ontology and coherence in volatile times. It reframes strategy for the Polycene, where systems collide and simple playbooks no longer work. Rande Vick maps ontology to neuroscience, governance, and AI, offering practical clarity amid complexity. Read this if you want brands that endure, instead of performative campaigns that quickly unravel.
The article diagnoses identity debt, and explains how weak ontology increases cognitive friction and erodes trust. It shows why coherent being matters more than clever positioning, when perception forms through algorithms and culture. Leaders will learn governance approaches that hold multiple truths, without collapsing into relativism. You will find frameworks for aligning internal behavior, narrative, and algorithmic signals around a deep core.
The neuroscience framing clarifies why coherence reduces cognitive load, and why memory favors unified brand experiences. Practical examples and thought experiments guide teams to build radical value, emotional stability, and navigable meaning. If your strategy depends on silos or personas, this piece will insist on deeper, adaptable identity. Every brand leader facing polycrises should read it, then rethink how being informs action and design, and practice.
Source: www.brandingmag.com
