A Brand and its Commander's Intent(CI)

I'm enjoying this book now, "Made to Stick," that best sold a few years ago-

And this concept of Commander's Intent(CI) made me ponder further.

So a Commander's Intent, the CI, is literally a commander's intent that he communicates to his soldiers when he gives orders during a war.

A CI is essentially the "why" or the "ultimate goal" that the troop should achieve through execution.

If all soldiers know their CIs, they know what/what not to do- 

Instead of giving detailed plans, the commander gives the CI and the rest is pretty much up to the individuals.

I believe a CI is the essence of any brand- 

As long as the brand's CI is clear, the rest is a breeze.

A brand's CI is the core concept that differentiates the brand from myriads of others.

It is the source of inspiration and a guiding principle of the brand that leads its employees, products, and marketing activities in a harmonious way- 

Once a clear and distinct CI is set, the only job the brand's marketing dept needs to do is to communicate the CI with the public in an engaging way.

I don't even want to think about the mumbo jumbo activities a brand without a legit CI needs to go through...