Build your brand: Cultural clues

I walked into a client’s boardroom to make a presentation. The room looked like many other boardrooms, but there was one thing that immediately caught my eye.

They had party mints on the table.

I’m not telling you the industry, location, brand or any other detail about this client. But…close your eyes and imagine what kind of a business would consciously choose to put out party mints.

Party mints are not good or bad. But they are a cultural clue.

We leave cultural clues everywhere we go. Think about your office décor. Your office location. Or a typical meeting. Or your voicemail/e-mail signature. All places that cultural clues hide. Or can be purposefully hidden.

At MMG on our conference room table, you’ll find freshly baked M&M cookies, with MMG logo colored M&Ms. No accident.

What clues would I see if I came to do business with you? Are they accidental or is it part of your brand plan?