Just as every good story has a protagonist and antagonist, every brand needs a target audience and target opposition.

Most brands within a category tend to stick together. They may dream of differentiation that elevate themselves above their competition, but ultimately settle for similar visual identities and familiar messaging. I call it the "comfort zone" – a safe space where brands are easily associated with their category.

67 years ago, Leo Burnett typed and sent a memo on green paper to “THE ORGANIZATION”. His message was simple: Live the Brand.

You’ve felt it before—that instant connection with someone. Scientists call it Neural Synchrony, and commonalities are the cause. Commonalities between people take many forms. Some are instant, surface-level similarities. Others are subtle, implicit, or built over time through shared experiences. But commonalities aren’t only the ingredients in lasting human connections—they’re fundamental to building resonant brands.

While the visible world is amazing, it’s the invisible forces that amaze us. The gravity between the sun and the planets. The bonds between atoms. The emotions that drive us to identify with brands and support causes. The trust between business partners. Commonal exists to reveal and harness invisible forces for the benefit of brands.