We tend to think of brands in isolation, as if they exist in their own right, in an absolute sense. We think of a logo perhaps, or a style of packaging, or a particular tagline or strapline.
Actually…
The properties of a brand only really exist in the minds of its followers, or the people who are aware of the brand; the community built around it.
So…
A brand really has the features of a relationship, and a brand and its following are two sides of the same coin. The one doesn’t exist without the other.
Without a following, you don’t have a brand.
Build a following, and your brand will mean something.
Have a clearer brand, and more people will follow.