The Most Exclusive Brand in the World

The most exclusive brand in the world does not sell anything. Nor does it provide values, programs, or policies. It doesn't have a web site, a retail presence, a Facebook profile, a customer or member base. It is not clear whether the brand is a company, a non-profit, a political organization, a club, or a person.

Only few people have heard of the most exclusive brand in the world, most haven't. It does not come up in conversations very often because there is not much to talk about. There is no trademark registered. There is no brand system, no brand architecture that embeds it. It doesn't have a corporate identity or brand guidelines to support it. It doesn't have a logo. It doesn't even have a name.

The most exclusive brand in the world does not appear in the media, does not do any advertising. No one knows how old it is and when it saw the light of day. It doesn't host events, and it doesn't offer any other touch points. And yet everyone who's heard about it, wants to be part of it, as an employee, partner, or customer.

The most exclusive brand in the world has no traits, attributes, or persona -- and it doesn't leave any traces. It is a "brand without qualities" and doesn't stand for anything except for exclusivity. It is what it is and thus what you make it. Everyone can shape it, no one can own it. The most exclusive brand is the most elusive brand in the world. And the most powerful.

Tim Leberecht is the CMO of frog and the publisher of design mind.