Kokoro V2

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Brand + comms:
Build a brand people truly feel

In a world where attention is fleeting and loyalty is fragile, your brand must connect emotionally and act culturally.
We help you define what you stand for – and show up so people remember why.

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There’s a surprising truth: most people don’t think much about brands. But they still feel something – and that feeling shapes every decision.

In buying moments, those emotional signals determine whether a brand is picked, ignored or forgotten.

We help you move into the “picked” zone.

One size doesn't fit all...

We’ve perfected implicit techniques to reveal the feelings consumers associate with brands. These emotions originate in our subconscious – a hugely influential part of the brain which, in nanoseconds, decides what’s right/wrong for us.  Most importantly, our work focuses on how to leverage these insights to build sales.

We work across three interconnected spaces:

Brand platform & positioning

Define your brand’s role, tone and truth – the foundation for how it shows up.

Communications strategy
& creative input

Develop stories, messaging and campaigns that resonate across audiences and moments.

Tracking & Measurement

Measure the signals that matter: emotional response, usage, buzz, distinctive assets and more.

The 8 measures to brand success

We use eight brand health dimensions to diagnose, sharpen and grow your brand.
Each measure offers a different lens on how your brand is felt, remembered and chosen.

Physical and mental availability

How much you come to mind in a relevant buying situations and how easily consumers feel it is to get their hands on your product.

Distinctive assets

How consumers associate colours, logos, words, sounds etc. with your brand and their role in building mental availability and image associations.

Momentum/buzz

Humans are drawn to movement (our survival once depended on it!), so that’s why we measure your ‘momentum’ vs. rivals.

Visionary comms

In Brandland, if you stand still, in consumers’ eyes you’re losing ground - so we test whether your comms create new memories.

5Drivers associations

Our proprietary model unpicks the feelings associated with a brand and pinpoints where best to focus efforts to grow.

Usage associations

If you’re linked to more usage situations you’ll grow - we’ll identify the ones which work for your brand and how to win.

Warm interactions

The experience of a brand has become key to brand equity – so you need to know how yours fares vs. expectations (and rivals).

The rational narrative

It’s useful for consumers to have explicit ‘stories’ they can use to justify their decisions – we find your ‘why’ and track it.

These elements give you qualitative nuance and consumer context

They provide the real story behind your brand performance, how the market is changing and where you should focus your efforts to maximise ROI.

The 5Drivers: how brands earn emotional attention

At the heart of every brand choice is an emotional need. Our 5Drivers framework decodes these – and shows you how to build stronger, stickier brand connections:

  • Security – Helps me feel safe and in control
  • Identity – Reflects who I am or want to be
  • Belonging – Makes me feel part of something
  • Stimulation – Brings energy or inspiration
  • Freedom – Gives me space to be myself

Used in brand strategy, creative testing and comms planning, the 5Drivers ensure your brand resonates at a human level – not just a rational one.

Let's talk about the 5Drivers

Who this is for

You’re building from scratch and need strong, distinctive foundations.

You want to refresh or reposition to stay relevant.

You’re launching new comms or campaigns that need emotional clarity.

You are under pressure to prove brand investment delivers results.

Want smarter brand thinking?

Try Winning Minds

Our podcast series interviews influential people in inspirational brands and explores the secrets behind their success.

See all insights

Frequently asked questions

What does “brand platform” actually mean?

It’s your strategic core – the beliefs, tone and truth that guide everything your brand says and does.
Both. We shape strategy, define the idea and collaborate with creative partners to bring it to life.
We use our 8 Measures model and the 5Drivers to track emotion, recall, associations and usage.
Absolutely. We often work on repositioning, revitalising and evolving brands for growth.
Yes – through brand tracking, cultural monitoring and quarterly strategic input.

Looking to build a brand that resonates?

Let’s sharpen your strategy, craft communications that connect, and measure what really matters.

Let's talk

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