This morning I was getting ready for the sauna in the gym locker room, towel in hand, mentally preparing for my usual 15-minute pilgrimage to a space where I do some of my best thinking and conversation with the other men. It has become a sort of philosopher’s stone wrapped in eucalyptus and heat.
But something stopped me. Across the way, a group of grown men were crowded around the TV like it was breaking news from the Pentagon. ESPN was blaring. The ticker flashed red…apparently, some major trade had just gone down.
One guy looked ready to cry. Another was laughing, like he’d just won a lottery he didn’t enter. A third was shouting profanities at a coach he’d never met, and then it hit me: this is what real branding looks like. It’s not logos. It’s not fonts or filters or even clever taglines.
It’s tribal. It’s identity-level attachment. It’s “we won,” not “they won.” It’s wearing a jersey in July when your team didn’t even make the playoffs. It’s inked skin and emotional allegiance, and if you’re building a business, this should matter to you.
Fandom isn’t just about entertainment. It’s about belonging. It’s about identity. It’s about finding a tribe that makes the chaos of life a little more tolerable, or at the very least, more meaningful.
From a psychological standpoint, humans are wired for connection. We seek symbols that signal safety, recognition, unity. Teams give us that. Mascots, chants, rituals, fight songs…these aren’t just fun, they’re branding at its most visceral.
And while it may seem absurd that someone would tattoo a giant bird claw across their shoulder blade to honor a team that hasn’t won since the Clinton administration, it’s not absurd at all. It’s actually… inevitable.
“When someone tattoos a logo on their body, that’s not just fandom. That’s identity. That’s emotional loyalty branded into flesh.”
People don’t just support their favorite teams, hey become them. And the best brands, yes, even yours, have the power to do the same.
Now I’m not suggesting you should start designing temporary tattoos for your consulting business. (Although… maybe.)
But let’s talk about what’s really happening here. Great brands don’t sell products, they sell belonging. They don’t push content, they create ecosystems.
The NFL doesn’t just offer a game. It offers fantasy leagues, podcasts, merch, stats, beefy commentary, family rivalries, Sunday rituals. It’s a 360° experience.
What would it look like if your brand, your consulting, your photography, your SaaS startup, wasn’t just a service but an identity? What if people didn’t just hire you, they joined you?
Too many entrepreneurs think branding is what you present to the world. A polished photo. A Canva logo. A pretty caption with a hashtag you stole from someone else. But that’s shortsighted, your brand is everything, it’s literally every touchpoint seen or invisible pre and post and everything in between, your customers journey.
Your brand is the story people tell themselves about what it means to work with you.
And the best stories aren’t informational they’re emotional and they tap into your audience’s desires, their frustrations, their hopes. This is why the best clients, the ones who stay, who pay, who refer, don’t do so because of your offer, they do so because of the way you made them feel inside, the heartstring, the emotion.
They feel seen, they feel smarter. they feel braver, they don’t want a service, they want a shift and a story to step into, they want to belong to something… tribal.
So Ask Yourself…
Would someone metaphorically wear your jersey? Would they talk about you in a sauna? Would they tattoo your brand, if not on their bicep, then in their psyche? And if not, the better question might be, what kind of experience, message, or meaning would make them want to do that?
But I am asking you to think a little deeper about the kind of loyalty, resonance, and emotional gravity you want your brand to have. Because it’s not about being “better” than the competition. It’s about being more you so clearly and confidently that people can’t help but remember you.
“You don’t build a brand by being seen. You build it by being felt.” – Deevo
If you’re building something real, let’s make sure your brand can carry it.
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Deevo is a brand strategist, creative operator, and personal evolution coach who helps soul-driven entrepreneurs fill the unseen gaps between who they are and how they show up. Part sage, part builder, part mirror—he works with founders and leaders who are outgrowing their current version and ready to build something that actually reflects who they’ve become.
His mission is simple: to help people build brands and businesses that feel as true as they are powerful.
The Brand Storyteller is a Charlotte-based branding agency that helps purpose-driven leaders, entrepreneurs, and businesses build powerful, authentic brands. We specialize in brand discovery, messaging development, content creation, and fractional CMO services—all designed to help you connect with your audience and grow with purpose. Led by Deevo Tindall, a nationally recognized branding expert and master storyteller, our team works closely with clients to craft meaningful narratives, clarify their brand voice, and develop strategies that stand out in today’s competitive market.