One day, I found myself thinking about the relationship between a boat and water, which has stayed with me as a useful metaphor. For a boat to float, it is not enough for there to be just a little water pooled beneath it. The water must reach a certain depth before the boat gains buoyancy and can begin to move. As more water accumulates, the boat becomes more stable, travels farther, and moves faster. I believe this simple principle applies directly to branding. For a brand, like a boat, to float and move forward on the sea of customers’ minds, water must be poured in consistently over time. In the early stages, no matter how hard one works, the market response may feel underwhelming. But this does not mean something is wrong. It simply means the water has not yet reached a sufficient level.

At its core, branding is about moving people’s hearts. And people’s hearts do not move easily. A few advertisements or several messages are rarely enough to truly win someone over. Especially in the early phase of branding, a sense of emptiness can feel overwhelming. Internally, teams struggle, think deeply, and execute diligently, yet externally, the market appears largely indifferent. But if we return to the metaphor of the boat and water, the answer becomes clear: the process of filling the water is not yet complete. Every small activity we carry out, campaigns that carry brand messages, various events, and even a single moment of communication with a customer are steadily accumulating. Even if there is no visible reaction right away, one day the water level rises enough to lift the boat.

The problem is that many brands fail to endure this process. When immediate results do not appear, management grows impatient, and branding is ultimately dismissed as an ineffective expense. Budgets are reduced, activities are scaled back, and the brand comes to a halt before it ever reaches the surface. On the other hand, when we look at brands that are praised for doing branding well, they do not possess some special secret. They simply endured the phase where results seemed invisible and continued to pour in water consistently. Along the way, they maintained their direction and did not lose sight of their own differentiated value. That consistency is what ultimately made the difference.

Just as a boat needs a certain water depth to move, branding also reaches a moment of transition. At first, there is almost no response. Then, after some time, signs of customer interest slowly begin to appear, and eventually, reactions increase exponentially. If this process were plotted on a graph, it would resemble the familiar J curve. In the beginning, it often feels as though no matter how much effort is invested, the market remains unresponsive. Yet when branding is pursued steadily without giving up, individual efforts begin to accumulate and customers start to react little by little. Once a certain turning point is reached, a brand forms a stable level of fandom, secures a place in customers’ perceptions, and begins to grow explosively. The real challenge lies in reaching that turning point. Most brands give up before they arrive. But once that moment is crossed, the brand moves onto an entirely different trajectory.

< Image source: Gentle Monster >

Let us look at Gentle Monster. Today, it is a brand known for its powerful global fandom and its strong branding, but did it receive such enthusiastic reactions from the very beginning. I do not think so. Having closely observed its journey since the early days, I can say this with confidence. Gentle Monster did not have a fandom at the start either. What it did have was a consistent effort to communicate how distinctive and different the brand was, in a wide variety of ways. The team boldly pursued initiatives that did not immediately impact sales. As a result, awareness slowly accumulated and the brand began to spread through word of mouth. At a certain point, this led to new opportunities, which produced positive outcomes and allowed the brand to attempt even bolder experiments. Through this process, Gentle Monster built the position it holds today. If the management team had looked at the early branding efforts and stopped simply because they did not directly affect short-term sales, would the Gentle Monster we know today have existed. It is impossible to know for certain, but it is hard to imagine the brand developing with the same level of boldness and confidence.

There is also a case I experienced firsthand. When I was in charge of branding for the commerce platform 29CM, we carried out a range of branding activities on a relatively small scale. At first, however, there was almost no response from the market. Only a small number of users reacted. Even so, we did not give up. Even if the outside world did not immediately recognize our efforts, we continued to develop our own differentiated branding consistently. From content and events to visuals, we embedded our unique perspective into every touchpoint, paying close attention to even the smallest details. Over time, responses began to emerge. Customers started to take interest in the brand, media outlets gradually began to notice us, visitor numbers increased, and various brands approached us about joining the platform. Encouraged by this momentum, we moved forward with bolder and larger-scale branding initiatives. Whatever we did, we made sure it was different from others. As a result, a strong fan base formed, and eventually not only small brands but also well-known major brands began to approach us voluntarily. It was the moment when the boat called the brand finally floated above the water. Consistency ultimately led to results.

Because results do not appear as sales within a short period of time, many people regard branding as nothing more than a cost. In reality, it more closely resembles an investment. Rather than chasing immediate returns, it accumulates value over time and exerts powerful influence in the long run. Just as the effects of compound interest only become visible after time has passed, branding works in much the same way. At first, it seems as though nothing is happening, but after a certain period, it returns as significant value. What matters most are direction and consistency. A short-term mindset asks only how much sales have increased, but the essence of branding is measured by how strongly a unique perception has been formed, how much support it has gained, and how distinct a position it has secured. That is what ultimately allows a brand to endure.

To those who are considering branding, this is the one message I would like to share. A boat floats only when the water is deep enough. Even if there is no response, it simply means the water is still being filled. Do not grow impatient with results you cannot yet see. Continue to communicate your brand’s voice with clarity and consistency. When consistency and persistence accumulate, a turning point will inevitably arrive. At that moment, the boat called the brand will move out into a much larger sea. As mentioned earlier, branding is not a short-term cost but a long-term investment. For this reason, anyone responsible for branding would benefit from reflecting on the metaphor of the boat and the water. What matters is not speed, but direction. If the direction is right, do not give up. Continue branding steadily, and your brand will, before you know it, build its own fan base and grow significantly.