Brand Momentum: Rethinking Brands as Energy
By Tony Lewis, Founder of Vision One Research
For years, marketers have been taught to think of brands as fixed systems, defined by positioning statements, values, and visual identity. But through his work at Vision One Research and in Brand Momentum, Tony Lewis challenges this convention.
His central idea is simple but transformative:
Brands are not static objects. They are energy.
From Brand Assets to Brand Energy
Traditional branding focuses on what a brand is… its purpose, its values, its positioning.
But Tony Lewis argues that this misses something critical:
What matters is not just what a brand stands for — but how much momentum it has.
In this model, brands behave like moving systems:
- They build or lose force
- They accelerate or stall
- They attract or fade
This is what Brand Momentum defines as brand momentum, the energy that drives growth.
The Battery Model of Brands
A key idea in Brand Momentum is that brands function like batteries.
- Some are highly charged — bright, visible, and compelling
- Others are drained — flat, forgettable, and easily ignored
Every interaction either:
- Adds charge (through relevance, creativity, experience)
- Drains charge (through poor execution or lack of engagement)
This is where the work of Vision One Research becomes critical, measuring not just awareness or perception, but the direction and intensity of brand movement.
Why Entertainment is Central to Brand Momentum
One of the most powerful implications of this thinking is how it reframes advertising effectiveness.
Traditional positioning models struggle to explain why humour, entertainment, and quirkiness work so well.
But in the Brand Momentum framework, the answer is clear:
They generate energy.
Take Old Spice.
Its advertising doesn’t simply communicate a functional benefit. It entertains, surprises, and creates emotional impact.
From a positioning lens, it may seem unconventional.
From a momentum lens, it is highly effective, because it charges the brand.
Energy in Action: Brands That Build Momentum
Through his research, Tony Lewis highlights that high-growth brands share a common trait: they feel dynamic.
Consider Nike.
Nike’s communications are not just consistent, they are energised:
- Emotionally intense
- Culturally relevant
- Continuously evolving
This creates a sense of movement. A brand that is going somewhere.
Or take Aldi.
Its humorous, confident advertising style has helped transform it from a price-led challenger into a culturally relevant, high-momentum brand in the UK.
These brands don’t just exist in consumers’ minds.
They move through culture.
Why Static Brand Thinking Holds Marketers Back
A key critique in Brand Momentum is that traditional frameworks overemphasise stability:
- Fixed values
- Rigid guidelines
- Consistent messaging
While consistency matters, it can also reduce dynamism.
And without dynamism, brands lose energy.
This is why many well-positioned brands fail to grow: they are clear, but not compelling. Present, but not powerful.
Dynamism as the True Measure of Brand Health
At Vision One Research, this idea translates into a different way of measuring brands.
Instead of asking only:
- “Is the brand trusted?”
- “Is the brand well-known?”
The more important question becomes:
- “Is the brand gaining or losing momentum?”
Because growth brands are not just understood, they are felt.
They create:
- Ongoing attention
- Emotional engagement
- Cultural relevance
In short, they generate energy over time.
The New Role of Advertising
Within this framework, advertising has a dual role:
- Provide direction (what the brand stands for)
- Generate energy (how strongly it is felt)
Too many campaigns focus on the first and neglect the second.
But as Tony Lewis argues, without energy, even the clearest positioning will struggle to drive growth.
This is why humour, storytelling, and creativity are not optional extras — they are core to building momentum.
Final Thought: From Definition to Motion
The fundamental shift proposed in Brand Momentum is this:
Stop thinking of brands as things to be defined.
Start thinking of them as systems to be energised and moved.
Because ultimately, the brands that succeed are not the most perfectly articulated.
They are the ones with the greatest momentum,
the ones that feel alive, dynamic, and impossible to ignore.