Abstract

Sublime Branding aspires to move branding toward a more thematic type of brand resonance through design solutions that have both aesthetic and conceptual depth yet are tempered so as to not overpower the audience. The “sublime” is defined in terms of its affective ability to change people. Often referred to as the “sublime turn,” the sublime is explained as the turn from aesthetic experience to conscious commitment. At its core, sublime branding has the potential to positively transform the brand audience through subtle emotional experiences, otherwise referred to as “pure experience.” In this sense, what can be deemed the “Sublime Branding Turn” is the turn from brand experience to social-cultural brand commitment. This level of brand audience “turn” or transformation can be fully achieved through a branding approach founded in the Eastern art of Zen. This article notes the origins and brief history of “the sublime” in Japan, defines its relationship with Zen principles, and lastly describes seven Sublime Branding Principles that the authors suggest offer a new approach to branding that develops aesthetically experiential brands that resonate with their audiences on a thematic relational level.