Unlocking mythical brands by leaving something unsaid.

Creating, refreshing, defining, and building brands is one of the most rewarding parts of working in an agency. We develop frameworks, agonise over words, and try to create a playbook for the brand to follow. But in a loud world, perhaps this approach is missing something? Something magical. A little bit of mystery.

And that’s exactly what Alex Tran of Strategy Dept. outlines in his piece “The Myth Brand Archetype”.

A myth brand cultivates intrigue through intentional gaps, strategically omitting information, limiting visibility, and embedding its identity in aesthetic codes that resist easy explanation. Rather than broadcasting its narrative, it builds cultural capital by requiring interpretation.

It doesn’t “tell its story.” It makes you want to tell it for them.

This view of branding borrows from the world of fandoms and leverages community. It expresses itself through experience and invites those in the know into its world. It does not need to broadcast— it's designed for virality. Its branding is where strategy and product are synchronized, not sequenced. And it requires a great product to start because you cannot manufacture mystery around something mediocre. The other necessary ingredient? A strong point of view and a set of beliefs and values that people can buy into. 

This gets you thinking. Perhaps it's time for conventional brands to reconsider their approach to transparency and completeness. What if instead of explaining every aspect of their identity, they left room for discovery? What if they ceded some control to their audience enough to let them fill in some blanks?

The most powerful brands don't just exist in marketing materials; they live in the stories people tell about them. By creating strategic gaps in your brand narrative, you invite your audience to feel a sense of ownership and connection that goes beyond consumption.

For those working with seemingly conventional brands like banks, telcos, or insurance companies, the challenge is finding those elements that can be left unsaid— the spaces where mystery might flourish. It might be through unexpected experiences, aesthetic choices that raise questions, or community initiatives that allow insiders to develop interpretations.

When the opportunity presents itself, let’s embrace ambiguity.