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Brand Flower

Markenblume

Dietrich Identity · Brand and Corporate Identity Consultancy · 2018

Introduction
A Clear Hierarchy of Brand Values

The Brand Flower is the brand model of Dietrich Identity, a German consultancy for brand and corporate identity. The agency sees a brand model as the place where the essence of a brand is written down, as a base for positioning and communication (Dietrich, 2021). It uses the flower at the end of a values process to record the result (Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell"). The flower has one core in the middle. Around it sit three brand values, and each value has three facets (Dietrich, 2021). The point is a clear order among the values, because in the agency's words only such an order shapes the brand identity (Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell"). A post on the agency's blog from December 2018 already describes the flower, then with four values instead of three (Lenz, 2021, "Trackbacks & Pingbacks"). Dietrich Identity finds the model's simplicity especially suited to medium-sized companies and corporate brands (Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell").

The Model

Brand Flower: three overlapping circles, each a brand value, around the brand core where all three overlap, with the brand facets written along the outside of each circle
Redrawn after Lenz (2021, "DID Markenmodell"), Dietrich Identity; the German labels are translated in the redrawing.

Elements

Definitions follow Lenz (2021) and the glossary entry by Dietrich (2021), both on the website of Dietrich Identity. Quotes are translated from German.

Brand Flower

  • 01

    Brand Core

    The brand core (Markenkern) sits in the middle, where the three values overlap. The model treats it as the "most important value" (translated). Its job is to make the brand recognisable and to set it apart from competitors (Dietrich, 2021; Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell"). The values need not be unique each on its own. The core can provide that uniqueness, because it expresses the brand's ultimate benefit (Lenz, 2021, "Markenwerte sinnvoll definieren").

    EMUGE-FRANKEN: This maker of tools for thread cutting, testing, clamping and milling is present in almost 50 countries and lists about 110,000 products. Its core is diverse (vielfältig). The word reaches from the products themselves to services such as advice, customer care and regrinding (Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell", example 2).

  • 02

    Brand Values

    Three brand values (Markenwerte) surround the core. They describe the attitude of the brand and mirror the culture and strengths inside the organisation (Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell"). A value is useful if it is genuine (it shows in behaviour), relevant to groups inside and outside the company, and concrete enough to leave little room for interpretation (Lenz, 2021, "Markenwerte sinnvoll definieren"). Such values guide the tone of communication and the company culture, and the agency holds that three are enough (Dietrich, 2021; Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell").

    kbo (Kliniken des Bezirks Oberbayern): This group of clinics in Upper Bavaria works with the core reliable (zuverlässig) and the values diverse (vielfältig), close (nah) and secure (sicher). Staff find security in the size of the group. More than 100,000 patients use its range of medical services. Closeness grows because patients quickly build a bond with the people who treat them (Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell", example 1).

  • 03

    Brand Facets

    Each brand value has three brand facets (Markenfacetten) (Dietrich, 2021). A facet fills a value with detail. The value then stops being an abstract word and becomes something people can grasp and follow in their behaviour (Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell").

    EMUGE-FRANKEN: The value close (nah) is filled out by sales, advice and reliability, precise (präzise) by quality, processes and control, and innovative (innovativ) by technology, passion and individuality (Lenz, 2021, "DID Markenmodell", figure for example 2).

Source

  1. Dietrich, F. (2021, May 27). Markenmodell [The Brand Model]. Marken- und Corporate-Identity-Glossar, Dietrich Identity. Retrieved October 7, 2026, from https://www.dietrichid.com/marken-und-corporate-identity-glossar/markenmodell/
  2. Lenz, A. (2021, June 30). Identitätsbasierte Markenführung – 4. Die Markenwerte [Identity-Based Brand Management – 4. The Brand Values]. Dietrich Identity. Retrieved October 7, 2026, from https://www.dietrichid.com/wissensartikel/identitaetsbasiertemarkenfuehrung_markenwerte/

Part of the Brand Identity Model Atlas. The atlas underpins the Brand-Building Canvas: a practical one-page brand identity and strategy framework for building, auditing, and repositioning brands. Download the PDF or PowerPoint template, or compare all brand identity models in the overview.