A refreshing article and without fault. I've moved from the design field into strategy for just this reason. Far too often the guidance for development is given to focus groups - and this is little more than a logarithm. It tends to end with that old term 'product orientation' where the engineer's specification is the defining USP. 

Thanks for sharing the real meaning of brand building - design from inside out and with a full holistic view based on what customers are most likely to appreciate.