The town square in Huddersfield town centre has recently been revamped - it has been completely repaved with york stone and has been extended, with the addition of fountains and lights.
It cost four million pounds.
My girlfriend said "what a waste of money, think of what they could have spent that on instead."
Four million could have been spent on providing a new library, funding new businesses or promoting youth activities. They could have spent it on a new sports centre, they could have spent it on drug rehabilitation or they could have renovated the indoor market.
But they spent it on colourful fountains.
Now every time I get off the train and walk out on to a plaza filled with colourful fountains it makes me feel a bit happier. You can't measure that in polls, surveys or demographics, but that single act makes me view my council in a more positive light than any of their other policies.
The same could be said of investing money in your brand. You may not be able to measure the benefits in numbers, you may not be able to show a sales chart that suddenly takes on a 45 degree angle. Some people will criticize and say "what a waste of money, think of what they could have spent that on instead."
But people who interact with your brand will get that same feeling that I feel when I see the colourful fountains. They'll feel happier. Some so much so that they'll write about it on their blogs and tell their friends. They'll even defend you against the naysayers.
And that's money well spent.
