Samurai Jacked...

The samurai are a shining example of truth and mythology swirled together. Like the Spartans, though not as old, the samurai remain an enduring and celebrated brand. They transcend culture, race, and time. Surrounded by a romantic fondness, samurai are Japan's classic warrior icon, symbolizing courage, devotion, service and honor. In the early 20th century, the Japanese military built its identity around the samurai's Bushido code. And to this day, the samurai spirit still beats quietly, if not secretly, in the hearts of most Japanese.

But not only in Japanese hearts.

The writers of Star Trek used the Bushido code to weave texture and personality into the Klingon race, and before that, the classic western, The Magnificent Seven was adapted from the original Japanese story, The Seven Samurai. And more recently, The Last Samurai conquered audiences with themes of honor and tradition, along with undertones paralleling the demise of American Indians, as well as a climax echoing Spartan glory at Thermopylae.

Okay, so we have these guys in funky armor that are "all in" when it comes to battle, discipline and self-sacrifice. But just how did these legendary BAs get kicked off?  The answer takes you back to the 8th and 9th centuries when the power of Japan's emperor was in decline, and he was unable to maintain an army to control his empire. Powerful warrior clans, and the heads of these clans were given the title of shogun. A shogun did not have political power—at first, but he was the military commander of his clan, and was responsible for defending whatever territory his clan called home.

Around the 10th century is really when the samurai were unsheathed. The shoguns began organizing soldiers and police, and to collect some tax. Most of their jurisdiction was limited to keeping civil order and maintaining army provisions. Eventually, the shogun expanded their control, and merged with other clans through marriages and alliances—and that's where the samurai as we know them emerged and began their rise as a political ruling class.

The Bushido was an oral tradition, not

written until the 20th Century (1965).

Along with developing political clout, the samurai came to embrace the Bushido, which ran through the warrior class as easily as a Masamune katana sword. Also known as the "Way of the Warrior," Bushido is a philosophy of honor, emphasizing duty and whole devotion to one's master. The samurai absorbed this and it became part of their DNA. Then they jacked it up, extolling reckless bravery, fierce family pride, and that unto-death-loyalty to the master. The latter was at the center of many writings by samurai wise men. 

There were great thought leaders among the samurai. One during 13th century was Hojo Shigetoki—maybe not a Yoda-like guy, but certainly a Mace Windu.  He wrote: "When one is serving officially or in the master's court, he should not think of a hundred or a thousand people, but should consider only the importance of the master." Another writes, 

In matters both great and small, one should not turn his back on his master's commands...One should not ask for gifts or enfiefments from the master...No matter how unreasonably the master may treat a man, he should not feel disgruntled...An underling does not pass judgments on a superior.

On the whole, this philosophy bound the samurai. They were of different clans and served different masters, but this philosophy was the standard they all pursued. They were a band of brothers bound by a common code. Much of that code wove their way into the fabric of the Japanese people. St. Francis Xavier spent a number of years in 16th century Japan. He observed that no nation in the world feared death less. He described the honor and manners of the Japanese as this: 

I fancy that there are no people in the world more punctilious about their honour than the Japanese, for they will not put up with a single insult or even a word spoken in anger.  

St. Francis was in Japan toward the end of a wildly violent period in the nation's history. Firstly, Japan wasn't unified. On the contrary, the emperor was simply unable to control all the provinces, resulting in an amalgam of warring territories with warlords vying for control of overlapping territories. This era is known as Japan's medieval period, or more formally the Heian Era. It was a rambunctious time when the samurai developed and honed their fighting skills, while deservedly earning their reputations as great warriors.

The samurai carried two swords—the katana blade most commonly identified with samurai, and a short sword called a Tanto. The Tanto had a couple of purposes. The first was that when a samurai was in the imperial court, he relinquished his katana—partly out of respect and partly because the thing was so long, it would bang into everything. The Tanto allowed a samurai to remain armed to protect the emperor. And it served as the blade of choice for ritual suicide. 

As he carried two swords, the samurai also had two sides. These weren't killing brutes. Rather, they were also artisans, poets, philosophers, and teachers. When not in battle, they spent considerable time and discipline on perfecting whatever they set their sights. These were a greatly refined and literate class. And following the Heian era, during the peaceful 250 years of the Tokugawa era, the samurai philosophy rose to its height. In the process, the samurai solidified a warrior brand that burns with admiration to this day. 

Therefore, submitted for your approval...

1. Determine the most appropriate brand-positioning attribute.

Like the Spartans, samurai began training at a young age. The goal was to build discipline and to reinforce loyalty to the master. Student samurai were clad in centuries of training in the law of honor, obedience, duty, and self-sacrifice. Historian Arthur May Knapp wrote, 

As a child he had but to be instructed, as indeed he was from his earliest years, in the etiquette of self-immolation. The fine instinct of honor demanding it was in the very blood.... 

2. Devise a distinctive way to articulate the brand position.

Mere mention of the Bushido tells one all they should know. It is the "Way of the Warrior," a philosophy of honor, duty and whole devotion to the master—the very fabric of the samurai.

 Bushido—The Way of the Warrior 

3. Develop a focused brand personality that customers can use to recommend or introduce your company to others.

The word samurai evolved from this root Chinese character, 侍— to mean wait upon or accompany a person of upper society. Eventually the Japanese term would be, "saburai," defined as "those who serve in close attendance to the nobility," The final and gentle morph into the word "samurai" first appeared in a poem in early 10th century. And it stuck. As the warrior class rose in political clout and social standing, samurai and Bushido became synonymous. So to say samurai warrior is actually redundant. 

Samurai

4. Establish graphic standards.

A samurai did not always wear his armor. But he was never without his sword—the katana sword. Making one is an art form in Japan, and the result is, to quote Obi Wan Kenobi, "an elegant weapon from a more civilized time."

The primo blade from the 14th century on was a Masamune sword. Masamune was a legendary swordsmith. He refined the sword style we associate with samurai today—a weapon so precise, it can slice through flesh and bone with one swipe.

5. Implement internal branding programs to reward employees for behaving in ways that are consistent with the brand personality.

The samurai was expected to not think of himself or of reward, although they were somewhat mercenary. They had to be. Their only source of income, or sustenance was from their master in exchange for service as soldiers. They paid no taxes or tariffs. Still, there were often lands awarded or position. 

Yet the Bushido clearly demanded that samurai "consider only the importance of the master."

 6. Consistently and uniquely execute the branding program.

The samurai as we know them lasted some 600 years and attained the top position in Japanese society. Even during times of extended peace, the samurai were examples of discipline, not just in military pursuits, but also literature, art, and craft. Their code was applicable to all walks of Japanese life. 

It wasn't until the Meiji period when Japan rushed into modernization of the late 19th century that the samurai fade, but not their spirit. The samurai inspired a nation's military, and provided a society with rules of social conduct—even into the 20th century. The samurai inspire to this day.