Pret is a sandwich shop. A bit like Starbucks is a coffee shop. Pret was founded in London in 1986 and has now grown to over 130 shops, most in the UK but also in New York and Hong Kong.

At the heart of the brand is passion. Passion for the food they make and the people they employ (Fortune magazine named them one of the top 10 companies to work for in Europe).

How do they communicate this passion? Not through conventional advertising, but through their beliefs and their behavior.

Take a look at how they bring meaning to their brand by the commitments that they make (click on the images to enlarge):

They are passionate about natural, quality food: they avoid additives and preservatives.

They are passionate about freshness: all food is made fresh in the shop.

They are passionate about improvement, seeking advice from customers.

They are so passionate that they even have 'Passion Facts' on their website. Check it out at www.pret.com. But before you do, ask yourself:

What is at the heart of my brand, and how do I communicate it (not through conventional advertising, but through my beliefs and my behavior)? Because it is what you do that matters, not what you say.