We had UnMarketing and UnSelling and now we have UnBranding (Fast Company calls it Debranding). It's all about the big pictures of marketing, selling and branding.
Brand Promise
I think, it's all about this: a brand promise connects purpose, positioning, team and client experience…It enables a brand delivery connecting with your clients (by head and heart) and differentiate your brand. In short, it's a promise about expectations, stories and relations…all related atop your innovations.
Even shorter, brand is the meaning that clients attach to your innovation.
Not Overdo
This is what I understand from the article: if buyers will not spend less but buy less expecting more quality, it'll become more important to combine the what and who. Products will not only be chosen because of its differential advantages, but if there's enough trust in your promise.
Yours worlds view, personality, values, visions...your communication, voice…your actions…how you build user experiences…will become more important related to your your design, imagery, messaging
Make clients feel good about their decisions.
Branding is Communication
It has never been so easy to communicate, but the media also suggest that everything is interconnected. But innovations are special products that change more...So, the inner story of you innovation - how it works and integrates will most probably become more important then the outer struggles for existence.
Consequently, you may choose investing more in the development than in promotion?! Let your innovation do most of the story. It will strip branding to its core…and The Innovation Mesh will help making your innovation work and sell…in the sense of UnBranding.