Brand Consistency in Corporate Communications

Brand Consistency in Corporate Communications Dahlia Salazar and Robin Tooms, Savage

April 21-22, 2010 ď‚Ť San Antonio, TX

Why do you really need brand consistency?

Why do you really need brand consistency?

A compelling story, delivered consistently, builds Brand Value

brand value goals • Alignment: Brand aligns with corporate vision and key business objectives • Ownership: Brand is “owned” by everyone, not just the marketing department • Engagement: Employees understand and commit to the brand • Stewardship: Marketing is a brand advocate, not the brand police

brand consistency challenges no story

no plan

• Treating the logo as a brand

• Not considering all stakeholders

• Need to excite and engage employees

• Absent or incorrect social media presence

Impact: Lacking a solid “Brand Promise”

Impact: Missed “Brand Opportunities”

no flexibility • Having too rigid of a brand management policy

Impact: You are the “Brand Police”

brand consistency challenges no story

no plan

no flexibility

Impact: Lacking a solid “Brand Promise”

Impact: Missed “Brand Opportunities”

Impact: You are the “Brand Police”

Go through a Branding Process

Work on your Brand Framework

Work on your Brand Strategy

brand strategy • Vision and strategic business objectives – How is your Brand helping you drive revenues?

How are you different?

• Culture and norms – How do your employees rally around your Brand? How do you “live the Brand”?

• Reputation and image – How do you deliver value? How do you drive customer satisfaction?

brand strategy Your external image

Audience Perceptions

Long-Term Vision What makes your company different

Your BRAND

Company Culture How your employees act and make decisions

brand consistency challenges no story

no plan

no flexibility

Impact: Lacking a solid “Brand Promise”

Impact: Missed “Brand Opportunities”

Impact: You are the “Brand Police”

Go through a Branding Process

Work on your Brand Framework

Work on your Brand Strategy

brand process

brand process: investigate • Use Brand Audits and Research to: – Identify all stakeholders; audiences – Determine your current position; perceptions – See how you are currently communicating – Assess your Brand’s business alignment – Uncover your story

Best-in-class

Strong leadership

Established

Independent

Aggressive

First class “Do everything driller” Dated

Commanding fleet

“The brand is from the past. It does not convey the new ideas of the company, which is now turned toward the future, high performance, high technologies, high skills... It does not tell what we want to do best, ie: drilling in deepwater with high tech material and highly professional personnel.”

-Rig Manager “It’s like turning a battleship; it’s going to take time...

I do think the name Pride is going to take some time to resurrect, so to speak, because they’ve had such a mixed bag in many years of just lackluster performance.”

-Financial Analyst

Leader

Polished

Consistent

Performance

brand process: interpret • Use your Brand Strategy and Messages to: – Define all aspects of your brand: • Position, Promise, Personality, Story, Associations

– Tell a compelling story – Cover all touchpoints – Address entire brand experience – all channels; mediums

Deeply Committed

Performance Driven

Employer of Opportunity

Credible & Trustworthy

Active & Responsive

Dynamic & Disciplined

Brand elements convey core strategic messages and key visual associations.

brand process: interpret

Touchpoints define the brand experience for all audiences

Public & Media

Investors

Customers

Community

Employees

brand process: rollout • Use your Brand Plans and Standards to: – Engage your brand ambassadors/evangelists – Prove your story; build proof points – Make it easy to consistently deliver

• Explain to ambassadors that they are a living piece of the brand

• Tell them the story and give them the voice to communicate

• Visually show them how to produce brand elements

brand process: outcomes • Keep your Brand Stewardship mindset by: – Employing cross functional teams to “own” the brand – Incorporating feedback loops to capture ongoing brand “health”

brand consistency challenges no story

no plan

no flexibility

Impact: Lacking a solid “Brand Promise”

Impact: Missed “Brand Opportunities”

Impact: You are the “Brand Police”

Go through a Branding Process

Work on your Brand Framework

Work on your Brand Strategy

brand framework • Flexibility: Is your brand visually flexible for employees to easily create materials that remain up to standards?

• Education: Are you educating them constantly and consistently about brand standards and messages?

• Empowerment: Do ambassadors feel empowered to make the right decision about communicating the brand?

With multiple offices and departments, Dell needed an internal brand that personified its core message and strategy AND helped employees deliver a consistent customer experience.

Flexible framework is about creating elements that can be utilized easily throughout all departments, applications and audiences

Through education and sample applications ambassadors have the knowledge to correctly apply the brand to the various needs

Employees feel empowered to tell the brand story and you will feel confident that they are telling the right one.

brand consistency benefits • A compelling story, delivered consistently, builds – Brand equity – Trust and loyalty – Recognition and credit

• And makes it easier to – Attract and retain the best employees – Increase market share over your competitors – Communicate your true value to your customers

questions Dahlia Salazar Creative Director, Savage dsalazar@savagebrands.com Robin Tooms Brand Director, Savage rtooms@savagebrands.com http://blog.savagebrands.com http://twitter.com/savagebrands.com