Taking you further BRAND STRATEGY
Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK
Explore our world...
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Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK
Our Brand Our brand is the total sum of associations, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, actions and perceptions, related to our firm and it’s advisory services. It is our relationship with clients and our promise to deliver a positive set of outcomes, benefits, and experiences. It is our job to project the promise of the Russell Bedford brand consistently and accurately around the world. Our brand must be meaningful and relevant to our clients, as well as our member firms and business partners. The development of the Russell Bedford brand is important to our future success, as an esteemed global network of independent firms of accountants, auditors, tax advisers and business consultants. “It is the responsibility of each of us to bring the Russell Bedford brand to life.”
Stephen Hamlet
Bill Rucci
Tony Carey
CEO
CHAIRMAN
BOARD MEMBER BRANDING AND MARKETING
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Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK
Contents 07
The Role of our Brand
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Our Core Idea
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Our Story
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Our Brand Platform
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Our Positioning
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Our Brand Tone of Voice
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Our Brand Pillars
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Our Brand Values
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Communications
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Client Experience
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Bringing it all Together
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The Role of our Brand The strategic role of the Russell Bedford brand is to provide a trusted international business development platform for network member firms. All professional accountants will be expected to look beyond the numbers. They will need to collaborate and partner with people in other parts of the business and outside the business; interpret and explain the numbers; provide insight and information; help organisations to achieve short-term goals and longer-term objectives; think and behave more strategically and become more involved in decision-making than ever before. Above all, professional accountants will be expected to make professional judgements and, in doing so, to exercise the highest standards of integrity, independence, expertise and scepticism. Source: Drivers of change & future skills . ACCA.
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Our Core Idea We enable our clients to realise their full potential by helping and supporting them to become the very best they want to be.
We aim to help our clients go further and to reach new heights of sustainable growth. We will take our clients further. They will reach further with us than without us.
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Our Story The future of Russell Bedford has never been more exciting. We are growing. Our horizons are expanding. We have outstanding leadership and professional talent throughout our global member network. We continue to forge & maintain enduring client relationships locally and internationally. The challenge of continued success lies ahead of us and we are more determined and better equipped than ever. We are independent, connected and vibrant – just like you, our clients, our network and our people are.
We are committed to going further... ...for our Clients ...for our Network ...and for our People
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BRAND PLATFORM
Positioning
Tone of Voice
Brand Pillars
Brand Values
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Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK
Our Brand Platform A brand platform establishes a foundation for the Russell Bedford identity, positioning, proposition,messaging and visual presentation. It guides and influences behaviours that shape client perceptions over time. Serving as a framework for all internal and external communications.
Our Positioning is our promise to our clients, our people and our network. It is our point of difference and how we want to be perceived in the market. Trust is built on keeping our promises – as a network, a promise given by one member firm will be delivered throughout our network. Our Tone of Voice is the manner and style in which we write and speak as Russell Bedford member firms. We are a close knit body – our clients will experience the same “tone” throughout the world. Brand Pillars are unique, value-building characteristics of our global member network. Our differentiation is our connection to our clients and how we serve them. Values define what the firm stands for and codify the expected conduct and behaviours within the firm and critically with clients. Values build our culture.
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BRAND PLATFORM
Positioning
Tone of Voice
Brand Pillars
Brand Values
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Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK
Positioning Taking you further. We will go further for our clients, for our network and for our people. Successful firms base their brand on a core positioning that is uniquely own-able and represents a distinct attribute or capability. This clear definition is supported and reinforced by everything the firm does – requiring all professionals and staff to live the brand everyday. This internal dimension of branding is critical to professional services. It involves the alignment of the brand and its values to human resources, operations, internal communications, and most importantly to ensure the right behaviour is in place throughout the firm.
A promise given by one member firm will be delivered throughout our network.
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BRAND PLATFORM
Positioning
Tone of Voice
Brand Pillars
Brand Values
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Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK
Tone of Voice Tone of voice is the manner and style in which we write and speak about ourselves as Russell Bedford member firms. It shapes how we look, feel and sound together, fusing language, design and content. Tone of voice should be reflected across all Russell Bedford brand communications—including advertising, press releases, newsletters, emails, web copy and internal communications—by all member firms.
Expert. We are highly experienced. Authoritative.
We are confident.
Open.
We are approachable.
Insightful.
We are knowledgeable.
Dynamic.
We are vibrant.
Positive.
We are optimistic.
As a network - our clients will experience the same “tone” throughout the world.
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BRAND PLATFORM
Positioning
Tone of Voice
Brand Pillars
Brand Values
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Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK
Brand Pillars Brand pillars are the key elements of the brand strategy. Pillars embody the elements that member firms, as a network, feel strongly about and they are the foundation of the Russell Bedford brand strategy. They are unique, value-building characteristics of the global member network.
1. An exemplar of service delivery- top quality on time always. 2. A respected source of expert advice and guidance – local and international. 3. A truly client –centric, solutions orientated mind set. 4. An exemplar of ethical behaviour and regulatory standards.
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BRAND PLATFORM
Positioning
Tone of Voice
Brand Pillars
Brand Values
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Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK
Brand Values Brand values are part of the firms and network DNA – whether they are explicit or not. They define what the firm stands for and codify the expected conduct and behaviours within the firm and critically with clients. Brand values are fundamental, enduring, and actionable. The authentic values of a firm are determined mainly by what the professional staff believe is important, not what they say – but what they do! In an industry where expert talent is scarce,or in high demand, brand values play a fundamental role in attracting and retaining talented employees, making difficult decisions, prioritising resources, reducing internal conflict, differentiating the brand, attracting and retaining the right type of clients to the firm. • ACCOUNTABILITY
Take ownership, act comprehensibly and verifiably. • INTEGRITY
Behave and communicate with integrity at all times.
• PROFESSIONALISM
Use your technical skills, expertise,experience and wisdom to deliver the
best client solutions.
• EXCELLENCE
Exceed the clients’ expectations
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DELIVERY & RESULTS
Client satisfaction and positive impact is your highest goal.
• COLLABORATE
Work together with colleagues across all boundaries to achieve more.
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Communications PILLARS 1. A strong global network of professional accountants & business advisors. 2. A respected source of expert advice and guidance – local and International. 3. A truly client–centric, solutions orientated mind set. 4. Responsive to clients and fellow members. 5. An exemplar of ethical behaviour and regulatory standards.
KEY MESSAGES Our overarching ambition is to help our clients, and thereby our members, reach further in terms of the quality and variety of professional advice available to them at home and throughout the world.
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MAPPING THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE
Make clients and potential
On foot of understanding
clients aware of the capabilities
the clients needs – consider
and reach of Russell Bedford.
opportunities to introduce the
Use of RB marketing material
resources of Russell Bedford to
and website. Drive a potential
Take the Client Further. These
client to place us into their
are the touch points that are
consideration.
leveraged to maximize the client experience, encourage repeat work and build advocacy.
PRE-ENGAGEMENT
ENGAGEMENT
POST ENGAGEMENT
Utilise Russell Bedford to help
Advise Russell Bedford of
ensure you win the “business”.
supports and challenges
Include Russell Bedford in
you experienced that RB
quotation and engagement
can address. Advise Russell
material to add credibility and
Bedford of your successes so as
substance. These points are up
we all can proclaim these with
to that point just prior to when
each other’s clients and attract
the client agrees to engage.
new business opportunities.
We need to think constantly and carefully about our own role and responsibility in managing and delivering our client experience to ensure we are being true to our brand promise of ‘ Taking you further ’ and OWN NATIONAL TOUCHPOINTS INTERNATIONAL TOUCHPOINTS
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Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK
exemplify our brand values in action.
Client Experience PUTTING OUR THINKING INTO ACTION “Don’t judge me by what I say, judge me by what I do”. Brand strategy is worth nothing unless the client’s experience of working with us reflects our words in action. The way we interact with our clients at every single ‘touchpoint’ represents our promise - this is our brand in action. Client Touchpoints are the Points of Interaction between Brands, Firms and Clients. Each successful member will have a series of planned interaction points with its clients. Inclusion of Russell Bedford within this plan will strengthen your client offering and the brand of Russell Bedford. Our core brand values inform not just our communications, but our attitudes and behaviours towards clients. By keeping our values in mind, we can ensure that we deliver our promises and commitments consistently. As a result, we can map out the ideal client experience,building not just excellence but distinctiveness in our relationships, establishing trust and generating loyalty at every point of contact with clients each and every time. The Russell Bedford brand message should be imbedded in each members Client Experience Map.
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BRAND PLATFORM
BRAND PLATFORM & POSITIONING Taking you further
TONE OF VOICE Expert Authoritative Insightful Dynamic Open Positive
BRAND PILLARS A strong global network of professional accountants and business advisors
An exemplar of ethical behaviour and regulatory standards
A truly client-centric solutions orientated mind set
A respected source of expert advice and guidance - local and international
BRAND VALUES Accountability Integrity Professionalism Excellence Delivery & Results Collaborative
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Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK
Bringing it all Together We have created a one page brand platform model bringing all our attributes together simply.
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Our Positioning is our promise to our clients, our people and our
network. It is our point of difference and how we want to be perceived in
the market. In all – our commitment is Taking you further
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Our Tone of Voice is the manner and style in which we write and speak
as Russell Bedford member firms. A client will know when they are with a
Russell Bedford member – we are independent but our Tone is the same.
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Brand Pillars are unique, value-building characteristics of our global
member network. Our network has been built on networking firms who are
passionate about servicing our clients needs.
•
Brand Values define what the firm stands for and codify the expected
conduct and behaviours within the firm and critically with clients. Values
build our culture – nationally and internationally
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We are committed to Taking you further... ...for our Clients ...for our Network ...and for our People
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WORLD LOCATIONS Africa Asia Australasia Europe Latin America Middle East North America
Russell Bedford International 3rd Floor, Paternoster House St Paul’s Churchyard London EC4M 8AB United Kingdom
T: +44 20 7410 0339 E: info@russellbedford.com W: www.russellbedford.com
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Russell Bedford BRAND BOOK