Developing a brand strategy and failing to effectively
implement it is a waste of time and money.
We know of many companies that have established internal task forces and
committees, hired consultants and strategy "experts", or left it up
to their agencies, only to experience PowerPoint overload and result in a
strategy that may have sounded good, but was not implemented as well as it
could have been.
We believe that the objectivity of outside resources
can be valuable, but it is essential to understand, even broadly, how a brand
strategy will be put into action, before the strategy is developed. This insures that all of the factors affecting
the strategy are considered and that the strategy can be implemented to achieve
maximum effect. Ashton Brand Group has
found that this kind of
"holistic" approach to brand strategy development, where we
help our clients evaluate all the internal and external factors and determine
how the strategy will be used, achieves better results--and we believe the
results are always more important than the process itself.
This is the third of a three-part series about brand
strategy--why it's important, how it's created and how to successfully
implement and manage a brand over time.
Part I covered the importance of understanding the "current
state" of a brand (i.e. brand assessment). It also focused on utilizing a
rigorous process, based on sound market research and analysis, that yields a
clear picture of the market, the competition and their positionings, and the
customers' needs and desires. Part II
outlined the development of a compelling future brand vision -- one that is
strong, powerful and credible. This includes its positioning, key brand driver,
brand promise, etc. In short, getting the strategy and positioning right, from
your customer's perspective, is certainly the key and everything else should
flow from that. Which leads us to Part
III - the implementation.
SO, WHAT IS EFFECTIVE BRAND STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION?
As most readers
of this report know, brand strategy implementation is defined as translating
the brand strategy into action--giving it value beyond simple words on a
page. Examples of effective
implementation based on the right brand strategy include:
Verbal Identity/Nomenclature-- It is essential that
product names support the positioning, build on any existing equity and
describe unique product benefits (realizing there may be government imposed
limitations in industries such as pharmaceuticals). Likewise, product names should be credible,
clear and easily pronounced.
Visual Identity -- The logo should also reflect the
brand strategy, be memorable and unique and communicate the brand strategy
effectively as a unit with the verbal identity.
Messaging Strategy-- A key outgrowth of a brand
strategy is a messaging strategy that provides the framework for all
communication about the brand. The
messaging strategy should mirror the brand's positioning, voice, personality
and product benefits. It should be
simple, concise, single-minded and serve as the basis for all external and
internal communications. It should guard
against statements that are not clear.
This framework should be the starting point for all advertising, public
and investor relations, direct marketing, sales promotion, website, events,
packaging, speeches, taglines, employee communications, etc.
Look and Feel-- A template for all printed materials
should be developed to insure that the graphics and the image conveyed are
consistent with the brand strategy.
Packaging-- Product packaging should be distinctive
and memorable and it should reinforce the brand's positioning, voice,
personality, and messaging strategy.
Brand Training-- A company's employees are one of the
"faces" of the brand to the outside world. To effectively implement a brand strategy,
the employees must understand what the brand is and communicate it effectively
to everyone they meet. In short, they
are the living reflection of the brand promise (See Brand Report Volume XIV,
Part II of this series) and should "live, eat and breathe" the
brand. This does not happen by osmosis. Proper Brand Training should include:
- A structured training session where the essentials of the brand are communicated
- Guidelines to help each employee understand their specific role and responsibility regarding the brand
- A way to create excitement about the brand that permeates the company after the training session
- Questions that are fielded and answered so that everything is clear and there is no confusion or misunderstanding.
Globalization-- Business is global today and the brand
strategy reflect this by being presented and communicated everywhere that it is
visible, communicated or marketed.
Effective implementation requires that all branding be adaptable for all
relevant global markets and supported to the extent budgets will allow.
AND, HOW DO YOU EFFECTIVELY
MANAGE THE BRAND OVER TIME?
Ashton Brand Group's experience has shown that the
strongest, most enduring brands have displayed certain characteristics relative
to how they are managed over time. It is
not easy and represents a significant challenge in most companies. Some of the keys to effectively managing
brands include:
Consistency, consistency, consistency-- In any
discussion of effective brand management simple consistency must be the
absolute priority. Constantly changing
brand strategies, fragmented messaging and inconsistent graphic imagery all
dilute the brand and what it represents.
Change is important and change should happen when market or product
situations warrant it. However, every
change should be made with caution only when necessary to significantly enhance
the brand.
A clear, written brand policy/standards manual
supported by a brand architecture-- It is essential that everyone in the
organization understand all aspects of the brand strategy, how the brand must
be communicated for every situation and a procedure for dealing with exceptions
and changes. You cannot expect people to
maintain consistency of the brand if they don't know the rules. These rules
must be clearly written and cannot be open to interpretation. The standards should include a brand
explaining how Master Brands, Sub-Brands, Ingredient Brands, Brand Extensions,
etc. fit within the overall branding structure.
Disciplined Enforcement-- Don't let the brand be
pulled in different directions within the company if different groups,
divisions, subsidiaries, etc. want to use the brand in a different way. And, insure that all communications of the
brand stay focused, simple and single minded to achieve maximum impact. Extensions should always be consistent with
the brand and should not be executed without thorough market research among
customers to make sure the extension fits and enhances rather than detracts
from the brand. The essence of
maintaining the consistency discussed above is a disciplined approach to brand
enforcement. This is not to encourage a
heavy handed approach, but with proper training and involvement, most people
will understand and support the value of branding consistency.
Management Support at the Most Senior Level-- The
brand should be viewed as a valuable, intangible asset. It must be protected, nurtured and encouraged
to grow. Achieving the consistency
necessary for effectively managing a brand is a very difficult challenge in
most companies and a challenge made even more difficult without senior
management support. Ideally, that support
should come from the Chief Executive Officer or another member of top
management who has learned the importance of effectively managing the company's
brands and is known as the "brand champion" within the company.
Cross-functional Brand Accountability-- Establish a
team comprised of senior managers from different divisions and departments who
"interact" with the brand, and who will share responsibility for
maintaining use of the brand and branding implementation. This team should feel
a special sense of "ownership" and recommend changes in the brand
strategy when appropriate.
Brand Tracking-- Measurement and accountability should
be an essential element of all brand management programs. Setting up a benchmark and executing periodic
studies enables a company to monitor changes in perceptions of the brand versus
its competition and insure that the brand stays relevant with its consumers. If
significant changes in the marketplace dictate a need for it, a company may
adapt or change the brand strategy or messaging strategies.
Brand Protection-- A system should be in place for
challenging any infringement on the verbal, visual or product identity of the
brand to prevent confusion, erosion of equity or business loss.
Managing a
brand is difficult and challenging, but our experience has shown that if you
adapt the above guidelines to your company, you stand a better chance of
successfully managing your brand over time and building brand equity.
by AB Group
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