© 2003 Transform Communications www.transformcom.com 1
At a recent panel presentation, one brand expert
declared $150k as the price of admission for any
company truly serious about branding. If, however,
you can’t make a six-figure commitment just yet,
here’s how to spur your organization to harness
the power of a memorable brand.
Gold-Plated Brands
Fact is, the companies most cited by the panel as
stellar branding examples –Nike, Coca-Cola,
McDonald’s, Intel, etc.–are masters of what one
might term “deep pockets branding.” They have, to a
large extent, bought their way into American’s hearts
and minds thanks to multi-million-dollar marketing,
advertising and promotional campaigns executed,
perhaps, over decades. Behind these dollars, of
course, are quality people, products, services and
reputations that successfully and continually fulfill
each brand’s promise to its customers.
So, does that mean branding is strictly a
high-rollers’ game? Is $150k, as one panelist cited
half-jokingly, the minimum price tag for discovering
and conveying the soul of a company? Must
organizations simply “go without” if they can’t
prudently make that kind of investment at this stage
of their growth? My answer is a resounding NO!
Branding For The Rest of Us
There are many layers of value, both tangible and
intangible, to the process of self-discovery that gives
birth to memorable, lasting brands. Even if the new
logo and tag line never make it to four-color print
and network television, the process that generated
them helps to instill a deeply ingrained and
thoughtfully aligned sense of purpose to the members
of the organization. It can and will make a difference
that customers, partners and eventually the
accountants, too, will begin to notice.
So, if you, your company or your clients have
experienced branding “sticker shock,” here are few
“sweat equity” steps you can take to begin your own
bootstrap branding journey.
When In Doubt, Use A Road-map
Whether the budget is four, five or six figures,
successful branding demands a thoughtful, sequenced
approach. The accompanying roadmap will help you
take your brand from “gleam in the eye” to “valued
business asset” by addressing key questions in three,
concise phases.
First discover the essence of your brand, then take
definitive action to express it uniquely and,
ultimately, to execute it strategically in every
aspect of your business. A “reality check” between
each phase ensures precisely the right fit for
your organization.
Discovery
Expression N
Execution
By Richard Layton,
Transform Communications
© 2003 Transform Communications www.transformcom.com 2
Brand Discovery
• Who are we and what do we stand for?
Think back to the original inspiration or vision
that started it all for you. Consider what your
customers most enjoy and value about doing
business with you. Distill the essence of what
it is they get from your organization that they
can’t get from anyone else. You’ll discover
your brand precisely where your passion,
performance and point-of-difference converge.
Brand Expression
• What’s the look and feel we want to convey?
To distill the “look” of your brand–its visual identity–you’ll want to
open up the checkbook and work with qualified creative professionals
in corporate image/graphic design. You can save time and money,
however, pulling together visual samples from competitors and any
other companies whose branding appeals to you. Setting out with a
few parameters in mind is preferable to starting with a blank piece of
paper, and is considerably more cost effective.
Brand Execution
• How do we get our brand off the drawing board?
You’ve got the look, but the “feel” is something you and your
organization must create on your own. It's the total experience
of your company: the way phones are answered, how products
and services are delivered, your approach to the sales process,
the style of communication, the value placed on people. All
these “expressions of your brand” build on the work in phases
1 and 2, and they are just as vital, if not more so, than your brand’s
graphic packaging. Also important is ensuring “brand discipline”
for advertising, marketing, website and other media/channels.
Typical Deliverables
A “brand essence”
document to formally
capture such elements
as target markets and
respective value
propositions; an official
company description; any
phrases that convey your
brand promise in a few
memorable words; also,
visual “raw material”
(napkin sketches and whiteboard
brainstorms) as a
starting point for development
of graphic elements
of the brand identity.
Reality Check
Are we just blowing smoke
here or does the brand
vision hold meaning for
line employees, customers,
prospects, partners and
competitors? In particular,
do customers agree with
our assessment of the
value we provide to them?
Do we have a truly
distinctive and memorable
brand concept? Run the
brand essence past a few
insightful members of your
“kitchen cabinet” to help
ensure quality.
Reality Check
Will the visual elements of
our brand stand out in a
crowd? Does the look-andfeel
comfortably reflect our
company’s personality? Are
we stepping on any other
brand toes? Here again,
feedback from insightful
members of the “kitchen
cabinet” or an informal
focus group can help. Use
caution, however, in
managing the size of the
approval loop.
Output From This Step
Detailed plans for communicating the
brand to employees, customers and
other stakeholders (e.g., strategic
marketing plan); brand elements
extended consistently to signage,
web site, print collateral, trade shows,
product packaging, etc.
Discovery
Expression
Execution
Typical Deliverables
Trademark search/filing (if
needed); a company logo,
official tag line and
business identity system; a
firm sense of company
reputation; any indicated
revisions for strengthening
the brand concept.
3
2
1
Illustrations by Gecko Media.
Process
The
© 2003 Transform Communications www.transformcom.com 3
Brand Forward
If you and your team devote quality time and
rigorous attention to solidifying this “framework,”
you’ll have bootstrapped your brand to a level that
some firms spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to
reach. And, you can employ a scalable, just-in-time
approach to developing campaigns and collateral
materials that will carry your brand proudly into
the marketplace. The caveats here are clarity,
conviction and compelling execution. Try to avoid
“branding-by-committee” which may be potentially
more problematic than no branding at all.
Major Brand Investment
Are there times when you should spend big bucks on
branding? Absolutely–particularly when there is a
strategic case for capturing dominant market share or
dramatically increasing market capitalization. Yet,
branding at any price is not a silver bullet for
success. To be effective, your brand must be backed
by products, services and technologies that provide
outstanding value to customers over the long haul.
Whether gold-plated or bootstrapped, branding at
its best is a discipline practiced consistently in every
aspect of your business. The journey begins here:
Discovery Execution
Expression
To change the way
other people think about your company,
change first the way
your company thinks about itself.
About The Author
Richard Layton is the founder of Transform Communications, a consulting practice
dedicated to Cutting the Cost of Confusion™. Rich has delivered, literally, millions of dollars
in bottom line results through branding, integrated marketing and communications for
such clients as BP Amoco, GAF, Intel and J. Sainsbury’s Grocers (UK).
phone: 503-203-8171
email: rlayton@transformcom.com web: www.transformcom.com |
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