Some people will tell you that the best promise a large organization’s brand can make is to be “the quality, innovation leader in (insert the company’s business category).” They say that organizational brands of large enterprises offer authority and assurance period. Yet some of the most successful organizational brands have more focused (consumer benefit based) brand essences.
For instance, Disney promises fun family entertainment, Nike promises genuine athletic performance and Hallmark promises caring shared. All three are distinctive yet broad enough to make multiple product categories possible. Consider all the businesses that Disney is in. Hallmark has much growth left (despite a mature greeting card category) as it could offer gift candy and flowers and even “love boat” cruises.
Below is a summary of the most likely brand problems of small and large organizations:
Smaller|Younger Organization:
Lack of funds
Lack of time
Little or no marketplace awareness of the brand
(Sometimes) don’t fully understand who is buying their products and services and for what reasons
Larger|Older Organization:
Current leadership team (including CEO) doesn’t know what distinctive, compelling value their organization brings to the marketplace
Original marketplace position is no longer distinctive or compelling
The brand structure has become too complicated and unclear
The brand identity standards and systems have fallen into disuse
The organizational infrastructure and institutionalized bureaucracy work against a reinvigorated brand position
Marketing functions are not integrated
The organization has become too big and decentralized to create a consistent brand voice
For smaller, younger organizations, key brand activities include developing a strong brand identity, building brand awareness through publicity and other less expensive means and sometimes, better understanding their consumers through marketing research (such as attitude & usage studies and focus groups).
For larger, older organizations, the brand management job is much more complex. The most important task is to get the senior leadership team to agree to a distinctive, compelling marketplace positioning for the brand. Often the brand needs to be repositioned. Often the brand identity standards and systems need to be overhauled (and the brand hierarchy simplified). Frequently, major organizational design changes are required. The necessary changes may be as wide reaching as rethinking the business portfolio itself.
Clearly, brand management needs vary with organization age and size.
The Blake Project Can Help: The Brand Positioning Workshop
Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Licensing and Brand Education
