Brand Management: A Superior Paradigm

If the brand is recognized for what it really is–a very important asset that must be built, maintained, enhanced and leveraged–then people will begin to view brand activities and spending very differently. 

This must begin with the CEO and the CFO, but it should be a view shared by all employees. The CFO can become one of the biggest brand supporters if he or she is aware of the financial value of the brand asset.  This is why measuring the value of the brand asset is so vitally important.

The most successful brand building organizations are creating a new brand management paradigm.

Old Paradigm
Individual product brands
New Paradigm
Corporate brand
Old Paradigm
Business is defined as a product category (such as “greeting cards”)
New Paradigm
Business is defined as the brand essence (such as Hallmark’s “caring shared” )
Old Paradigm
Brand is managed by advertising department and agency
New Paradigm
Brand is managed by the CEO, a corporate officer responsible for brand equity management  and all employees in the organization
Old Paradigm
Product management is central focus of the organization
New Paradigm
Brand management is the central focus of the organization
Old Paradigm
Brand management is treated as “overhead” and brand marketing as an expense
New Paradigm
Brand management is a critical function performed by all employees and brand marketing is an investment in the company’s future
Old Paradigm
The CFO is skeptical of the worth of the brand management function and brand spending
New Paradigm
The CFO knows the value of the brand as a financial asset and is one of the most outspoken supporters of brand management
Old Paradigm
Brand marketing and brand identity standards and systems are aligned in support of the brand essence and promise
New Paradigm
Everything in the organization is aligned in support of the brand essence and promise, including:
•Mission, vision and strategy
•Values and behaviors
•Communication
•Products and services
•Operations, systems and logistics
Old Paradigm
Branding is often an afterthought (“Now what should we call this?”)
New Paradigm
No action is taken unless it supports or enhances the brand essence and promise
Old Paradigm
Growth is product development or acquisition driven
New Paradigm
The brand essence and promise provide the direction, consumer permission and business incentive for all future growth
Old Paradigm
The organization creates more new products and more functions and features for existing products as the way to hold the consumer’s attention
New Paradigm
The organization strives to increase its brand’s emotional connection with consumers
Old Paradigm
The marketing department and agencies can accurately articulate the brand essence and promise
New Paradigm
All employees and business partners can accurately articulate the brand essence and promise
Old Paradigm
Marketing department employees are compensated on performance against brand measures
New Paradigm
All employees are compensated on performance against brand measures
Old Paradigm
Inwardly focused functional silos
New Paradigm
An integrated, market driven organization

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