Branding Life
Looking back, I believe it was my seventh grade Reading teacher, Ms. Duckstein (actual name), who one day mentioned a survey she had recently read. The topic of the survey was something along the lines of "Most Recognizable Silhouette". Michael Jordan's was the hands down winner. This was not a national, or even North American, survey. The poll in question reached those across the world. Number 23 was the winner.
At the time, my middle school basketball-crazy brain thought nothing more than, "Yeah, that sounds about right. Jordan is really great." Little did I know that Jordan had parlayed his basketball successes to a burgeoning empire of endorsements and businesses. One of the most famous brands in the world evolved during my adolescence.
When I think about Jordan, Nike, McDonalds, or any other high-profile symbol or brand it is amazing to me the time and calculation these entities have dedicated to their identities, images, and reputations.
Pieces of the Pie
Our textbook defines identity as "the visual manifestation of the company's reality as conveyed through the organization's name, logo, motto, products, services, buildings, stationery, uniforms, and all other tangible pieces of evidence created by the organization and communicated to a variety of constituencies." I look no further than my company to see the benefits of an identity. Whether it is our big blue trucks hauling material down the interstate, high-quality material, or our newly instituted motto, "It's fast. It's easy. It's convenient. It's Marmon/Keystone." I have the utmost confidence we know what we are doing when it comes to identity.
The image we deliver is based off the identity. Our constituencies know who we are. They see the blue trucks and appreciate our quality material and friendly service. When I started a new position recently one of my objectives was to create a survey and gauge our customers' perception of the organization. The results delivered. Respondents gushed over the high level of customer service they receive and at the same time, were always happy with the quality of our material.
These factors go a long way towards shaping our reputation. Whenever a Lexus hums past me on 279, I may not be able to see inside the vehicle, but there is little doubt the cuff-link clad driver is surrounded by smooth leather and heated seats. To me, that is Lexus' reputation. My company's reputation is of good people, good material, and great service. That is why we were able to celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2007.
Staying Consistent
The image we deliver is based off the identity. Our constituencies know who we are. They see the blue trucks and appreciate our quality material and friendly service. When I started a new position recently one of my objectives was to create a survey and gauge our customers' perception of the organization. The results delivered. Respondents gushed over the high level of customer service they receive and at the same time, were always happy with the quality of our material.
These factors go a long way towards shaping our reputation. Whenever a Lexus hums past me on 279, I may not be able to see inside the vehicle, but there is little doubt the cuff-link clad driver is surrounded by smooth leather and heated seats. To me, that is Lexus' reputation. My company's reputation is of good people, good material, and great service. That is why we were able to celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2007.
Staying Consistent
A brand can only work if the organization works diligently in the background. As we saw in the Muzak case, the company's identity was stagnant. They were known for one thing: elevator music. It did not help that each franchisee was selling the brand under their own accord. There was no consistency to the brand. The company saw gains when a central focus was developed. FedEx noticed a shift in their constituents' perceptions. They adapted to this changing environment (thank you chapters 1 and 2!)and it made their customers happy.
To remain consistent, an organization must adhere to a number of steps. First they must conduct an identity audit. Who are they and what do their identities project? Many of us who decided to enroll in the EMBA program conducted somewhat of an identity audit. I know I asked myself "What do I want to become?" and "How will this next step help me in the future?"
The next step is to set identity objectives. The challenge in this step is for internal constituents to acknowledge what could be a lack of recognition outside the organization. Change happens from the inside out. The text's KFC example was pertinent. To adapt to health conscious consumers, the fried chicken outfit shortened their name to an acronym that projected a less unhealthy menu. Whether or not that is the case can be disputed, but from the outside looking in, a positive change had taken place.
KFC developed a new design and a new name for their brand. With years of success to fall back on, it was most likely hard for executives to launch this type of campaign. New signage and advertisements were required. It is at that point the organization needed a multitude of different viewpoints. Is this really where they wanted to go? Some may have had a closed mind but when an organization is inspired to change/improve, the majority of witnesses will voice their opinions.
Once a new brand has been decided upon, it is of utmost importance to communicate this launch to the audience. In this case, the first audience should be the organization's employees. As stated before, change must come from the inside out. If employees do not believe in the transition, how are they to sell a customer on the change? Other constituents will see right through the smoke and mirrors of a poorly conceived re-branding effort.
Implementing the new brand is not an in and out task. It can take months or years to successfully re-brand. Along the way, the new reputation must be measured and managed to ensure the original directives and concepts are being implemented correctly.
To remain consistent, an organization must adhere to a number of steps. First they must conduct an identity audit. Who are they and what do their identities project? Many of us who decided to enroll in the EMBA program conducted somewhat of an identity audit. I know I asked myself "What do I want to become?" and "How will this next step help me in the future?"
The next step is to set identity objectives. The challenge in this step is for internal constituents to acknowledge what could be a lack of recognition outside the organization. Change happens from the inside out. The text's KFC example was pertinent. To adapt to health conscious consumers, the fried chicken outfit shortened their name to an acronym that projected a less unhealthy menu. Whether or not that is the case can be disputed, but from the outside looking in, a positive change had taken place.
KFC developed a new design and a new name for their brand. With years of success to fall back on, it was most likely hard for executives to launch this type of campaign. New signage and advertisements were required. It is at that point the organization needed a multitude of different viewpoints. Is this really where they wanted to go? Some may have had a closed mind but when an organization is inspired to change/improve, the majority of witnesses will voice their opinions.
Once a new brand has been decided upon, it is of utmost importance to communicate this launch to the audience. In this case, the first audience should be the organization's employees. As stated before, change must come from the inside out. If employees do not believe in the transition, how are they to sell a customer on the change? Other constituents will see right through the smoke and mirrors of a poorly conceived re-branding effort.
Implementing the new brand is not an in and out task. It can take months or years to successfully re-brand. Along the way, the new reputation must be measured and managed to ensure the original directives and concepts are being implemented correctly.
A Lasting Image
The number of steel distribution centers in the United States is in the hundreds. Many carry like products, many more carry the exact same products. If it was not for Marmon/Keystone's consistent identity, image and reputation, I doubt 2007 would have seen us reach the $1 billion sales mark. I doubt even further that Berkshire-Hathaway would have acquired 60% of our parent company.
Here is a link to an article about the re-branding of Martha Stewart. Martha has been through some difficult times, and a new identity could suit her well.
Political opinions aside, one of our presidential candidates has recently re-branded:
Here is a link to an article about the re-branding of Martha Stewart. Martha has been through some difficult times, and a new identity could suit her well.
Political opinions aside, one of our presidential candidates has recently re-branded:
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