Brand as a Business Tool
Consider some of the world's great brands: Coca-Cola GE, Disney, Ford, IBM, and Microsoft. All powerful, vibrant properties that command a premium price -- primarily because these brands are recognized and aggressively managed as potent business tools. Their corporate leadership understands that a powerful corporate brand can weather crises more easily, slow market share erosion and rally employees. Powerful brands influence customer preference, strengthen the bottom line, and can even boost market valuation. Yet for many companies, the brand remains an uncultivated business asset.
Branding, very much a buzzword today, is often confused with "corporate identity" or "corporate image. " They actually have very different meanings:
Corporate identity refers to a company's name, logo, tagline -- its visual expression or its "look. "
Corporate image is the public's perception of a company, whether that perception is intended or not.
Corporate branding , by contrast, is a business process -- one that is planned, strategically-focused and integrated throughout the organization. Branding establishes the direction, leadership, clarity of purpose, inspiration and energy for a company's most important asset, its corporate brand.
Corporate Branding conveys the essence, character and purpose of a company and its products and services. It's the heart and soul of the brand from which all outward expressions emanate. When effectively managed and communicated, the Corporate Branding has tremendous power.
A brand becomes a Corporate Branding when it has been defined, directed and understood by all audiences.
Got Brand?
Wondering what your corporate brand is . . . exactly? If it hasn't been planned and isn't strategically-focused, it's what we call an accidental brand. On the other hand, if it has been effectively managed, it should convey the essence, character and purpose of your company and your products.
The corporate branding process affects all forms of communications, from advertising to public relations to product packaging. It is the intentional declaration of who you are, what you believe and why your customers should put their faith in your products.
It distinguishes you from your competitors. And most importantly, corporate branding is the promise that your company keeps to your customers, prospects, business partners, stockholders and employees. Investing in your brand is investing in your company's future.
Brand Impact
Through in-depth analysis of more than 800 Fortune 1000 companies, we've proven that corporate branding efforts have a significant, measurable impact on financial performance. A strong brand will enrich your bottom line and boost your stock value, as well as influence consumer preference.
The logic behind the impact of branding is simple: if consumers are more familiar with your brand, they are more likely to feel more favorable toward you and to purchase your products. This will have a positive impact on sales, earnings and cash flow. In much the same way, as investors become more familiar with your company, they are more likely to have a favorable perception of it. A stronger corporate brand image will positively impact your stock price by an average of 5 - 7 percent, depending on your industry. When managed properly, brand ROI can extend beyond this point.
Brand Momentum
Your brand also has significant internal value. A strong corporate brand generates and sustains momentum. When clearly articulated, a brand's position becomes a rallying cry for the troops and smoothes out rough spots during times of challenge and change. If everyone in your company understands your brand's promise and knows that he or she will be rewarded according to their personal commitment to the promise, company politics and issues of personal turf begin to disappear.
To maximize its effectiveness, your corporate brand must be understood by all key audiences: customers, prospects, business partners, regulators, analysts, the media, employees and all other groups that determine the viability of your company to do business. All corporate communications should work together to have a positive impact on familiarity and favorability.
We empower companies like yours to release the power of their corporate brands, and to leverage them to their full business potential.
Brand Power
Can your corporate brand's impact on business performance really be measured? You bet.
To succeed in today's increasingly competitive environment, you need superior brand intelligence. We'll arm you with the critical insight you need to build the optimal corporate brand strategy. And we'll show you how returns from a well-managed brand can be greater than those of any other business activity.
Our proprietary company Analysis, quantifies brand power in both a competitive and historical context. It identifies key opportunities for building your brand. It also identifies those competitors who are most threatening to your brand. It provides a whole new way of looking at the power of media.
Your corporate brand is a potentially powerful business asset. We'll help you maximize its value. |
