leading today, transforming tomorrow october 29, 2014 nathalie laidler-kylander nathalie...

Leading Today, Transforming Tomorrow

October 29, 2014

Nathalie Laidler-Kylanderwww.nonprofitbrandidea.com

Nathalie Laidler-Kylander - 2014

Agenda

Background and research What is a brand? Role of brand in nonprofit

organizations Paradigm shift Brand IDEA framework– Integrity– Democracy– Affinity


The journey behind the research…

Researching and working with nonprofit brands for more than a decade…– Started with HBS professor John Quelch looking at why nonprofit

brands had the highest trust based on Edelman PR report– Researched drivers of brand equity in int’l NGOs as my doctoral

thesis– Joined Hauser Institute at Harvard to work on research project

funded by Rockefeller Foundation looking at role of brand in nonprofit sector

– Co-authored SSIR article with Chris Stone.– Currently teach Management, Leadership and Decision making at

HKS as well as Strategic Management of Nonprofit Organizations


Research Parameters

Interviews with over 100 individuals in 70+ organizations– Nonprofit executives, communication directors,

consultants, academics and donors– Spectrum of organizations across sub-sectors, at different

points in their life-cycle and from different countries Deepened our understanding of the concepts outlined in the

2012 SSIR article on the Role of Brand in the Nonprofit Sector– Changed how we explained the IDEA framework– Clarified the relevance and applicability to all organizations– Guidelines and roadmaps


What is a BRAND?

“A name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one (organization’s) goods or services as distinct from others.”(AMA)

Intangible Asset A promise to deliver a specific set of features, benefits and

services (Philip Kotler) A psychological construct held in the minds of brand audiences

(perceptions) Soul or Essence Answers the question: “Who, what and why?”


What is a BRAND?

Brand identity = internal definition– Aspirational– Who we are, what we do and why it matters…– Anchored in mission and values

Brand image = external perception– How do reputation and brand image relate?– Positioning and differentiation

Everyone and everything has a brand !Nathalie Laidler-Kylander - 2014

What Role Does a Brand Play ?


For both for-profits and nonprofits• Simplifies decision making (shortcut)• Communicates and elicits responses / emotions• Creates trust and loyalty• Helps in the acquisition of resources – Financial, human, partnerships

For nonprofits• Embodiment and articulation of the mission • Drives organizational cohesion• Positions for clarity and collaboration

The Role of Brand Cycle


MISSION AND VALUES

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY

ROLE OF BRAND CYCLE

IDENTITY IMAGE

COHESION TRUSTCAPACITY IMPACT

The Brand Paradigm Shift

OLD NEW

Definition A logo Strategic Asset that embodies the mission and values

Goal Fundraising and PR Mission Impact

Positioning Competitive advantage Clarity and effective partnerships

Communications One-way projection of a specific image

Participative Engagement

Audiences Donors Internal and external stakeholders

Organizational home Marketing and communications

Executive team / board and all brand ambassadors

Requirements Money and expertise A brand management mindset


Integrity– Aligning brand with mission and values, and

aligning identity and image Democracy– Engaging stakeholders in articulating and

communicating the brand; building brand ambassadors

– Providing guidance rather than strict controls Affinity– Using brand to attract and add value to

partnerships in service of shared goals

Brand IDEA Framework


For-Profit versus Nonprofit Brands

For-ProfitRole of brand• Drive profitability by stimulating and

sustaining demand for a product or service (often at a premium)

• Create preference and loyalty with target customers

Brand management• Position for competitive advantage• Create emotional connections with

customers• Protect and control brand assets

NonprofitRole of brand• Implement mission by acquiring and

deploying resources

• Create trust and organizational cohesion

Brand management• Position for clarity and collaboration• Create brand ambassadors through

participative engagement• Provide guidelines and share brand

assets


Social media– Dialogue and engagement– “You would be crazy to try to control your brand”

Partnerships– Of all kinds are proliferating– Growing realization that one cannot achieve social

goals alone...

Drivers of Brand IDEA


Know who you are, what you do, and why it matters – Also know who you are not

Brand is aligned with mission, values and strategy; internal identity and external image are aligned– Connected to strategic planning process– Rebrand if confusion, or when perception and

organizational reality are misaligned

Brand Integrity


Process of participative engagement– Builds on internal branding– Achieve brand Integrity through brand Democracy

Empower brand ambassadors– Encourage people to share their stories– Provide templates and guidelines that can be used

and adapted– Share brand assets; avoid policing the brand

Brand Democracy


Identify and attract partners to work toward shared goals – Collective impact and capacity building

Share assets freely– Open-source platforms

Share credit generously, promote partners’ brands

Brand Affinity


What is your experience in creating brand Integrity?

IDENTITY How would YOU define your organization’s brand identity?

– Use the who, what, why to guide you How would other internal stakeholders define brand?IMAGE Who are you major brand audiences? List them out. How would each of these groups define your organization’s

brand?ANALYSIS What are the differences and similarities in your definitions?


What is your experience in creating brand Democracy?

Review list of brand audiences: How have you engaged internal audiences? How have you engaged external audiences? How might you increase participation in defining

and communicating the brand from these audiences?

How might you share your brand assets more broadly?


What Does it Mean to Implement brand Affinity?

• What is your theory of change?– Underlying values and assumptions

• What do you do well and where and for what do you need to engage partners?– Identify key partners

How can you create a sense of shared purpose and common mission? Exercise leadership!

How can you use your brand and brand assets to draw and support partners in achieving shared external goals and increasing impact


1. Embrace the paradigm shift2. Use research and reflection, participative

process3. Recognize alignment is ongoing endeavor4. Support brand ambassadors; share stories5. Let go of control and share brand assets6. Identify, attract and promote partners, working

toward shared goals7. Make brand management part of everyone’s

job!

Implementing Brand IDEA Framework


leading today, transforming tomorrow october 29, 2014 nathalie laidler-kylander nathalie...

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