summary connective branding
DESCRIPTION
Includes a summary of the main findings of our book "Connective Branding"TRANSCRIPT
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster
A Special Report
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster i
Dear Madam, dear Sirs, We live in a demanding world – demanding because many of our fundamental beliefs are put to the test along with established pillars of both society and the economy. The recent financial crisis alone has wiped off a reported € 39 bn1 of the value of global brands. This makes it particularly important to check the validity of old habits and old paradigms so that we can break away from outdated patterns of brand theory, brand management and brand strategy and replace them with adequate tools that can respond to the forces that shape the future of branding. In our book, Connective Branding, we have attempted to analyse these forces and their impact on branding. We want to empower our readers to see new patterns emerge, draw relevant new connections and build successful brands in this new branding environment. Connective Branding also guides the reader through a step-by-step practical process which can be followed in sequence or used in a modular fashion. In more than 120 interviews with marketing practitioners, branding experts, and academics we have confirmed our hypotheses about the way branding is changing. We have researched and surveyed brands from across the globe in order to give the book sufficient cultural depth, incl. Aer Lingus, Aral, BMW, BP, Deutsche Bank, Ducati, Edun, Google, innocent drinks, Lacoste, LEGO Group, Manner, Maggi, Orange, Old Mutual, Rabobank, Sony, SOS Childrens Village, Siemens, Thomas Sabo, TED/United, TUI, UBS, Vauxhall, Wal-Mart, Wikimedia and many more. Hopefully this will entice you to read the entire book! Dr Claudia Fisher- Buttinger Dr Christine Vallaster [email protected] [email protected] For a free sample chapter or to buy a copy of the book please go to www.connective-branding.com. The book is also available in all major book stores around the world.
1 The Guardian, September 23 2008
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster ii
SPECIAL REPORT CONNECTIVE BRANDING
I. 5 Key Insights.............................................................. 1
II. Core Model .................................................................. 6
III. Process and Critical Success Factors ........................... 9
IV. Key Questions............................................................ 10
V. Selected Reviews....................................................... 11
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.1
I. CONNECTIVE BRANDING PROVIDES 5 KEY INSIGHTS
The current branding environment is shaped by a number of market forces that are
playing together to redefine the ground rules of branding:
• Control issues. Complex and global supply chains as well as increasing pressure
to outsource various parts of the supply chain reduce companies’ ability to control
all aspects of their business. This leaves companies in a position of increased risk
to make mistakes (not necessarily of the company itself but e.g. of less
experienced partners). Blaming mistakes on such partners no longer protects the
brand or reduces the negative impact (e.g. child labour used by contractors in
India, hazardous material used by manufacturing facilities in China).
• Megaphone Internet. The Internet acts like a giant megaphone into a “socially
networked” world, exposing and magnifying any irregularities related to business
conduct. It is no longer possible to retain information related to negative news
within a controlled group of stakeholders since the Internet actively defies
“censorship” and also has caused the blurring of boundaries between stakeholder
groups.
• Environment of Distrust. A never ending series of corporate scandals from Enron
to Parmalat, the current global financial crisis, the after-math of 9/11 and the
Bush government in the US all have contributed to the erosion of trust in (large)
companies and established authorities in the economy and society at large. This
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.2
results in increased scrutiny of company and brand activities, further amplifying
the vulnerability of brands.
• CSR Imperative. As the consumer has learned that their money is an effective
way to pressure companies into action, they are looking to companies to save our
world and our planet, not governments. Sustainability and ethical business
conduct are no longer PR gimmicks but need to be addressed as part of a holistic
business and brand strategy. Window-dressing and green-washing are easily
spotted and no longer tolerated as opportunistic means of getting attention or
seeking differentiation. The expectations of brands are high in general, but even
more so if a communications focus is placed on CSR related issues.
Based on this understanding of the current branding environment, we have identified
the following 5 key insights that make it necessary to break old patterns and adjust
brand strategy:
1. BACK TO BASICS: EARN YOUR TRUST
Brands – in particular large global brands - need to regain the trust of their key
audiences, foremost that of the employee and the customer. While large companies
and brands once were a pillar of consumer confidence, they are now viewed with
suspicion or even scorn.
Connective Branding explains how brands need to put programs in place that proof
to their key target audiences – including customers and employees – what their
values really are and why they are trustworthy (before they can do anything else).
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.3
2. LIVE THE BRAND SO THAT IT CAN RADIATE OUTWARDS
In traditional branding concepts brands are created primarily through an external
image built on advertising and other forms of one-way information disseminated in
main stream media. This used to work particularly well for product brands. However,
in today’s world a brand is delivered through every single point of interaction
between the brand and key stakeholders, including word-of-mouth communication,
the purchasing experience, the product itself and post-purchase interaction points. In
order to increase the consistency of stakeholder experience across these interaction
points, all employees have to live the brand. If all employees – not only those who
are directly customer facing, but literally all employees – embrace the values of the
brand and live them, every day and in everything they do – the brand can radiate
outwards. This also means that employee engagement has become a much more
important element of branding.
Connective Branding explains how to engage employees and systematically increase
consistency of interaction points in order to let the brand radiate outwards and
optimise stakeholder experience.
3. STRENGTHEN THE BRAND THROUGH INTERACTIVE RELATIONSHIPS
Traditional branding was based on a one-way, often manipulative communication
paradigm. With the proliferation of the Internet the long awaited shift in
communication power has finally happened – the consumer is now in control of
when, where, and how to interact with the brand. This necessitates a more engaging
communications paradigm and a whole range of new skills and competences.
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.4
Connective Branding explains how to create interactive relationships with all key
stakeholder audiences by recognising the new rules and requirements that embrace
the online world.
4. EXPAND THE ROLE AND AUDIENCE OF THE BRAND
Increased scrutiny by the market place, the blurring of stakeholder boundaries, the
shift of power caused by the Internet, and the move by some companies to place
their branding focus on the company instead of the product level, all put the entire
organisation into the limelight. As a result, the entire organisation and all its actions
are at the heart of the brand. This not only broadens the target audience of the
brand since it now has to address a number of “new” audiences ranging from special
interest groups to the financial community (i.e. it is no longer limited to customers),
but it also adds a number of new tasks and required skills to the list, including
driving the share price, increasing employee retention, build relationships with
distributors and retailers, and engaging NGOs.
Connective Branding explains how the role of the brand has expanded to include all
stakeholders and how to satisfy the resulting different, in some cases conflicting,
expectations and needs.
5. ADOPT A NETWORKED APPROACH TO BRAND MANAGEMENT
Traditionally, a brand manager was responsible for both creating and maintaining the
brand, with limited interaction with other departments and functions. However, the
necessity to deliver on the brand in every interaction point has made it paramount
for branding to become a shared concern of all internal functions and processes.
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.5
Branding can no longer be the sole responsibility of the marketing department but
needs to adopt a networked approach towards fulfilling the brand promise.
Connective Branding explains how such a networked approach can work by assigning
brand responsibilities to a number of different teams across the entire organisation,
thereby breaking down silos and properly anchoring the brand.
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.6
II. CORE MODEL
Connective Branding presents a framework that helps companies build and maintain
strong brands even in the current challenging environment.
In the core model of Connective Branding, the two key drivers of brand equity are
(i) Alignment of brand promise and actual brand experience
By identifying and eliminating misalignment between elements that define
the brand (e.g. brand principles, brand vision, brand architecture) and
elements that deliver the brand (e.g. brand metrics, enabling processes,
actual employee behaviour), the brand becomes more trustworthy, more
authentic and more credible.
(ii) Strength of emotional connection with all key stakeholders
By continuously finding meaningful ways to engage employees, customers,
and other stakeholders in a welcome, appealing dialogue, a brand can
effectively counter scepticism and build emotional connections with all key
stakeholders, and at the same time satisfy stakeholders’ heightened need
for information and create transparency.
The Connective Branding framework is designed to systematically build the twin
imperative of brand alignment and strength of emotional connection into the brand.
The core model is organised around four brand levers – brand strategy, brand
management, brand building through engagement and brand building through
alignment of processes and structures (see Graph 1 below).
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.7
Graph 1: Core Model of Connective Branding with 4 Levers
1. Brand Strategy
Connective brands have a clearly defined role that is consistent with the brand’s
mandate and power to act, they are built around a welcome and engaging brand
promise (or purpose), they have a clear brand vision that outlines the future strategic
direction, and they are aligned with business priorities and company culture.
2. Brand Management
Connective brands are owned by the CEO, represented by a C-level executive and
managed by a branding team that understands the new paradigms of stakeholder
engagement and networked collaboration. The branding team is empowered to work
with all relevant functions and departments to facilitate alignment of brand promise
and corporate actions. A system of actionable metrics provides regular feedback on
where to improve and where things are going well.
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.8
3. Brand Building through Engagement
Connective brands continuously find ways to engage employees in order to create
commitment and motivation to act in line with the brand promise; they also seek to
engage customers and other key stakeholders such that deep connections and
meaningful relationships are created. They also manage the complexities of
converging stakeholder groups.
4. Brand Building through Alignment
Connective brands are able to deliver on the brand promise to their stakeholders in
every touch point by continuously improving alignment of enabling processes and
structures with the brand promise and brand vision.
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.9
III. Process and Critical Success Factors Reflecting the brand promise in every single point of interaction between company or
brand and key stakeholders is a difficult task. We know from practical experience
that many companies are struggling with this issue. Therefore, Connective Branding
proposes a process of five simple steps that will increase alignment of brand promise
and actual brand experience over time.
The process is designed in a modular fashion, allowing companies to either work
through the entire sequence (rarely the case) or to focus on individual steps of
particular relevance to their competitive situation and business goals (much more
likely). For each step, the critical success factors are identified (see Graph 2 below)
and illustrated with a rich body of original case studies from around the globe.
In addition, a tool box with key questions is provided for each step, helping the
reader to find solutions for their particular business and brand issues.
Graph 2: Connective Branding Process – Step-by-Step and Modular
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.10
IV. SUMMARY AND KEY QUESTIONS
Connective Branding provides a model based on engagement and alignment that
helps companies adapting the brand strategy to the new branding environment.
After reading Connective Branding every brand strategist should be able to answer
the following questions
� How can I strengthen the brand? Where do I start? What are the critical
success factors? Who needs to be involved?
� How do I know if every part of the organisation lives the brand? How can I
make sure this is the case?
� How can I create a strong and relevant connection between the brand and
key stakeholders?
� How can I develop and expand the brand? How can I make sure it can
facilitate key business objectives?
� How do I best manage the brand? How do I cultivate and empower brand
enthusiasts in the organisation? How do I foster and leverage networked
collaboration?
� How can I address CSR as part of brand strategy?
� How can I strengthen or protect the brand in times of crisis and turmoil?
If you would like to discuss any of these issues and questions with us, we would be
delighted to work with you. Lemontree Brand Strategy is a young and dynamic
consulting firm with lots of ideas and expertise. Please do not hesitate to drop us a
line with feedback, questions, or ideas: [email protected]
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.11
V. SELECTED REVIEWS
“Fresh and fascinating with a host of in-depth best practice case studies. A must-
read for every brand strategist, Connective Branding demonstrates how to
accomplish the twin brand imperatives of brand engagement and brand alignment.”
David Aaker, Vice Chairman of Prophet, Author of Brand Portfolio Strategy
and Spanning Silos
Connective Branding presents a much broader view than traditional association-
based branding. Presenting a brand as a set of values that must radiate outward to
all stakeholders offers managers superb opportunities for enriching their brands. I
highly recommend this original book.
Bernd Schmitt, Author of Customer Experience Management and Big Think
Strategy
The foundations for brand building are changing radically. All the stakeholders of the
brand are connected at a global scale expecting brands to engage in a responsible,
transparent and customized dialogue with each of them. In this exciting book, Fisher-
Buttinger and Vallaster take the reader through a compelling journey of how brands
transform themselves in this new reality without loosing sense of who they are.
Majken Schultz, Copenhagen Business School, Co-Author of The Expressive
Organisation and Taking Brand Initiative
“Reading Connective Branding will change the way you approach brand building.
While Connective Branding does not claim to have all the answers (thank goodness -
I hate being patronised ), it will certainly get you musing on how best to improve
your brand strategy. If you are challenged by the principles raised here - what better
way than that to leave that comfort zone of always doing the same old thing? Brand
Management is Dead ..... Long Live Brand Management!”
Paul Harrison, Marketing Manager, General Motors
Special Report Connective Branding
© Dr Claudia Fisher – Buttinger & Dr Christine Vallaster p.12
The days when branding was a function somewhere in the marketing department are
over. Connective Branding explains in a systematic way the current and future
challenges of branding with a broad and thoroughly researched spectrum of real life
examples. After reading this book, you will not look at your brand the same way as
you did before.
Marco Meyrat, CMO, Hilti Corporation
It's refreshing to see the long-standing pillars of conventional branding tumble in
Fisher-Buttinger and Vallaster’s text. In Connective Branding we consider the new
rules for engaging stakeholders in the brand and for aligning brand promise with
actual brand experience.
Rob BonDurant, Vice President of Marketing and Communications,
Patagonia, Inc.
Today’s great companies must understand that their success depends on nurturing a
living brand that embodies company values at every level and through every
interaction. Sound tough? It is. But Connective Branding will show you how essential
it is for survival today, and how to successfully implement a living, strong brand in
your organization
Matt Gardan, Communications Manager, innocent drinks France