Brand Meshing
BRAND MESHING
Brand value is ultimately the most valuable intellectual property – taking years to realise, but one that can be destroyed in an inappropriate social media post.
A healthy brand evolves with society, its people and customer base. It also evolves as it takes onboard outside influences. Mergers and acquisitions can substantially affect brand and, if not handled well, can fragment it. Personally, I have seen a number of enterprising organisations swallowed by much larger behemoths eager to capture their entrepreneurial spark. Sadly, that spark often is extinguished under the weight of corporate structure and procedures. The qualities that were attractive for acquisition often do not thrive in a slower paced bureaucratic environment.
And while a healthy brand may attract customers to an organisation, the stickiness (Malcolm Gladwell defines this term well) that the organisation has with its customers often does not depend upon the generic brand, but upon the personal relationship that the customer has with individuals within that organisation. So, how do you reconcile the appealing and diverse traits of individuals (recognising diversity is key to a healthy organisation) with an overarching and more “vanilla” corporate brand?
I consider the key is recognise the brand values that the organisation has and let the personalities within thrive as long as they embody those values. Thus, an organisation has to live its values and reflect them in the way it treats its people and customers.
Further, professionalism as part of a brand and formalism are often confused. Professionalism to me includes the values of responsiveness, integrity, expertise and the ability to tailor your offerings to the customer needs. Formalism is a less personal and more generic approach taken when you do not know your customer – a temporary situation you would hope at most.
So, what can a larger organisation do when it onboards a new entity with what appears to be a differing personal brand to them? I consider that these steps can help the journey to mesh the brands.
Clearly articulate the current brand values of your organisation
Recognise the positive qualities of the new entity and what can be done to preserve them
Establish any no-go brand killers and communicate those. Be consistent throughout the organisation
Accept that as long as the organisation values are upheld, a tailored personal connection with customers is valuable and should not be interfered with.
What are your thoughts?