Brand Identity and the CEO

This week I spent a few hours with a highly successful CEO discussing his brand identity questions and concerns. "What do the most successful brand initiatives have in common?" he asked. I shared an observation with him based on many years of having similar conversations and being involved in successful (and not so successful) branding programs.

There are a lot of reasons to embark on a major corporate branding program, but from the point of view of a CEO, most of them are simply not compelling. For many years I have watched marketers and design managers struggle to get large scale identity programs funded and supported by senior-most management. Even though there are clear breakdowns caused by the existing identity systems and designers believe they are presenting a clear, rational justification for investment?their attempts are rebuffed more often than accepted.

While designers think that because the expression of a brand is out of date or not working as hard as it should in a competitive context, it is obvious it should be changed. Sometimes there are clear business problems caused by poor brand architecture systems. Customer confusion, uncompetitive brand communications, and cost inefficiencies are painstakingly documented, and still senior management is left unimpressed. Of all the problems they have to solve for the entire organization, these opportunities just don't rank high enough.

So what compels them to invest in solving their brand problems? When a CEO perceives brand as tool to express his or her vision for the organization, they fully support it. When they understand that changing the identity program can be a vehicle for manifesting the organizational transformation they want, they hop on board the train. When the brand change becomes emblematic of the change THEY seek, we have a shot at creating a program that shifts the organization's culture as well as the market's perceptions.

Design (all design) is done to serve others. It is always about them, not us. The real customer/user of corporate brand programs is the CEO. Make your branding program serve his or her purpose, and you'll have the opportunity to fix all of your design problems at the same time.

To measure how strong your brand is copy and paste: (http://brandidentityguru.com/bightml/brandmasterpiece.html). Then click "Take the brand strength test". This is a short survey that measures the strength of any company's brand. It's a great tool to see where you are today.

Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru (http://www.brandidentityguru.com), a leading brand consulting and market research firm located in Easton, Massachusetts, USA, near Boston.

Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation. Over the course of his 15-year branding career, Scott White has worked in a wide variety of industries: high-tech, manufacturing, computer hardware and software, telecommunications, banking, restaurants, fashion, healthcare, Internet, retail, and service businesses, as well as numerous non-profit organizations.

Brand Identity Guru clients include: Sun Life Financial, Coca Cola, HP, Sun, Nordstrom, American Federal Mortgage, Simon (America's largest shopping mall manager) and many others, including numerous emerging growth companies.

Scott White is a very enthusiastic speaker and has the gift of being able to explain the principles of branding in a compelling and entertaining manner so that people at all levels can understand.

---

Google News Updated : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:08:13 GMT Reiser deal ultimately hinges on judge's OK - San Francisco Chronicle Washington Post Reiser deal ultimately hinges on judge's OK San Francisco Chronicle - 44 minutes ago (07-08) 17:14 PDT OAKLAND -- The defense can ask for a deal in a murder case like Hans Reiser's, and the prosecution can sign off on it, but it's the judge who has the final say. Reiser takes plea deal for lesser sentence San Jose Mercury News My interview with murderer Hans Reiser Salon San Diego Union Tribune - SiliconValley.com - The Associated Press - CNET News all 654 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:23:31 GMT Hunger for victory defines Obama - Financial Times BBC News Hunger for victory defines Obama Financial Times - 2 hours ago By Edward Luce in Washington When Democrats criticise John McCain, they first praise his honourable military record. When Republicans do the same to Barack Obama, many begin by conceding that he is an “attractive and talented candidate”. Video: AP Campaign Minute AssociatedPress McCain, Obama Trade Early Fire in TV Ads FOXNews ABC News - KVBC - The Associated Press - Newsweek all 2,342 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:54:07 GMT VMware Ousts CEO Diane Greene - BusinessWeek Boston Globe VMware Ousts CEO Diane Greene BusinessWeek - 1 hour ago by Aaron Ricadela VMware ended a long-running battle over its strategic direction on July 8, ousting co-founder and CEO Diane Greene and installing Microsoft veteran Paul Maritz in her place. EMC Replaces the Chief and Co-Founder of VMware, Silencing Talk of ... New York Times VMware CEO abruptly replaced SiliconValley.com Wall Street Journal - Forbes - MarketWatch - San Francisco Chronicle all 361 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:13:27 GMT McCain, Obama court Latino group - Los Angeles Times Voice of America McCain, Obama court Latino group Los Angeles Times - 2 hours ago Sen. John McCain addresses the League of United Latino American Citizens in Washington, DC. today. McCain plans to tell the Latino advocacy group that the nation must secure its borders "while respecting the dignity and rights of citizens and legal ... Candidates talk up Latino connections Boston Globe Candidates woo Hispanic group USA Today New York Daily News - Houston Chronicle - San Francisco Chronicle - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel all 500 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:56:13 GMT Iran test fires long and medium range missiles - Reuters Malaysia Star Iran test fires long and medium range missiles Reuters - 1 hour ago By Fredrik Dahl TEHRAN, July 9 (Reuters) - Iran has test fired nine long- and medium-range missiles, including one which it has previously said could reach Israel and US bases in the region, state media reported on Wednesday. Iran Test-Fires Missile Capable of Reaching Israel (Update1) Bloomberg Iran test-fires Shahab-3 long-range missile RIA Novosti BBC News - Monsters and Critics.com - International Herald Tribune - Jerusalem Post all 347 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:02:53 GMT Cheesesteaks, troops withdrawals and cigarettes that kill Iranians… - FOXNews Cheesesteaks, troops withdrawals and cigarettes that kill Iranians… FOXNews - 4 hours ago by Mosheh Oinounou PITTSBURGH, PA - Sen. McCain, joined by his wife Cindy, made a previously unannounced visit to the Primanti Brothers Restaurant and Bar, a famous Pittsburgh-area sandwich shop, Tuesday evening for a retail stop-turned media ... Caution: Can Iran cigarette jokes be dangerous to McCain's ... Los Angeles Times McCain jokes about killing Iranians with cigarettes Reuters The Associated Press - Washington Post - ABC News - Tribune Review all 156 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:11:13 GMT Cheney's staff censored EPA, ex-official alleges - Boston Globe Washington Post Cheney's staff censored EPA, ex-official alleges Boston Globe - 1 hour ago WASHINGTON - Members of Vice President Dick Cheney's staff censored congressional testimony by a top federal official on the health threats posed by global warming, a former official of the Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday. Cheney’s Office Said to Edit Draft Testimony on Warming New York Times White House in climate change "cover up" Reuters San Francisco Chronicle - USA Today - ABC News - Wall Street Journal all 564 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:36:02 GMT RSS Datafeeds Amazon Content

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Brand Identity Guru - Is Your Brand Vital?

The world is not waiting for you?or your product or... Read More

Living Your Brand on the Web - Part 1

OK, so you took the plunge and purchased your internet... Read More

Quality and Service - Yeah, Right!

One of the critical drivers of business success is having... Read More

Branding On The Web Is Like Mining For Fools Gold

I am sick and tired of marketing geeks touting the... Read More

Tips for Creating Brilliant Business Names

Imagine if Yahoo! had been named TheInternetDirectoy. Or StarBucks was... Read More

How A Crazy Branding Stunt Can Bring Results For Years

As a beginner, you would be forgiven for thinking that... Read More

Business Case Study Automotive Detailing Franchise Company

How do automotive detailing companies start? What makes them work... Read More

The Brand Called You

The best brands always try... Read More

Brand Boring or Brand Buzz?

I heard an advertisement on the radio the other day... Read More

You Bored Me at Hello - Top Three Strategies for Networking Your Brand

"You had me at hello," those famous words from the... Read More

Great Brands Depend On Attention To The Brand Architecture

Do you have the architecture in place to make sure... Read More

Eye On The Pie: Branding From an Investors P.O.V.

When building a business as a brand it's important to... Read More

When Search Engine Marketing and Trademarks Collide

In the world of marketing, branding issues are always an... Read More

Corporate Logo Design ? 6 Keys to Success

A corporate logo design should be highly instrumental in building... Read More

Getting Started in the Mail Order Business. How Much Does It Cost?

INTRODUCTION To get any business started successfully takes many ingredients.... Read More

How Much Is A Great Business Logo Really Worth?

A great logo can help a business project a positive... Read More

The Face of Your Business, Part I

When we initially started our businesses, we had to decide... Read More

Logo Files: Versions Of Your Logo That You Should Own

Your logo is the most important graphic element in which... Read More

Branding Yourself To Increased Profitability

Successful Realtors know the importance of branding their identities into... Read More

Why Should I do Business With You?

It's the question that is on the minds of all... Read More

The Keys to a Great Logo

Logo, graphic, icon, logotype, typogram, logoform, image?call it what you... Read More

Entrepreneur Speaks on Brand Extension in the Franchise Cleaning Business

On question I have been asked over and over again... Read More

Positioning and Branding - Brand Identity Guru

Where is your brand positioned in the marketplace? How is... Read More

A Lesson in Branding from Paris Hilton

I have never been a fan of Paris Hilton.I see... Read More

Brilliant Branding Builds Business

Branding is more than product recognition or a simple logo.... Read More