Seven Cs govern the company’s brand

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

A strong brand is a non tangible asset which is hard to appreciate. Most will agree that there is a clear connection between the strength in the brand and the successes of the company. But how do you get there? And what constitutes a strong brand? Let us try and unravel the idea.

Primarily it may be appropriate to define the meaning of a strong company brand. In principle it can be stated that a brand manifests an overall relation between the company and its different interested parties. This relation premeditates the products and services which the company offers.

If the target group is…

• A customer company, a strong brand can mean that one receives an order even though many other suppliers meet the actual specification and one can also charge a higher price.
• A stoke broker, a strong brand can result in a long term trust which would involve less sensitivity in replacements.
• A potential co worker,  a strong brand can give a feeling of security which is crucial when selecting a new workplace.
• Different types of authorities, a strong brand involves additional sources of trust at different types of incidents or crises.

What then, distinguishes a strong brand? How is it built? There are naturally no patent medicines. However there are a number of general foundation stones which are important to stick to. We call them the seven Cs and they are presented below.

Continuance

Some companies have had over 100 years to build their brand others have done it in much less time. The common success factor is called continuance, even though the time span may vary. It involves having the same message today as several years ago, and to stick to it in the future. Interested parties shall always recognise themselves. Every contact they have with the company shall strengthen the image they already have – and preferably in a positive way, naturally.

Continuance largest enemy is called ’internally led’. There are always forces that strive to change for the sake of changing; being ‘tired of’ the company’s established profile. In this case it is wise to change workplace rather than put effort into trying to fight the windmills. Continuance is and remains the strong brand’s main mark. However it is possible to change the content of a brand, but one should be aware that it takes a lot of time and must occur in a gradual process where all involved parties feel comfortable.

Consequence

Each day the company sends out different signals and messages to the surrounding world. This occurs thought a number of different channels. Then, the most important aspect is that all these messages breathe consequence. The receiver, irrespective of which target group he/she belongs to, shall receive the same message, irrespective of which channel it is delivered through. Each individual contact shall further strengthen the image that the interested party has of the company.

Problems may sometimes arise when the company’s many different communication consultants from different schools are involved. Everyone can do an excellent job within their area, however the measures can in some cases be counteractive as they fail in the coordination. The important main thread is missing. How does one profit when using the world’s best PR consultant and the world’s best advertisement agency, if their efforts are not in harmony? It’s about creating an effective network of specialists who are prepared to conform to the underlying purpose – to in solidarity and cooperation contribute to strengthening and increasing the value of the brand.

Concept

A concept gives a summary of what a company represents and what is unique about it. The notion derives from the advertisement industry but can doubtlessly be a leading light for all activities a company carries out within the area of communication. The concept describes in words and/or through images the company’s core, what truly constitutes it’s inner nature. The concept should clearly position the company in relation to competitors. Developing a concept can be a strenuous process because it requires insight and acceptance of its own forces and weaknesses.

Subsequently it is an important step in creating a common platform for all of the company’s communication efforts. With assistance from a solid and clear concept it is easier for all involved parties to achieve results. The concept therefore becomes the built-in guarantee for guaranteeing continuance and consequence. The concept is also the key to which all activities are measured by.

Creativity

No communication, regardless of channel will ever be effective if it lacks the ingredient most commonly referred to creativity. With creativity we mean the concept in its greatest sense; not awarding an ad with a prize.

Creativity can consist of different choices of media. It can be a well arranged customer seminar. It can be to not participate in a trade fair. It can be to sponsor an unexpected project. It can be an innovative way to communicate at a transaction. It can be a digital annual report. It can be to turn a crisis into a possibility. And, above all, it can be a combination of many of these.

In short, to constantly be creative when it comes to communicating an established brand results in a breath of fresh air into life. For both the sender and receiver. There can’t be anything more beneficial than to surprise with new angles, without for this sake losing out on continuancy, consequence or concept?

Channels

For a brand to become established and successful, communication is required in as many relevant channels as possible. Naturally, this means that the brand must be communicated in the same manner in all channels.

The choice of channel is important. Partly in order to optimise the economical investment but also because it steers the vision of the brand. Sponsorship is a typical example of this. When companies choose an object to sponsor is it often done through the CEO’s personal preferences, especially when sport is involved. In these cases a sponsorship can have negative effects. The choice of channel must be made in such a way that it offers opportunity to charge the brand. Using only one channel to showcase the brand (logo) can only been seen reasonable when the brand’s inner content is already known.

Clarification

A company with a clear vision, a clear business idea and well developed core values is not necessarily a successful company. The prerequisites are to have successfully explained the rules of the game to all the employees internally. This irrespective of whether the company is situated only in Sweden or has branches all over the world. Therefore it is necessary for extensive and continual efforts in maintaining the company’s culture. It is necessary that we live as we learn, especially all managers.

This is how you create a ’soul’ in a company. In a small company it may be one person’s lifetime achievement. However for a larger company, spreading and maintaining the culture is necessary on all levels, that there are sufficient ambassadors with the purpose of implementing the values of the company and that there is material that assists them in the most efficient manner. There is only one Ingvar Kamprad [founder of IKEA]! All external people meeting someone from the company – whether the representative is from the management, marketing, sales or service department, or whatever it may be – will be met with the same spirit. Such a spirit can only be created through extensive internally supported work.

Control

Finally possibly the dullest: In order to build, strengthen and maintain a brand, control is vital. This is not primarily about following the graphical guidelines; this is important in itself, however does not constitute a coherent brand. Practicing control is a question about seeing to that the communications activities are kept together, that there is a consequence in the tone and content, that the company is speaking the same language in all channels. In today’s global market the customer relations are boundless.

This of course puts demands on the company’s operation in many markets and in different industries. To apply ‘police operations’ in this way does not score any popularity points. It is just as much about praising and selecting the good examples as altering that which is outside of the guidelines. In companies with a strong culture these problems usually become self sanitised. When the goal is met, one can say that the brand has achieved strength of great magnitude. 

Which C do you begin with?

Concept is the first C you begin with. Without a stipulated concept the other Cs are quite pointless. Thus a concept does not automatically make the rest of the process into a self playing piano. Each C demands its specific and continuous pampering. And when one has succeeded with that a Q is achieved in the brand building – Quality!