BRAND TRANSFORMATION

Transforming your brand and its presentation in the marketplace can lead to an abundance of positive commercial outcomes – more customer enquiries, stronger negotiating power in conversations, a stronger ability to attract ’talent’ based on ‘values,’ the ability to command higher margins and so much more. Brand exercises, both the process and the end-results, are tremendous morale boosters for everybody in the organisation.

The difference is a lot smaller than most people imagine, they are both exercises to help companies scale.

Marketing transformations are more about painstakingly picking which activities and markets to promote products, services or brands. Brand transformations are more about overhauling the presentation of existing activities.

Generally, brand transformations are for companies that know their customer, channels and want to communicate better, more authentically and develop more meaningful relationships. Marketing strategies are less about communication and more about activities, generally for companies that want to cast their net that bit wider commercially.

Whether it is a brand transformation or a marketing transformation, there is generally a considerable overlap with both approaches.

Great question. For us, brand transformations can only work if a company is crystal clear about what they stand for in the marketplace.

Whether it is described as their ‘Cause,’ ‘a Purpose Beyond Profit,’ ‘Reason D’Etre,’ etc. Getting this right is so important.

So generally, brand strategy exercises (or related activities) tend to be the best place to start.

As mentioned, if a company is crystal clear on the ‘Why’ and ‘How’ about what they do and can explain it easily to a customer, staff member or (even) a stranger. Then no…

However, most brands that tend to require transformation, can be a little all over the place on the above and require assistance in this area.

Great question… Generally, it’s a great morale booster for everybody to take part in these exercises – a win for all involved. And just engaging the team will carry favour for leaders.

However, those with the most skin in the game, should be given the biggest voice as they are the ones who have to live with whatever is decided. These include Founders, those in more senior positions, long-standing staff-members, etc.

No. The impact they can have on smaller companies is arguably even bigger.

There is no pre-defined length for how long a ‘brand transformation’ should take. The size of company, number of communications and depth of exercise all play a role in the length of time for any transformation. However, individual engagements really shouldn’t take any longer than a couple of weeks each.