"What's the beef?"

“Rebranding your business?”

— Source: Growing Business Magazine, Mar. 2009

Comment:

Business owners and leaders are forever being bombarded by so called “branding specialists” intent on over-selling an ability to get skin-deep in helping define an organisation’s culture, personality, vision and values. Which, for the record, is not enough.

So called “specialists” can sometimes take the form of an advertising agency, looking to maximise on an opportunity (cough! cross-sell) but, based on recent experience, all too frequently end-up being too short-term focused. They can take the form of a PR agency who, whilst excellent at gaining coverage and getting your campaign message out there, are perhaps too ‘today’ focused. Lastly, the commissioned graphic design agency/agent, who is able to respond to what you may think you want but without questioning or identifying what it is that you actually need. Either way, each of the above present risks that are surely greater than the cost and rewards of bringing in the experts.

As a point of reference, these concerns are articulated in one of the many leadership thought-pieces on www.identityworks.com. Its author, senior corporate identity consultant Tony Spaeth, has a wealth of experience and insight gained from working with the best, across a vast range of disciplines. Any business leader would do well to bookmark the site and add it to their library of resources.

Corporate branding requires intelligence, the linking of both sides of the brain and an ability to think about the future and long-term objectives, ambitions and intentions of the client. Corporate brand strategy, market positioning should drive and oversee creative output — not vice versa. I’d put money on the examples of great corporate branding programmes referred to in GB magazine’s article to have surely involved a team of true specialists — from initial analysis and planning, executive and stakeholder engagement, management research, right through to design and implementation.

Paying a premium for top-level, expert support, advice and counsel — making the intangible tangible — can only ever be a well-justified cost.

Best photographs, or enhanced photographs, of buildings by starchitects that I have not seen in person and am not likely to any time soon:

“It’s a tie between the National Stadium by Herzog & de Meuron in Beijing, China, and the Nordpark Cable Railway stations by Zaha Hadid in Innsbruck, Austria. The H&D photo shows a building with cooler lighting, but the Hadid photo has a groovier roof.”

Pressure continues to mount on UK charities to innovate

Charities have pledged to crack down on face-to-face fundraisers who do not follow best practice after evidence of alleged lying, harassment, rudeness and law-breaking was found in a mystery shopping survey. — Source: Third Sector Magazine

With today’s publication of Intelligent Giving’s online report, ‘face-to-face fundraising’ is still the subject of increased focus and scrutiny. As a result, pressure continues to mount on UK charities to innovate and creatively communicate their message to the right audience using the most appropriate, effective and up-to-date marketing communication techniques.

Branding, whether corporate, institutional or public sector, is an economic, social and cultural phenomenon*. Adopted by the most successful charities, a powerful brand can use emotional appeal 
to raise profile, generate interest and, most importantly, increase income derived from both statutory 
and public donation.

*Wally Olins, On Brand