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Brand

June 12, 2014 —

Using Company Values to Build Engagement and a Meaningful Workplace

“People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou The goal of employee engagement is to drive employee attitudes, behavior, morality, and ethics in such a way as to improve their productivity, morale, satisfaction, and usefulness within the organization. However, many companies have struggled with converting their proclaimed values into compelling, work-changing experiences for their employees that reach through to their brand strategy.  Often, the problems have been that the values are typically...
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10 Reasons Why Business Should Banish the Word “Brand”

April 24, 2014 —

10 Reasons Why Business Should Banish the Word “Brand”

Our rather controversial thoughts on “Brand” 1. It is meaningless Ask five people in your company what the word “brand” means and you’ll get at least seven definitions. As such, the meaning of the word “brand” is completely diluted and lacking in concise meaning. That’s not helpful. 2. It confuses, defuses and abuses One person in your compnay uses the word “brand” and another person interprest it differently, and then everything goes haywire. That’s expensive. 3. It becomes a tyrant It becomes a mysterious entity with a mystical...
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The Power of Brands Doing Good

March 19, 2014 —

The Power of Brands Doing Good

One has to applaud how the Dove brand, under the guidance of Ogilvy & Mather, has become a vivid example of emotionally meaningful branding. They seized a fertile ground – women’s insecurity about their own bodies – and, rather than exploiting it as the industry typically does, set out to do something about it. In this brilliant film, Dove reveals two drawings by a forensic detective to each woman featured. The first is a drawing based on how the woman described herself to the detective. The second shows the drawing the detective drew of the woman, based on how another person described...
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Meaningful Workplace – Getting Employees to Respond Positively

March 4, 2014 —

Meaningful Workplace – Getting Employees to Respond Positively

Meaningful Workplaces are built by companies that aim to produce a more meaningful outcome from, and for, their people. To become meaningful, these companies adopt a new stance vis-à-vis their relationship with their employees. They strive to reduce the distance that’s been imposed through organization structures and prevailing attitudes. They seek stronger emotional connections up, down, and across their enterprise. They see their task as making their company fit for the future by making it fit for humans. They create a Meaningful Workplace master plan that defines their compelling reason...
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Love Your Critics

February 11, 2014 —

Love Your Critics

Nobody likes being criticized. This is one of the least productive of human traits, because few things are more effective than good criticism when it comes to changing our results or our ways. If you went to schools that gave out report cards, you’ll remember how few critical words it took from a teacher to alarm your parents. “Not focused in class” or “Tends to talk out of turn” were enough to get mom and dad engaged in a hurry. As adults, most of us get criticism from only a small handful of people: family, bosses, and spouses. Friends could be a great source of criticism, but the implicit...
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Going Beyond The Numbers of Employee Engagement

January 5, 2014 —

Going Beyond The Numbers of Employee Engagement

We were reminded about the sign Albert Einstein had hanging in his office: “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” We’re not here to say that the measurable dynamics of employee engagement don’t count. But we do believe that what really counts in employee engagement can’t really be counted. That’s because employees are inevitably driven by how they feel. There’s nothing strange in that; all rational thought and action is driven by emotions. So what drives how employees feel? More important, what...
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Every Brand Should Have A “Director Of Something Special”

October 23, 2013 —

Every Brand Should Have A “Director Of Something Special”

Random acts of kindness and generosity are a great way to acknowledge valuable customers and employees – and to create a meaningful buzz about your brand. Why not appoint someone in your company as the “Director of Something Special” and define their role as: “To create random moments of unexpected happiness for the staff and customers of our company”? Determine an appropriate budget, keeping in mind that the real value of the exercise will be in the gesture as much as the gift itself. Then let your “Director of Something Special” find people that deserve a special “thank you” from your...
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Data Analysts Detect Pattens – Smart Brands Create Patterns

July 29, 2013 —

Data Analysts Detect Pattens – Smart Brands Create Patterns

The new won’t come from looking at past patterns. It will come from bold brands that create new movements, behaviors, and patterns in our culture. I came across the following comment left by “Jon P” in response to a blog post that pondered the difference between puzzles and mysteries: “The solution to most marketing problems can only be found within the irrational fears, and colorful impulses of your ideal customers. Because those are the things that drive purchases. “But data collectors and data analysts aren’t comfortable with messy stuff like that. So they go on pretending that the...
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The Right Brand For A Transformation

July 23, 2013 —

The Right Brand For A Transformation

We’ve blogged here about something called integrated reporting, which would merge financial reporting (which public corporations are already required to do) with sustainability reporting (which only some companies do). What we’ve missed – until now – is the need to brand this transformation. Integrated reporting is a transformation for a whole bunch of interrelated reasons. First, financial reporting is mandatory and highly regulated. All big companies have full-time staffs of people to prepare the reports, and the big accounting firms around the world have armies of people to check them....
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Insensitive Use of Personal Data Can Seem Downright Creepy

July 10, 2013 —

Insensitive Use of Personal Data Can Seem Downright Creepy

Brands need to think carefully about how they leverage new levels of customer information when handing iPads to front-line service people. Using data and behavior-driven information, while a powerful way to forge connections, can easily go awry. I wasn’t too surprised when I read this in Michael Schrage’s HBR piece, “When digital marketing gets too creepy”. “The digital marketer who effectively runs Qantas Airlines’ highly regarded – and very successful – loyalty program has an unusual iPad problem. Flight attendants on Australia’s flagship carrier can now get up-to-the-minute data on...
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