The Critical Guiding Role of the Brand Council in Times of Corporate Change

By Alan Brew
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Branding appears on the corporate agenda at times of change.

Change can be incremental, made up of “little bets” – small acquisitions made in response to changing customer needs and buyer behavior, new technology, deregulation and market consolidation, and competitive threats until, eventually, the entire game has changed.

Other times, change is more dramatically abrupt, as with a transformational merger or acquisition that radically alters the scale and scope of a business overnight.

In either case, no matter how it arrives, change of this magnitude often leads to a fundamental reassessment of the corporate brand.

Overcoming the silo syndrome

Nothing captures the interest and attention of the whole company like a corporate rebranding.

A corporate brand is the oxygen that energizes the whole company. Every business, every department, every individual has a stake in it. The problem with rebranding initiatives is that large corporations most typically function in operational silos, particularly in large, decentralized enterprises.  In the silo game, information is power. Different departments fight for budget dollars, head count and control over direction. There is no real incentive to collaborate beyond their own narrow business objectives.

In smaller startups, organizational silos can be fatal to the company as infighting for resources consumes energy better spent on becoming successful – and silos may even destroy the company if left unchecked.

There are very few issues which require the participation of the whole company, and often no forum available in which people are able to participate.  This is where a Brand Council comes into its own.

Access this White Paper to learn

  • What a Brand Council is and more importantly, what it does
  • Why it is a critical part of any brand strategy and especially during times of change
  • How to build and maintain an empowered Brand Council