Creating an Enduring Brand: Strategy & Stakeholders Rule the Day
Last week, the Seattle Public Library got into a bit of a public bind about whether or not to rebrand the library system, create a new mission statement and launch an updated visual brand identity (including a new logo). I wasn’t part of the process (although I did complete the public survey they sent out, being a card carrying member of the library system), so I can’t comment on all that went down in their effort. But having worked on many different brand projects both internally as a brand leader and externally as a brand consultant, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to start up a conversation (and maybe share a few lessons along the way).
Keep Brand & Strategy Aligned
This a great example how brand and strategy are not two separate wheels that spin independently alongside each other. The library incident shows how brand and strategy are integrally tied together—working together to help an organization reach a destination in the hearts and minds of their target audience. Launched efforts that don’t align to business strategies not only leave us puzzled about their purpose, but quite simply won’t do the heavy lifting they need to do to move an organization forward. My guess is that the library is trying to figure out how to be relevant in today’s ever connected, just-in-time, prime-now world, where generations are growing up with less and less exposure to physical books. The solution they proposed, most notably the name change (from Seattle Public Library to Seattle Public Libraries) seems like the right multiple-choice answer to a different kind of question.
I always ask myself (and often my clients)—“what problem are we trying to solve here?” staying doggedly true to the equation at hand. That doesn’t mean that other opportunities arise in the process, we just need to be clear about what strategy addresses what problem. I was in a meeting a few months ago with an environmental graphics firm, who was looking to design some waypoints for a client’s new office. The firm was very interested in changing the company's logo to have it “pop more.” Anyone that knows me, knows I’m not opposed to “pop,” but changing a logo is far from a small undertaking for a company (think time and money) and the suggestion wasn’t grounded in a tangible business strategy. On top of that, the client expressed no issue with the current logo, either internally or externally and frankly most people embraced the existing logo. The suggestion to revise the logo was tied to a perception (the firm’s) around how the logo might play out in one business setting, ignoring the rest of the impact the change would have to the client and their business. Upon further evaluation of what problem we were trying to solve, as well as what benefit it actually derived for the client, the suggestion was thankfully squelched. Again, right answer to a different kind of question.
Right Voices at the Right Time
My take away from reading about it is the library project opened a public comment period, asking community members for their input, but maybe omitted some key voices, like donors and other pivotal stakeholders. Experience has helped me to authentically embrace the concept of a stakeholder group in this kind of work effort. This group isn’t a passive body that receives status reports—this is the decision-making entity that will inform the end product and carry it forward after I am long gone. It’s their brand—they need to be at the helm of critical decisions so they can own the results going forward. Even when I have my list, I always ask if there is anyone else we need to chat with or get input from. I’ve worked with companies where the most unexpected person has great influence over getting things across the finish line. Even someone who wouldn’t necessary show up as a stakeholder leader, but can sway the outcome needs to be incorporated into the effort upfront or the effort runs the risk of being doomed.
And what about organizations that bring in too many people for feedback that produces a “white out” effect and the project becomes immobilized? Are there really that many people making decisions around these things within an organization? The very first logo project I worked on—we sent the revised logo options out to a group of 30 deeply passionate people. Let’s just say the results had a lasting impact on me. Knowing the time and place for socializing an idea versus decision-making is key. Be clear about what you are asking, as well as what you are planning to do with the feedback. Are you really looking to change it or are you simply providing a heads-up so people feel included? Make your intentions known upfront. This is where the strategy again plays a central role—when asking for input, ground your work in the business strategy at hand, so your audience can provide their feedback within the right context. It sounds like there was more to the scope of the library rebranding effort, but people got hung up on the name and logo change (and subsequently the financial investment). Perhaps there was an opportunity to better educate the public around what they were trying to accomplish to better anchor the value of the work, reducing the emotional feedback (I like or I don’t like), to more productive and engaging insight. Remember, you need these people in the long run.
Making it Matter
I’ve spent a lot of time building brands internally, as well as externally. That means—I’ve had to be the one internally advocating for the work once all the consultants leave, assimilating the brand into the culture and operations of the organization and thus, represent the return for the organization. Did it help us get where we wanted to go? How does our target audience now think about us?
Brand strategy efforts are monumental for organizations—serving as a rallying cry for an organization and an opportunity to truly articulate your value proposition in the marketplace. And they should be enduring—not a fleeting moment in time or something to manufacture. They require a strong process, a strong leadership commitment, a lot of input and yes, a lot of communication. But even with all that, if they don't help move the needle for an organization, we need to ask ourselves, "right question, right answer?"