Bite-sized Branding Episode 12 - Brand and Culture: Part 1

To truly create a brand it takes more then innovative design or merchandise, you need to the brand into the culture and actions of the team that represent the brand.

Grant identifies that two of the key elements to instilling a brand is the process and the value. A great team will wear your brand like a badge or at least this is the culture you should seek to create. Many brands do not have a onboarding system that imparts the history, traditions, values and the proposition for what the brand stands for. This instantly creates a fracture in the expectation for both leadership and the growing team. From sales to services and delivery according, it all needs to align with the vision of the business with passion for what you do.

When assembly your vision and mission, don’t just write a blank statement, focus on the doing words to identify the how, why and expectation. Turn it into something to live by. Get the whole teams buy in and you will find it will grow the brand exponentially.

People react the experience of a brand. How is that transitioned into the passion of the people in the brand? How is that then reflected in the experience of people outside the business? Every touchpoint your business has is a representation for that brand value and in turn forms how your brand is valued.

If it is not reflected throughout, customers become dissolutioned towards what the brand stands for. If you find that customers do not clearly grasp what your business does or they consistently under value your services, chances are you haven’t created a brand that doesn’t resonate with customers. The place to start is inside the business.

A great example of this you will find in sports team. Just think of your favourite football team, you cheer them on, you wear the shirt, the team focuses on the unified culture, you barrack behind them when that unification leads to victory and continue to give support when times are hard. Why is this? Because you believe tin the greater vision of the brand.

I had a friend who recently joined Atlassian who received a branded pack to welcome her to the team. It was well thought out with items that she could use at home. A mug, socks, sunglasses, notepad, and introductory onboarding guide. Though it seems nominal in grand scheme of things, it was instant integration into the team culture of Atlassian.

You know you’ve really hit the mark when that brand becomes synonymous with the everyday, like asking for a Kleenex when you need a tissue or Googling it when you want to conduct a web search. You brand have turned into an action bought into by more than just customers.

So, to bring this all home it is essential to integrate the process from building a team, finding the right people, instilling then with the vision and passion of the brand, roll it out consistently and assimilate your customers – this is how your brand will create a culture that will create raving fans both inside and out.