KNOW YOUR CHALLENGE

There are varying speeds and scopes for a rebrand. To keep it simple, I’ll use two scenarios (but there are many in between):

SCENARIO ONE: a full corporate identity change that comes into effect on a single launch day – this is the most challenging from an operations point of view.

SCENARIO TWO: a phased approach which may even include some transitional branding, with a land date for the rebrand to be completed some time in the future. This buys you more time to engage with stakeholders and plan your strategy and implementation.

Faced with scenario one, invariably it works out best to use a rebrand specialist, especially if the scope is global and speed is essential.

In scenario two, it can often work out best to adopt a combined approach, for example use a rebrand specialist at certain stages (develop your strategy or manage the implementation) as you will have more time to engage and train your employees to manage the rebrand.

THE BENEFITS OF OUTSOURCING

01 EXPERTISE: without doubt the main benefit is that you are buying expertise, a ready made experienced team which you can simply plug and play, meaning you can hit the ground running without impacting too much on your day-to-day operations. Often a specialist is placed within your organisation to manage the launch from within, helping with engagement.

02 SPEED: a rebrand is not a ‘business as usual scenario’ so whilst you may have a fantastic team of brand specialists, they all have their day jobs too. An outsourced team is ready to go and does not face a rebrand learning curve – they already know exactly what needs to be done and how to do it.

03 COST: despite the upfront cost, it can definitely be more cost-effective in the long term to use external resource, particularly for global rebrands. Firstly expertise means ‘getting it right first time’ and avoiding costly mistakes. Secondly, economies of scale can be achieved more readily, for example in the purchase of materials or logistics. Finally, by keeping your team focussed on their day jobs, there is no negative impact on your daily operations and bottom line.

04 GLOBAL REACH: drawing on an existing network means that your rebrand is fully scaleable, can reach all parts of the world and all suppliers are pre-qualified to guarantee quality. A centralised international team means that you don’t have to stay up until 1am to catch the morning call with your Project Managers in Singapore!

THE BENEFITS OF KEEPING IT IN-HOUSE

01 COST: for smaller scale rebrands it simply isn’t always cost-effective to buy in external support. Provided you get the right team together with the right mandate and a clear scope of work, then it can be managed quite easily from within.

02 STRUCTURE: a rebrand is a company-wide activity and requires engagement from every team – Legal, Finance, HR, Real Estate, IT etc. You know your company best – the structure, the teams, the personalities and should be able to mobilise the right team from within.

03 ENGAGEMENT: a rebrand is an opportunity to build relationships across all departments and functions. It can be used to break down silos and improve communication, helping to reset your company purpose or vision and reignite passion within your employees.

DON’T LEAVE IT TOO LATE

Many companies will often start out on the rebrand journey, with a view to managing the entire process in-house, mostly with cost in mind.

With increasing time pressure and a growing realisation of the complexity of the rebrand programme (how do you find a quality assured supplier in Bermuda?!), some resort to buying in expertise at a later stage. This last minute panic is not the ideal scenario for a strategic and cost-effective rebrand implementation.

With the benefit of experience, I am genuinely convinced that an early understanding that investment in some external expertise really can pay dividends in the longer term.

TIME TO RETHINK THE WORKPLACE

The workplace has to carve out a new niche and offer something more to attract and retain its occupants. With an expected fall in workplace properties, this is good reason for companies who are reconsidering their property portfolios, to divert any divestment cost savings into quality over quantity.

At GLIMMA we have delivered workplace design and branding for clients such as HSBC and Coca-Cola

ENGAGEMENT, COLLABORATION, PRODUCTIVITY

The post-COVID period represents an opportunity – to improve the places we work – but much more than this, to use the workplace to become a better employer, to increase engagement, collaboration and productivity.

Let’s consider five trends we are likely to see in workplace design in the post-COVID era and three reasons why you should continue to invest in the workplace.

01 HOME COMFORTS – MEETING OUR NEW EXPECTATION

Workplace design must be centred around human need and our expectations have surely changed over the past six months. We have become accustomed to our home comforts, breaking away from online meetings to make a coffee or take a break on our favourite sofa.

The harsh environment of ‘all work and no play’ with banks of desks and meeting rooms, without any creature comforts, will no longer suffice.

Think more hotel than office in terms of design – shared lobby-style spaces and soft seating areas which encourage casual engagement.

Sleep pods or mediation spaces are becoming more commonplace and are no longer confined to more forward-thinking companies such as Google. They’ve known for a long time that a 20-minute power nap can improve learning and memory, prevent stress, boost creativity and increase productivity.

Office design will be inspired by the home aesthetic to make it more appealing and comfortable.

02 PEOPLE WANT TO FEEL CONNECTED

With social distancing measures in place, there is a strong risk that office working could become a solitary experience. This goes against the ethos of why people often prefer a shared place of work over WFH.

Simply alternating existing desks will create barriers that are too wide, with an adverse effect on human connection. You may as well work from home!

Clever design can ensure that we can all work together safely – it’s all about flexibility. Modular furniture or the use of other agile elements, such as bookshelves or tables, can help to create distance in a more user-friendly and subtle way.

Individual items of furniture may become larger in scale with wider and deeper dimensions. Modular furniture will help to address the need to adapt the space more frequently to meet ever-changing needs.

'Workplace design must be centred around human need and our expectations have surely changed over the past six months. We have become accustomed to our home comforts, breaking away from online meetings to make a coffee or take a break on our favourite sofa.'

03 BRINGING THE GREAT OUTDOORS IN AND TAKING THE INDOORS OUT

With social distancing, companies need to make use of every bit of available space, including any outdoor locations.

That tired old courtyard that everyone used to ignore? This is now prime real estate! Not only does it offer fresh air where it’s more difficult for viruses to spread, but fresh air is proven to help with our mental state.

The outdoors will no longer be the realm of the smokers, furtively tucked away under a less-than-desirable makeshift shelter, but it will become an integrated part of our workplace design.

Equally, we’ll be bringing the outdoors inside by introducing more and more greenery to our internal spaces. This help with air quality, and it also creates a more sustainable vibe and generates a sense of well-being.

04 THE NEW OFFICE RAISON D’ETRE – COLLABORATION

Never has the need for human touch been more obvious. Many of us face a hybrid solution, with a combination of WFH and office working. Technology has proven that we can effectively work remotely in teams, so the office has to work harder than ever to prove its worth.

A Harvard Business Review report of 2019 cited that remote workers communicated nearly 80% less about their assignments that collocated team members did. It will be interesting to see if emerging research shows an improvement in this statistic since lockdown and the normalisation of remote working.

Collaborative space is what will make office working stand out from home working and help to pull people back.

It will no longer be about individual workstations or random hot desking, but rather project rooms where teams can come together in order to share their work.

Good design has the power to unleash information sharing and enable each individual to understand how their role fits into the bigger picture and contributes to project and company success.

05 FLEXIBILITY

We will need to address the more transient nature of the workplace through more flexible design. A wholesale return to work will not happen, rather there will be a phased return, with different shifts for different teams.

This reduces the attractiveness and cost-effectiveness of dedicated personal workstations that would only ever be used part of the time by any one individual. Instead, we will see a greater focus on agile environments that can serve multiple purposes.

Along with more collaborative spaces, there will be a need for more temporary structures that can be easily be moved and transported. Office design will be about the short to medium term, rather than the long term. Temporary screens, flexible partitions, agile furniture will all play their part in the office of the post-COVID future.

'Good design has the power to unleash information sharing and enable each individual to understand how their role fits into the bigger picture and contributes to project and company success.'

THREE REASONS WHY WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE WORKPLACE

FIRSTLY, HOW DO WE FIND BUDGET?

Of course, all of these changes come with a price. We can use savings in some areas to invest in quality over quantity.

  • Smaller property portfolios – there are considerable savings to be made through divestment, reduced fixed overheads and supply expenses.
  • Reduced direct costs – less commuting will also result in big cost savings for both employees and employers, with reduced car parking and travel expenses.

WHY SHOULD WE INVEST?

1.MENTAL HEALTH

Consider the cost of mental health. In the UK alone, it is estimated that the cost to business of poor mental health is a staggering £45 billion (Counting the Cost of Mental Health report, Feb 2020).

And with 38% of employees citing that they feel that lockdown has had a detrimental effect on their mental well-being (Working during lockdown: the impact of COVID-19 on productivity and wellbeing, Deloittes), we know that the workplace can help to support mental welfare and reduce these costs.

2. MENTORING

And what about mentoring and training?  It’s not quite so easy to learn from others online. We do not want to lose a generation of training due to lack of face to face time.

3. ECONOMIC IMPACT – ‘GHOST TOWNS’

The workplace is also an integral part of our cities’ eco-system. The economic impact of workers not coming into our cities is huge, with a domino effect on a whole host of suppliers, from sandwich bars to retailers.

The question is: can you afford to NOT invest in your workspaces?

NEXT UP – PREPARING YOUR WORKSPACE FOR THE NEW POST-COVID WORLD

We will show you five ways that you can quickly and cost-effectively adapt your workspaces for the post COVID world.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m just off to my sleep pod for a 20 minute power nap! ?

Initiating a creative brand project as a consequence of an M&A or a sudden ‘forced’ rebrand needs careful consideration, starting with establishing very clear objectives.

Revolution or Evolution: Navigating the Merger & Acquisition Landscape

Mention a merger or acquisition and what springs to mind? Most commonly, it’s the financial value of the business in question. An M&A decision is generally commercially driven: be it to gain market share, eliminate a competitor, take hold in a new market or diversify.

According to EY, M&A transactions are a fast-track way of achieving transformation. In their latest report, Global Capital Confidence Barometer (March 2020), they reveal that despite the COVID-19 crisis, more than 54% of CEOs still expect to actively pursue merger or acquisition activity this year, with stressed companies struggling to survive and confident investors ready to seize upon the opportunities.

The Role of ‘Brand’ in M&A

As finance teams pour over the accounts and sales projections to carefully assess past performance and future revenue potential, they often fail to grasp that the most valuable assets of many companies are the intangible components. They don’t sit on the balance sheet but do directly contribute to the bottom line. These elements comprise the often misunderstood and undervalued area of Brand.

A target company’s brand is often a critical factor in its attractiveness to management, shareholders and investors. But the brand is often overlooked or glossed over in M&A situations, as an awkward addendum to the financially led process. Initiating a creative brand project as a consequence of an M&A or a sudden ‘forced’ rebrand needs careful consideration, starting with establishing very clear objectives.

Ignore the brand at your risk! Perceived as something hard to put a finger on, it’s an asset to be embraced as a critical part of the M&A process. Managing it effectively and efficiently by those who understand all aspects during the transition, should not be underestimated.

'Initiating a creative brand project as a consequence of an M&A or a sudden ‘forced’ rebrand needs very careful consideration and this starts with establishing very clear M&A objectives.'

What Makes Up Your Brand?

There are tangible and intangible aspects to every brand. All tangible assets have to be identified, quantified and where possible, valued in detail. The most obvious assets are the physical and digital manifestations of your brand, expressed in any number of ways: signage, buildings, places, uniforms, stationery, vehicles, online and mobile presence, etc. All of these are reasonably easy to identify, quantify and value.

Then there are the intellectual aspects of your brand, which include: positioning (vision, values, purpose), brand identity (logo, fonts, colours, patterns, photography) and other creative assets (narrative, tone of voice, strapline, key communication messages). These are usually outlined and documented in brand guidelines, which describe and specify the details of all relevant brand touchpoints.

The intangible aspects are harder to pin down. For example, a brand’s reputation amongst its customers, suppliers and employees is the sum of all the emotional and perceived interactions that they have had with it, in the form of products, services and the organisation itself.

Beyond tangible assets lie the heartbeat of your brand—the intangible essence formed through emotional interactions. It's not just about logos; it's the narrative, reputation, and emotional resonance that define your brand's true worth.

Choosing the Right Rebrand Path

Decisions relating to a merger or acquisition can be very complex. What’s critical to remember is that a brand and business strategy are inseparable, with future success reliant upon selecting an appropriate model for managing the brand’s key M&A objectives.

Any board or executive team tasked with implementing a merger or acquisition has several options when it comes to managing the brand. These range from the most conservative – doing nothing, to the most radical – developing a completely new brand. Several alternative possibilities bridge the gap on the ‘evolutionary to revolutionary’ scale.

First, assess and analyse the existing equity of the two brands and decide if there are synergies and benefits to be enhanced in merging them. Or, could this change result in immediate or long-term damage to the business? For example, if an acquisition is a means of removing a key competitor from the market, then it would make little sense to keep that brand alive. However, if the company is being targeted precisely because its brand appeals to a new and desirable set of customers, it would seem self-defeating to lose that brand and the means for its customers to recognize its value.

'Decisions relating to a merger or acquisition can be very complex. What’s critical to remember is that a brand and business strategy are inseparable, with future success reliant upon selecting an appropriate model for managing the brand’s key M&A objectives.'
  1. Do Nothing – Business As Usual
    The most common model is where both parties have equally strong brands, which contain a high level of brand equity yet are very clearly differentiated. This approach is likely to be the least alarming to stakeholders, as very little has to change (at least to start with) and is unlikely to result in any additional brand-related expenditure, which also minimises the cost of the deal.On the other hand, whilst it may not require investment, the no-change approach may suggest that no synergies or savings can take place behind the scenes. This can lead adventurous stakeholders to question the benefit of the merger on the basis that they cannot see any economies of scale or efficiencies.
  2. Backing The Stronger Horse
    In this scenario, one brand disappears altogether, while the other remains more or less unchanged, although perhaps with some visible or less visible changes to the remaining brand. It has the advantage of setting a very clear course for the strategy and direction of the new business, which can unite stakeholders behind it.Inevitably though, it can force an unwelcome feeling of failure to stakeholders of the disappeared brand. This sense of disenfranchisement can be damaging to the new business, if not managed effectively.It’s not always inevitable that the bigger or more powerful brand survives. Sometimes, a thorough evaluation of the brands may establish that the smaller company’s brand is more desirable, even if its turnover is less. In those circumstances, the larger brand may be abandoned in favour of the smaller one.

Choosing to do nothing to your brand during M&As maintains both the equilibrium of equally strong brands and minimises initial changes (and costs). However, it may spark concerns about missed synergies and lead to questions about the merger's benefits.

  1. Best of Both
    Just as it sounds, this option is about creating a fusion of the two original brands. It may draw on the best aspects of the visual and creative assets of both parties. The results (which may not be entirely new) would convey a sense of moving forward together, utilising both respective brand’s strengths. This mutual sense of a shared endeavour, which all stakeholders can align with, instils a sense of shared value and respect.This approach is less risky than creating an entirely new brand. If done well, the results could be worth more than the sum of the original parts. A note of caution though, it could lead to a muddled sense of authenticity and narrative, which ultimately fails to connect or resonate with the target audience.
  2. Different in Kind
    This is the riskiest and most revolutionary of the possible routes, as it involves creating a completely new brand. It’s a high-stakes option, in which all of the existing brand equity in both parties is sacrificed in favour of creating an entirely new brand that customers don’t yet know or recognise.There’s every reason to feel fully motivated by this prospect, which needs positive energy and enthusiasm to sell its new message. It’s potentially a more expensive option though, as it involves developing a whole new brand identity and approach, which needs to be developed and detailed before rapidly rolling it out in the marketplace. Not all stakeholders will feel inclined to embrace such a dramatic change.
  1. Transitional Approach
    There are of course many variants within these broad scenarios. It’s possible to blend two approaches, such as evolving to a new brand more slowly over a fixed period.For example, some companies might decide to conduct “business as usual” for a while, to develop infrastructure, carry out research or plan other changes before adopting a “best of both” approach. The advantage of a phased or blended approach is that it allows for sufficient involvement by staff and other stakeholders with a vested interest in the new brand to help shape it.

Inspiring Employees

Engaging your employees within your existing and new business, whichever part of it they work in, is critical to aligning your practices with your vision. Each day, it’s they who deliver products and services to the customer and help create a positive relationship and experience.

From a purely financial perspective, HR costs make up a substantial piece of the pie and may even be the biggest cost in a service-driven business. It therefore makes sense that employees are engaged positively in the change and are consulted and included in key considerations.

To do this, they need clear roles and purpose within the change, they need to be ambassadors, equipped with the tools and knowledge to perform their roles in a way that supports the business. It’s natural to feel apprehensive about change, so being included in the process and being active in it helps develop confidence and leadership, which transmits to colleagues and others who experience the brand.

'Engaging your employees within your existing and new business, whichever part of it they work in, is critical to aligning your practices with your vision. Each day, it’s they who deliver products and services to the customer and help create a positive relationship and experience.'

Building Rebrand Success

Having the right management team involved during the earliest discussions regarding an M&A is vital to defining the path to success. Financial teams are important but so too are Brand and Marcomms specialists, in addition to Legal, HR and IT.

Planning an appropriate brand strategy requires thinking far beyond the transfer of ownership. How your customers and other stakeholders will perceive your new venture, needs careful consideration – so take time to consider the advantages, relevance and pitfalls of each approach.

Your current and future teams will ultimately make or break your plans, so including representatives early in the process to gauge and test your ideas could avoid future setbacks. Regular consultations during your engagement plan build-up will help the transition with a higher chance of success.

Find Out More

Our team of rebrand specialists is on hand to help with your rebrand, from strategy through to implementation. Contact us for an initial no-obligation chat.

How does your potential rebrand fuel growth, financial performance, and efficiency; ultimately positioning your company for long-term success in a dynamic market?

The Power of Brand Identity

Your brand is more than just a logo and tagline. It’s your reputation, your voice and your promise to customers. A strong brand identity can help you:

  • Build customer preference and loyalty
  • Stand out from the competition
  • Command premium prices
  • Attract and retain top talent

Evolution or Revolution? Choosing the Right Rebranding Approach

Not all rebrands are created equal. Some companies may only need a light refresh of their visual identity, while others may need a complete overhaul. The best approach for your company will depend on several factors, such as:

  • Your current brand perception: How is your brand seen by consumers? Are you outdated, premium, innovative, or something else? Understanding your existing image reveals the starting point for any reinvention.
  • Your competitive landscape: Are you battling for market share in a crowded space? Is your competition known for bold branding moves or conservative approaches? Analyzing your rivals’ brand strategies helps determine how to stand out.
  • Your target audience: Who are you trying to reach? Are they millennials seeking fresh experiences, or established professionals valuing tradition? Defining your ideal customers guides tailoring your brand approach to resonate with them.
  • Your business goals: How does your potential rebrand fuel growth, financial performance, and efficiency; ultimately positioning your company for long-term success in a dynamic market? Your goal should be to propel your company forward.

See part one in our series: Mergers & Acquisitions (Part 1): 5 Strategic Approaches to Branding to get a better understanding of which route is best for your business.

Your brand is important to how you’re company is perceived, but how it's managed – relative to your entire customer experience – is critically important.

6 Key Questions to Help Define Your Brand

Before you start rebranding, it’s important to take a step back and ask yourself some key questions:

  1. Offer and Positioning: What makes your company unique? What space can your brand authentically own?
  2. Marketplace Environment: Has your market changed? Do you need to stand out or accelerate growth?
  3. Competitor Landscape: Are you losing market share? Do you need to raise your standards?
  4. Customers and Experience: Is your brand perceived as outdated? What defines your customers of the future?
  5. Products and Services: Has your product offer evolved? Have you outgrown your initial mission?
  6. Culture and History: Does your brand no longer reflect who you are? Do you need to simplify your message?

Many management executives are too busy to properly manage a rebrand without expert help, with considerable day-to-day responsibilities leaving little space in their diaries. The financial cost implications of the rebrand will be their priority, so establish detailed cost parameters with their input.

Five Key Steps in Developing a Creative Brief

Once you have a clear understanding of your brand, you can start developing your creative brief. This document will provide your branding agency with all the information they need to create a new brand identity for your company. The five key steps in developing your creative brief are:

  1. Research and Discovery: Gather information about your company, your history, and your target audience.
  2. Clarify and Articulation: Define your brand personality, voice, and values.
  3. Position and Differentiation: What makes your brand unique?
  4. Creative Expression: Decide on what will make up your brand identity, including your logo, typography, colour palette, tone of voice, etc.
  5. Application and Extension: Create guidelines for how your brand will be used across all touchpoints, ensuring you achieve consistency and allow for agile brand governance going forward

Identifying Your Branded Assets

When you’re working with a branding agency, it’s important to provide them with a list of all your branded assets. This includes things like your logo, website, marketing materials, packaging, and uniforms.

With physical site surveys, online self-surveys and desktop research, these assets can be easily provided to your brand agency from the very start. It gives them a clear picture of the nature and extent of your brand touchpoints so that they can be more specific with what to quote for and subsequently create. This can save a lot of embarrassment and prevent having to request extra budget later on in the process.

Identifying every aspect of your current brand identity can be the most complex task of a rebrand. Due to the sheer volume and geographic reach of branded assets, many companies wisely choose a phased rollout. This allows for ongoing progress monitoring and fine-tuning. Fortunately, experienced brand implementation partners excel at orchestrating rebranding initiatives. Equipped with expertise in strategic planning, financial management, vendor relations, and reporting tools, they ensure timely, budget-conscious delivery of consistent, high-quality branded assets throughout the process.

Identifying every aspect of your current brand identity can be the most complex task of a rebrand.

Implementing Your New Brand

Once your new brand identity is created, it’s time to start implementing it. This can be a complex process, so it’s important to employ a brand implementation partner. A good brand implementation partner can help you:

  • Develop a brand roll-out plan
  • Train your employees on the new brand
  • Track and measure your brand results
  • Ensure your rebrand is being communicated consistently across all touchpoints

Your brand implementation partner should work with your designers and internal resources to remove the stress of detailed operational project management and ensure that all your brand touchpoint assets transition as planned. Both physical and digital elements need consideration – building signage, wayfinding, workplace environments, fleet, workwear, administration templates, marketing collateral and online resources all need appropriate solutions to help decentralised company resources manage the governance process with clear direction and autonomy.

Seamless connections between all stages are essential. From brand strategy to brand engineering and brand implementation, each phase requires specific talent, expertise and experience in strategic, analytical, and tactical skills.

'Seamless connections between all stages are essential. From brand strategy to brand engineering and brand implementation, each phase requires specific talent, expertise and experience in strategic, analytical, and tactical skills.'

Top 5 Takeaways for a Successful Post-M&A Rebrand

  1. Do your research: Make sure you understand why you need to rebrand and what you hope to achieve
  2. Get buy-in from your team: Everyone in your company should be on board with the new brand.
  3. Think long-term: Your new brand should be able to grow with your company.
  4. Keep it simple: The simplest ideas are often the best.
  5. Plan for implementation: Rebranding is not just about creating a new brand. It’s about implementing it across all touchpoints.

A successful rebrand can be a powerful tool for growth. By following these tips, you can ensure that your company emerges from the post-pandemic world stronger than ever.

Find out more

Our team of rebrand specialists is on hand to help with your post-M&A rebrand, from strategy through to implementation. Contact us for an initial no-obligation chat.

Step 1: Brand Audit and Mapping Your Rebranding Journey

The excitement of a new identity fades quickly when faced with the logistical labyrinth of brand implementation. Before diving headfirst into production, a thorough brand audit is essential. This critical first step acts as a roadmap, guiding you through the complexities of transitioning your brand from vision to reality.

Six key questions form the foundation of your audit:

  1. What Needs Rebranding?
    Catalogue every physical and digital touchpoint that embodies your brand, from stationery and signage to your website and social media presence. Leave no stone unturned – even minor details like employee lanyards and internal documents matter.
  2. Where are They Located?
    Understanding the geographical distribution of your branded assets is crucial for planning logistics and resource allocation. A global brand, for example, will require a different approach than a local one.
  3. Access and Legalities:
    Are there any physical or legal hurdles to accessing and rebranding certain items? Permits, regulations, or contractual obligations might complicate the process in specific locations.
  4. Quantity Counts:
    Knowing the precise number of items to be rebranded is essential for accurate budgeting and production planning. A precise inventory prevents costly overproduction or underestimation.
  5. Supplier Spotlight:
    Identifying the current suppliers of your branded assets allows you to leverage existing relationships or explore new partnerships for more efficient production and cost savings.
  6. Condition Check:
    A brand audit is the perfect opportunity to assess the state of your assets. Are they nearing the end of their lifespan? Could their replacement offer additional value or cost benefits?

Building Your Rebrand Team

For extensive rebranding projects, a dedicated team is vital. Assembling representatives from key departments like IT, HR, Legal, and Marketing ensures a holistic approach that considers every aspect of your business. This cross-functional collaboration fosters team bonding and knowledge sharing, especially during mergers and acquisitions.

Specialist Support

Consider partnering with a rebranding specialist company. They can provide valuable templates, data capture tools, and expertise to streamline the process and ensure efficient data collection.

Data Gathering Strategies

The best approach to data gathering depends on your resources and the nature of your assets. Technology can be your ally, utilizing self-surveys and AI to automate data collection for specific items.

Catalogue every physical and digital touchpoint that embodies your brand, from stationery and signage to your website and social media presence.

Desktop Audits

Leverage the knowledge of your on-the-ground teams. Equipping them with the right questionnaires and templates allows you to gather valuable data remotely with minimal disruption to their daily operations.

In today’s smartphone-driven world, capturing visual data is easier than ever. Encourage employees to snap pictures of branded assets and upload them directly to your server, creating a readily accessible visual library.

Site Surveys

For in-depth data and accuracy, on-site surveys are the gold standard. Although more expensive due to travel and manpower requirements, they are particularly recommended for flagship locations or areas lacking a dedicated on-site team. Consider combining a detailed site survey with other tasks to maximize efficiency and avoid repeat visits.

Rebrand Checklist

Keep track of all the elements requiring your attention with a comprehensive rebrand checklist. This could include:

  • Stationery (business cards, letterhead, envelopes, etc.)
  • HR/Legal documents (contracts, etc.)
  • Signage (interior and exterior)
  • Fleet vehicles
  • Wearables/uniforms
  • Office materials (memos, forms, invoices, etc.)
  • Marketing materials (print, trade booths, merchandise, etc.)
  • Digital assets (website, social media, intranet, etc.)
  • Product packaging
  • Presentation templates
  • IT systems

Building Your Brand Asset Database

The brand audit culminates in a central database housing all the information gathered. This visual snapshot of your entire brand landscape serves as the foundation for:

  • Accurate planning and cost estimation: Knowing what needs to be done and where allows for precise budgeting and resource allocation.

  • Ongoing brand management: The database becomes a valuable reference point for future brand decisions and ensures consistency across all touchpoints.

Budgeting and Cost Control

With a clear understanding of your assets and their locations, you can set realistic budgets for the rebranding process. The audit will also reveal cost-saving opportunities, such as revitalizing existing items or divesting outdated ones.

There are various approaches to managing a global rebrand budget. A central budget for program management combined with local budgets for regional items often proves the most effective balance.

Remember: While minimising costs is important, your rebrand is also an investment. Organizations like Brand Finance can help quantify the potential increase in brand value resulting from a successful implementation.

'There are various approaches to managing a global rebrand budget. A central budget for program management combined with local budgets for regional items often proves the most effective balance.'

Step 2: From Strategy to Seamless Brand Implementation

Now that you know what needs to be rebranded, it’s time to consider the sequence of your rebrand activity.

Detailed analysis of your brand landscape will provide a clear indication of which brand implementation strategy is best for you. Armed with these insights, you can decide:

  • Are you looking for a PR splash with a single launch date for all sites?
  • Are you rolling out your branding market by market, for example, starting in Europe and moving to Asia?
  • Do you wish to prioritise specific sites in each market – rebrand your flagship sites in various countries before moving to lower-priority sites?
  • Is your rebrand phased over several months or years, depending on operational or legal requirements?
  • Consider your stakeholders – do you need to inform a regulator first?

Often it is helpful to introduce your new brand internally before you launch it to customers. This improves engagement and allows employees to become familiar with your new brand.

Communication Planning for a Rebrand

A carefully considered communications plan must be created for both internal and external stakeholders. The order of play is important.

Beyond the operational team who are working on the rebrand, internal engagement can make or break your rebrand. For rebrand success, it’s vital to get all your employees onboard, understanding why you are rebranding, what your new brand purpose is and exactly what the benefits are to them, to the wider company and your customers.

Cultivating Buy-In for Lasting Success

Winning hearts and minds at every level is key. This is best achieved when it’s both bottom-up and top-down.

A rebrand is a strategic initiative – usually taken at the board level. Appointing high-level Brand ambassadors who take responsibility for their area of the business will have a hugely positive impact on your rollout.

A rebrand is not an everyday kind of activity. For this reason, your leadership team should be encouraged to make the most of the opportunity to create excitement and vision for the future.

  • Consider launching the rebrand internally first. This way employees will feel more engaged and comfortable with the change.
  • Celebrate success. This is not business as usual and it gives you the perfect opportunity to create a feel-good factor, particularly if you are merging two different organisations. There’s nothing like branded merchandise to make it feel real and generate excitement.
  • Work with HR on a mirroring scheme to help break down barriers. For example, legal works with legal, marketing works with marketing etc. to identify best practices.
  • Provide practical training. FAQs on how to answer the phone, how to update email signatures, and how to deal with customer queries.
  • Brand the workspace. This is the perfect opportunity to develop your employer brand and embed your brand purpose and value.

Beyond the operational team who are working on the rebrand, internal engagement can make or break your rebrand.

Creating a Sense of Unity

We’ve already established that it’s vital to draw upon the network of your on-the-ground teams from an operational point of view.

They possess the specific knowledge of their area of the business to help you both identify and then deliver your branding across your entire organisation.

Cross-functional and cross-border communication will help to smooth the rollout and promote a sense of unity.

Developing an External Launch Plan

A detailed communications plan for all external stakeholders is also vital – regulatory bodies, customers, suppliers and membership organisations. Consider:

  • Targeted direct mail
  • A big PR launch
  • Face-to-face meetings with key customers

Why Program Management Matters

To ensure consistency of your brand and quality control over your suppliers, you must have a single pivot point.

Programme management is a science- there’s good reason for there being so many tried and tested project management methodologies – from Waterfall to Agile to Critical Path.

The complexity of managing a global branding programme – suppliers, permits, materials, installers – is not to be underestimated.

A professional Project Management team will be the driving force for your rebrand and external resources can be a useful boost here.

Local Brand Implementation Success

Globalisation has made the world smaller and we all inhabit a much more international community.

Occasionally it’s possible to use a single supplier who ships items across the world and dispatches a team of installers to different locations.

Aside from the obvious cost, we find that local works best and we generally call upon the members of our international network to fulfill regional requirements.

Advantages of a Local Team

  • Shared culture and language
  • Well-connected and more resourceful in finding solutions
  • Working within the same time zone
  • Local knowledge – this is particularly important where permits are required
  • Speed of response – local teams can be on the scene quickly
  • No shipping cost
  • Reduced environmental impact.

'Programme management is a science- there’s good reason for there being so many tried and tested project management methodologies – from Waterfall to Agile to Critical Path.'

Step 3: Monitoring and Tracking

One of the key roles of your Project Management team will be tracking progress and reporting back.

There are many off-the-shelf software options for this, such as Workfront, Asana or monday.com, and these can usually be customised to suit your exact needs. For larger programmes, you may want to consider a bespoke system. Keep the long-term in mind – you are building up a powerful picture of your business that will set you in good stead for future developments.

How to Measure the Success of Your Brand Implementation?

It’s important to monitor your metrics so that you can recognise success:

  • Number of sites rebranded
  • Snag-free installations
  • Total number of employees or customers reached

When it comes to measuring the wider success of your rebrand programme, think about:

  • Brand recognition and awareness
  • Market share
  • Premium pricing

Tell Your Rebrand Story

If you are dealing with a global rebrand that is not confidential, the reporting can easily be used as part of your marketing efforts. A powerful social media campaign could be a demonstration of the Mexican wave that your rebrand has created across the globe.

Be sure to capture photos and videos so that you can successfully tell your brand story.

Statistics are also useful in marketing terms. Track key metrics such as:

  • The number of touchpoints rebranded
  • The quantity of vinyl or paint used
  • The average time to rebrand a site

'One of the greatest tools for a rebrand is often a Digital Asset Management (DAM). This is the perfect opportunity to bring all your branded items into a single system where they can be managed.'

The Importance of Digital Asset Management Systems

One of the greatest tools for a rebrand is often a Digital Asset Management (DAM). This is the perfect opportunity to bring all your branded items into a single system where they can be managed.

If you already have a DAM, then it’s a great opportunity to do some housekeeping and tidying.

Any data should be carefully stored and can be used for future planning or brand updates.

Top Five Tips for Successful Brand Implementation

  1. Know your approach and create an implementation plan that fits with your company’s strategic aims.
  2. Work with local teams and ‘subject matter’ experts to identify all your brand touchpoints.
  3. Plan your communication – both internally and externally.
  4. Centrally coordinate your rebrand efforts to ensure quality control and brand consistency. Deploy local teams to deliver your branded assets in each market.
  5. Celebrate your success and don’t lose all your good work – maintain the reporting from your Audits and Surveys into a central database. Ready for the next rebrand?

Stay tuned for part 5, where we’ll examine Brand Governance, taking a detailed look at the three key steps in protecting your brand throughout the merger and acquisition process.

Find Out More

Our team of rebrand specialists is on hand to help with your rebrand, from strategy through to implementation. Contact us for an initial no-obligation chat.

A robust Brand Governance approach is key to risk management, providing the framework to ensure that your brand continues to move forward and develop in the right way.

Discover the three key success factors:

  1. People
  2. Process
  3. Education

In part one of our series, we looked at Five Rebrand Strategies to help you define your joint brand goals. In part two we delved into the Creative Process of developing a new brand.

Part three covered Brand Engineering – a detailed look at the three key steps in preparing for your brand rollout. And part four examined the Brand Implementation process which sees the physical transformation take place.

From Brand Cop to Brand Steward

So much has already been written about the shift from ‘brand cop’ to ‘brand steward’ or ‘brand coach’ – a model that allows brands to be agile and responsive in today’s fast-moving environment.

For deeper insights, read Landor’s excellent article on the ‘Brand Community model’.

As far back as 2017 this new approach inspired our thinking – read how in this short article in Transform Magazine where we asked, “Does the new approach to brand governance impact on the practical implementation?”

Why This Shift?

  1. Brands are shaped by experience more than ever
  2. Detailed guidelines can become out of date as quickly as they are written
  3. There is so much user-generated content. Companies can no longer exert the same levels of control
  4. With lightning speed, anyone with access to the cut-and-paste function can easily publish branded content
  5. If you teach and inspire rather than tell, you achieve greater engagement
  6. It allows your brand to be more authentic, reflecting greater individuality whilst maintaining core brand values
  7. Cost savings by teams getting it right the first time

This is not to say that we are now amidst brand anarchy – far from it.

Litigation still exists but a good brand governance model will avert the need for legal recourse, protecting your brand identity and improving engagement.

So, it’s farewell ‘Central Command & Control’ and ‘Hello, Agility’.

'Litigation still exists but a good brand governance model will avert the need for legal recourse, protecting your brand identity and improving engagement.'

What Factors Make for Good Brand Governance?

When it comes to managing your brand, do you relate more to the ‘Brand Cop’ model but want to shift to the ‘Brand Coach’ model? Let’s look at what each entails:

Brand Cop Model: Tightening the Reins

  • Policing & Compliance: This model prioritises adherence to strict brand guidelines, often seen as restrictive by employees. Think legal contracts with rigid clauses, leaving little room for creative interpretation.
  • Micromanagement & Closed Channels: Brand cops control every aspect of brand usage, limiting employee autonomy and communication channels.
  • Manual Processes & Instruction: Everything gets done the ‘cop’s’ way, with cumbersome manual processes and prescriptive instructions.
  • Lack of Pride in Brand: This model often fails to foster brand pride among employees, leading to a disengaged workforce.

Brand Coach Model: Inspiring Champions and Unlocking Potential

  • Enabling & Coherence: The coach guides employees, offering frameworks and resources to interpret brand guidelines creatively.
  • Objectives & Open Access: Brand coaches set clear goals and empower employees to achieve them independently. Think open doors and transparent communication, allowing employees to contribute their diverse perspectives.
  • Automated & Inspirational: Technology simplifies workflows and automates routine tasks, freeing up employees’ time for innovation.
  • Shared Motivations & Monolithic Architecture: This model fosters a united purpose and sense of ownership among employees.

Brand coaches set clear goals and empower employees to achieve them independently. Think open doors and transparent communication, allowing employees to contribute their diverse perspectives.

Where to Start?

An audit of both companies involved in the merger or acquisition will help you to scope the size of your task. Unlike the implementation phase, this is not a physical audit of your branded assets, but of people and processes:

  • Who is responsible for the brand?
  • Is there a centralised or decentralised approach?
  • What are the approval processes?
  • Is there automation?
  • Is there a central system for capturing and creating content?

If each organisation has a different approach, then finding common ground is vital. Most organisations now follow the brand community model, with a much more nuanced approach to brand management.

As a result of the brand creative process, you will already have developed and set the ground rules for your brand identity and established the non-negotiable elements, for example, colour and font. This includes non-graphic positioning elements and statements – brand purpose, values etc. Use these as your way-markers for your brand’s onward journey.

Remember, successful M&A branding isn’t just about merging logos; it’s about uniting cultures and unleashing the combined energy of your powerhouse brands. With a pre-flight audit and the essential building blocks listed above, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a unified brand identity that resonates with the world. The following are three building blocks to creating a solid brand ecosystem within your organisation:

'Remember, successful M&A branding isn't just about merging logos; it's about uniting cultures and unleashing the combined energy of your powerhouse brands.'

01: People

Businesses and brands are driven by people, so it’s key to identify everyone involved in the management of both brands and to recognise any overlaps and differences in approach.

Start by plotting all stakeholders.

The brand is traditionally owned by the brand or marketing teams but in reality, the brand is embedded in every level of your organisation. Public relations teams and HR are also heavily invested.

Next, scope the decision-making structure and clarify roles and responsibilities. The merger may result in cost-saving streamlining and this must be managed sensitively.

In addition to employees, consider other stakeholders, such as external agencies and how they are managed.

'Businesses and brands are driven by people, so it’s key to identify everyone involved in the management of both brands, and to recognise any overlaps and differences in approach.'

02: Processes and Systems

Even if both companies have a similar approach to managing their brand, they will have different processes for brand management.

  • How is content created?
  • What is the approval process?
  • Who manages the communication?
  • What legacy systems or software is used?

Start by mapping the processes within each company, so that you can adopt the infrastructure that works best for the newly merged company. Or maybe build a new brand infrastructure that combines the best of both worlds.

Technology is the great enabler of brand ecosystems – there is no shortage of proprietary systems available.

Many larger organisations develop their own technology solution which encompasses:

  • Digital Asset Management (DAM) – logos, videos, artwork etc.
  • The automation of workflow
  • New asset creation
  • Templates
  • Approvals process
  • Portal for all guidelines
  • Showcase for best practice

As well as being more efficient, by harnessing technology to pull all of this into a single framework, you will offer a more user-friendly and accessible interface.

It will also help provide important data analytics so you can better understand how your brand is being deployed globally.

'Technology is the great enabler of brand ecosystems – there is no shortage of proprietory systems available.'

03: Education and Empowerment

Last but no means least, is the education and training of all your stakeholders. In the Brand Community model, this is more important than ever. Guidelines are purposely open to allow for interpretation by local markets. So, it’s vital to communicate your brand’s purpose clearly so that it is translated correctly.

You should aim to inspire and inform rather than instruct.

Communication pathways need to be established – starting with onboarding for all employees and then considering how brand is communicated to all employees. They are your brand ambassadors so it’s vital to continually engage with them, bottom up and top down.

User-generated content is increasingly important so equip your entire organisation with the tools they need to creatively and accurately represent your brand.

In addition to systems training for all those involved in brand management, think of brand education in its widest sense and how you can embed your brand into the organisation, for example through workplace branding.

Any measure that helps to build employee confidence in the new brand will help to migrate the transition to your new brand and improve motivation.

'Any measure that helps to build employee confidence in the new brand will help to migrate the transition to your new brand and improve motivation.'

Top Five Tips for Successful Brand Governance

  1. Embrace differences in a coherent way – a community approach will help your brand to reflect the diversity of your people, markets and cultures and keep it authentic
  2. Harness technology – it can support content creation and workflow to produce locally loved but globally compliant content
  3. Don’t lock your brand guidelines away – make them accessible
  4. Know the non-negotiables and create agility by inspiring and educating your people
  5. Remember to support and celebrate success

We hope this five-part series equipped you with the tools and knowledge to conquer your own M&A brand challenge. Translate our insights into action, stitch together a unified brand narrative, and unleash the full potential of your merged force. The world is watching – make your brand impact legendary.

Find Out More

Our team of rebrand specialists is on hand to help with your rebrand, from strategy through to implementation. Contact us for an initial no-obligation chat.

01 SUSTAINABILITY & COVID-19

COVID has clearly had a significant impact on the workplace. Organisations that didn’t have a remote working system in place have been forced to implement those systems rapidly.

In the not too distant future, the world will return to a new normality, but this won’t mean the end of specific systems that were set up during this time. Measures such as remote working have already contributed to a more sustainable workplace, from a reduction in energy and water consumption to reduced travel and a more balanced work life for employees.

Regulations have changed so much – from sanitisation to social distancing – that for some companies, it has become inefficient to pursue office operations. We know that office space will be scaled down and that workplace must become more appealing in order to attract the workforce back.

02 EVERYDAY SUSTAINABILITY

Small changes to everyday operations can have a significantly amplified effect within the workplace when it comes to creating a greener working environment, such as:

  • Accessible recycling points
  • Low flow toilets and water sources
  • Multiple-use water bottles
  • Go paperless
  • Open windows in preference to air conditioning
  • Turn down the thermometer
  • Introduce house plants
  • Switch off lighting when rooms are not in use

Current and potential employees (sustainability is high on the agenda of most Millennials) will notice the forward-thinking changes made, making it a more attractive place to work. In the longer term you will find that you’re able to engage better with your existing employees and secure new talent.

Many of these smaller initiatives revolve around human behaviour so think about introducing a monthly competition for employees to help set new habits.

'Small changes to everyday operations can have a significantly amplified effect within the workplace, when it comes to creating a greener working environment.'

03 HARNESSING TECHNOLOGY

Technology is used to enable communication, increase the efficiency of workforces around the world and can be utilised to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of your workspaces.

Systems such as Nest and Hive provide complete control over the temperature control in your premises; automatic lighting sensors prevent the waste of energy and collaboration technology has reduced the requirement for unnecessary travel for meetings.

Some types of software and technology are more costly than others but the long term benefits and savings make them worthy of investment. Technology of this kind has never been more accessible, and there has also never been a better time to consider incorporating them into your workplace strategy.

For longer term solutions, Facilities Managers are now looking at alternative sources of power.

04 BIOPHILIC DESIGN

Creating a sustainable workplace is about more than just reducing your consumption. In addition to a focus on conserving resources and reducing emissions, biophilic design is a proactive way to create a healthier workplace for everyone and inject a new lifeforce into your spaces.

By adorning offices with natural furnishings like plants and foliage, you’ll be taking steps to increase the amount of oxygen and quality of air in the atmosphere of your offices. Natural décor has also been proven to reduce stress and increase productivity.

Businesses have a genuine duty of care to their employees, and more organisations are taking a proactive approach in ensuring that their place of work is attractive and healthy.

The utilisation of biophilic design, along with other facilities like standing desks and hydration points, will significantly increase the attractiveness of the workplace, helping to draw back your employees and keep them well.

'Businesses have a genuine duty of care to their employees, and more organisations are taking a proactive approach in ensuring that their place of work is attractive and healthy.'

05 SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS

Eco-friendly design and sourcing is about using sustainable materials from environmentally friendly suppliers, as well as using innovative eco materials.

We pride ourselves on selecting materials from manufacturers that have long lifecycles and can be recycled and reused. When introducing workplace branding, we strive to use recyclable materials and often refurbish, rather than replace. Workstations can be easily upcycled, much in the same way that home furniture is.

Think durability and longevity when it comes to selecting your furniture:

  • Is it easy to repair?
  • Is the supplier eco friendly?
  • Can it be supplied locally?

If you do need to replace items, then recycle rather than send to landfill.

In terms of supply chain, consider the environmental credentials of your vendors- do they have credible sustainability goals and adhere to environmental standards? When sourcing items, aim to resource them locally wherever possible.

In addition to materials selection, interior design can also play an instrumental role, drawing on nature and incorporating outdoors spaces into office design. For example, we helped Arla Foods to actively display their environmental commitments in a comprehensive workplace branding programme at their head offices in Denmark and Sweden.

FIND OUT MORE

As one of your largest physical assets, the workplace, be it an office or an industrial site, offers one of the greatest opportunities to contribute to your company’s carbon neutral status.

If you are considering a change in your workplace format, then now is the time to incorporate sustainability into your workplace strategy, We’d be delighted to help with free advice to get you started.

Find out more about our work with clients such as HSBC, Coca-Cola, Nokia and Alitalia, to name a few.

01 INDECENT AIR TRAVEL

Back in 1986 US based Braniff Airlines, wanted to flaunt their brand-new, top of the range leather aeroplane seats to their customers, with the subtle and smooth tagline – ‘Fly in Leather’. The campaign was a hit with every market except their Spanish speaking customers, as ‘Fly in Leather’ can be translated to ‘Fly Naked’, something which Braniff Airlines certainly didn’t want to encourage

 

02 NOT WHAT IT SAY’S ON THE TIN

A breakdown in communication doesn’t always have to include poorly translated words, sometimes different cultures are misunderstood. Since they began operations in 1928, US baby food manufacturer, Gerber, has featured a delightful baby on their product labels. But when Gerber branched out to the African market, this label become quite the cause for concern. In African countries, labels depict images of what the consumer will find within the tin; therefore, it seemed as if Gerber was selling, quite literally, babies in a can. Needless to say, it was not an instant bestseller.

 

03 INK STAINS

Parker Pens’ expansion into Mexico was met with a significant amount of confusion. They thought it was a good idea to use their strapline globally to sell to the masses – it was simple and straightforward – ‘It won’t leak in your pocket and embarrass you’. Unfortunately for Parker Pens, it was translated into ‘It won’t leak into your pocket and make you pregnant’. So close, yet so far…

04 CAR CONFUSION

Even automobile giant Mercedes-Benz isn’t safe from a branding mishap in their history. When they announced themselves into the Chinese market with a new name, it wasn’t met with the desired reaction. Mercedes-Benz allocated themselves the name ‘Bensi’ for their Chinese operations which translates to ‘rush to die’. Needless to say, not many cars were sold until they underwent an extensive rebrand.

 

05 ZOMBIE PEPSI

Pepsi struck fear into the hearts of millions of Chinese customers when debuted a new slogan – ‘Pepsi Brings You Back to Life’. However, this didn’t quite translate correctly in Chinese, as Pepsi’s new campaign was headed with the phrase – ‘Pepsi Brings You Back from the Grave’, which is quite a bold, and ultimately false, claim.

 

06 A DISGRACED WOODPECKER

In the ‘90s, Panasonic wanted to unveil a web-ready PC to the masses in Japan. To give sales a boost, they secured the rights to beloved character Woody the Woodpecker and created a Woody theme for the PC’s, and an unfortunate name for the PC was born – Touch Woody: The Internet Pecker. This wasn’t even a breakdown in communication or translation, but simply evidence that context is everything and sometimes you may need some feedback before settling on a name!

As more companies pay attention to their branding efforts, there are significantly fewer marketing blunders. This is mainly attributed to employing experts that have a keen eye for potential communication, cultural and translation issues, as well as having more tools at your disposal to avoid any mistakes.

Businesses and industries have only benefitted from the ability to communicate with people from all walks of life, and for this, we celebrate International Translation Day.

If you’re looking for help with your branding or rebranding efforts – strategy, engineering or  implementation, our multi-cultural and multi-lingual team is here to help. We work globally but deliver locally to guide your business, and hopefully avoid any lost-in-translation mistakes!

Outside of an organization’s people, few other assets can make such a strong—or poor—impression than its fleet.

The Six Most Common Challenges Faced by All Fleet Managers

Over my career, I’ve been fortunate to be a part of many large fleet branding projects. Most of these projects involved the following elements:

  1. Hundreds to thousands of existing vehicles spread over a large geographic area
  2. The vehicles were currently branded/wrapped
  3. Vehicles were in use by day
  4. Vehicles were critical to operation—could not be out of service
  5. Aggressive timeline
  6. Budget constraints/limitations

Certainly, many other factors can come into play. Most of the large jobs I’ve experienced contained these six characteristics.

Whenever my team assesses a potential project, the first question we typically ask is the following: What is the deadline? Of course, that question is followed by a litany of others. The deadline dictates the timeline, and the timeline dictates the tasks.

Two of the biggest pitfalls are rarely discussed as openly as they should be:

  1. Age/type of graphics being removed
  2. Installation facilities

If the existing branding is old, or substandard, removal can easily be more time-consuming than subsequent installation. Ask any certified installer about removing old, inexpensive graphics. It can be next to impossible and can blow out a schedule ad infinitum.

'Whenever my team assesses a potential project, the first question we typically ask is the following: What is the deadline?'

Installation Facilities – What Questions Do I Need To Ask?

When examining installation facilities, many standard questions apply:

  • Is the space large enough?
  • Is it heated?
  • Air-conditioned?
  • Is there electricity?
  • Proper lighting?
  • Water? Is the environment dusty/dirty?
  • Bathrooms? Are there environmental restrictions?
  • Are special badges required?

You get the picture. The greatest of these concerns usually revolves around climate control. Most graphics cannot be installed above or below a certain temperature. Too cold and the adhesive won’t adhere. Too hot, and the vinyl stretches and becomes gummy.

Fleet Budget Management

The budget can be addressed through a variety of approaches.  Limiting the number of suppliers allows for economies of scale.  Specifying the proper materials, and optimizing the yield, is key.  Utilizing existing assets, such as garages or covered spaces, saves on-site or equipment rental.  Nearly every facet of the project can ultimately impact the budget.

 

Communication

While I’ve touched on some major issues, perhaps the most critical factor revolves around the age-old activity virtually every organization strives to improve: communication. Let’s assume for a moment you’re the Director of Brand for an organization with 4,200 trucks and vans spread about Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico. Your brand agency has worked with you and your team to perfect a suite of new designs that will be rolled out to your existing fleet.

You’ve made the wise choice to work with GLIMMA on your comprehensive project. GLIMMA has worked with you on specifications and has chosen the vendors. You, your team, GLIMMA, and the vendors have had numerous planning calls as the kickoff day draws closer. Everyone is ready. All of the planning, the creative juices, and the late nights will soon yield gorgeous new branding across your fleet.

However, when the fieldwork begins, so do the problems. Garage managers rebel, citing various maintenance conflicts. Drivers don’t deliver their vehicles on time and, when they do, they’ve not gotten their vehicles washed. The vendor’s installers complain that the garages are too cold, or don’t have enough lighting. The problems can go on and on.

Much of this can be prevented by strong communication, throughout your organization. Include the drivers of the vehicles. Include the garage managers. Include maintenance. No, they don’t have to be on every team call, but by including them, giving them a voice, and listening to their suggestions, they will help you during the project’s most crucial phase: execution.

Long-Term Fleet Brand Management

Finally, when the job is done, maintaining the graphics properly is the key to extending the life of the fleet’s branding.  There are simple steps that can be performed to optimize the life and vibrancy of fleet graphics.

Digital is transforming the way we work in fleet brand management. We often work with our clients on one-off fleet livery rebrands, but this soon turns into a longer-term partnership, as we equip them with the tools they need to keep a full grasp on the status and maintenance requirements of their fleet.

'We often work with our clients on one-off fleet livery rebrands, but this soon turns into a longer-term partnership, as we equip them with the tools they need to keep a full grasp on the status and maintenance requirements of their fleet.'

I’ve barely scratched the surface of the many facets of a fleet branding project. That noted, few things get me more excited than working with a client on a far-reaching, audacious project that others wouldn’t dare attempt.

There’s nothing quite so exhilarating than to stand before a team of capable people, look them in the eye and say, “We pulled this off!”

If you are considering a Fleet rebrand or refresh, or are looking for a longer-term Fleet branding management solution, then I’d be delighted to help with free advice to get you started.

Our team has global experience, working with clients such as FedEx, Verizon, AT&T, Heineken, C&A, DPD, Alitalia and Gate Gourmet, to name a few. Check out our Fleet Branding page to find out more.

01 AUTHENTICITY

This claimed the number one spot with a strong consensus that authenticity is critical to strong brands. What you stand for must truly reflect your brand values, your mission and your brand vision.

Brands are no longer broadcasting, but rather engaging in two-way conversations with their stakeholders.

Finding your ‘why’ and putting this at the heart of your marketing strategy will help you to build emotional connection with your customers. Gone are the days of empty slogans and unsubstantiated, unrealistic brand promises.

With digital natives representing an increasing percentage of our target audiences, there is an increasing expectation. There is no escape from real two-way engagement, which often takes place in the public domain. Online forums, social media, our ‘always-on’ culture – all these factors create an inevitable transparency.

Brands must develop an authentic brand promise that accurately reflects what they stand for, or they risk being held publicly accountable.

The most powerful brand purpose will represent a long-term commitment rather than a short-term tactic: it will go beyond commercial aspirations to also create societal benefit.

The internet is littered with examples of companies who have been questioned and held to account because of their over stretched promises, only to have to very quickly apologise, stand down and change tack.

The moral of the story – keep it honest!

'Brands must develop an authentic brand promise that accurately reflects what they stand for, or they risk being held publicly accountable.'

02 EMPLOYEE ADVOCACY

Simon Barrow introduced us to the concept of the Employer Brand way back in 1990, but never has the alignment between internal and external audiences been more important.

There must be a strong match between your brand and your internal company culture. Your people are your brand. It is they who directly represent you with your customers, so your brand journey really starts with them.

Listen and engage with employees at every stage of your brand positioning and development work to create a truly authentic brand purpose.

Every employee is your brand ambassador, so invest in your internal culture and ensure that each and every employee has been inducted into your brand purpose goals.

Not only will this help your authenticity to shine through, but it will also help you to attract the right talent, to reduce churn, to keep everyone motivated and to make your business thrive.

Embed brand purpose into every aspect of your employee communications, use Workplace branding to convey your brand spirit and encourage specific behaviours through reward and appraisal systems.

'There must be a strong match between your brand and your internal company culture. Your people are your brand. It is they who directly represent you with your customers, so your brand journey really starts with them.'

03 TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE – PEOPLE, PLANET, PROFIT

There has been a significant shift in the way we talk about sustainability. It used to be all about mitigating risk, then came greenwashing. But as we’ve seen, transparency and authenticity will soon unveil this undesirable and questionable tactic. Better to be authentic.

Over 25 years ago, John Elkington coined the phrase, Triple Bottom Line (TBL),representing a sustainability framework that examines a company’s social, environment, and economic impact. Increasingly there is a sense that only a company that produces a TBL is taking account of the full cost of doing business.

As businesses in pursuit of commercial profit and cost efficiencies, it’s not always easy to adopt a sustainable approach. Consumers understand this conflict – so don’t pretend that you have all the answers.

Take your customers on your sustainability journey with you as you gradually put in place measures to reduce your environmental impact.

The pressure to change is coming from the bottom up, as much as from the top down. Increasingly brands are driving the environmental agenda more than governments, even individuals (think Greta Thunberg) can be more powerful or vocal than macro government policies.

Wherever you stand in terms of environmental progress, it is time to take a stand. Your customers are not looking for perfection, but steps in the right direction.

Sustainability has come of age, Covid has shown that the cost of ignoring it is greater than the cost of dealing with it.

'There has been a significant shift in the way we talk about sustainability. It used to be all about mitigating risk, then came greenwashing. But as we’ve seen, transparency and authenticity will soon unveil this undesirable and questionable tactic. Better to be authentic.'

04 BRAND EXPERIENCE

It is widely accepted that the Covid pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of businesses right across the world. The pace of change in the merger of online and offline is unprecedented.

This is all driven by customer centricity. Data allows us to understand precisely what our customers want; technology enables us to deliver it. With the advent of companies such as Uber, Amazon and Netflix, speed and responsiveness are the new norm.

Customers must sit at the heart of your brand purpose, allowing them to make that all-important emotional connection with you. Our growing passion for personalisation stands as testament to the importance of personal connection.

Make sure that your brand purpose is evident at every stage of your customer journey.

 

05 DATA

 

Data is a significant driver in defining brand purpose – with so many statistics available, there is no longer any need to second guess what your customers want.

It’s not just about the hard statistics that we capture – our customers increasingly have a very public voice. Be it on forums or via social media, companies can use these qualitative insights to help them better understand what customers seek.

Artificial Intelligence, automation and robotics are helping businesses to improve awareness, engagement and loyalty.

Data should be at the heart of your brand strategy, helping you to define your purpose, your products and services and how you stay focussed on being relevant to your customers.

WHY INVEST IN YOUR BRAND PURPOSE?

According to Jim Stenghal Co. purpose-driven companies witness higher market share gains and grow on average three times faster than their competitors, all the while achieving higher employee and customer satisfaction.

Brand purpose is your biggest differentiator and brand drives choice. The question must surely be: can you afford to ignore it?

Many design agencies shy away from including signage in brand guidelines. There are simply too many scenarios and options which would make it a very costly exercise.

01: Design Development

Many design agencies shy away from including signage in brand guidelines. There are simply too many scenarios and options which would make it a very costly exercise.

Specific sign family standards are required; these are often best developed by a specialist, who understands the core brand but also knows how to interpret your brand identity and apply it across different formats.

If you are dealing with multiple locations, it is useful to create a sign hierarchy that starts with architectural signs, following the customer journey throughout, including entrances, car parks and interior branding, right down to cafes and toilets.

Interior signage can include workplace branding to create high-impact employee experiences.

Office design will be inspired by the home aesthetic to make it more appealing and comfortable, particularly now that so many of us have become accustomed to the home comforts of WFH!

'If you are dealing with multiple locations, it is useful to create a sign hierarchy that starts with architectural signs, following the customer journey throughout, including entrances, car parks and interior branding, right down to cafes and toilets.'

02: Sign Selection and Design

There are many different sign types:

  • Pylons
  • Totems
  • Monuments
  • Paint
  • Panels
  • Lightboxes
  • Individual (Channel Letters)
  • Flags/Plaques
  • Vinyl Window Graphics
  • Clear Window Graphics
  • Posters
  • Foam Letters
  • Floor Graphics

When choosing the best solution, consider:

  • Purpose – Navigational, Informational or Confirmational
  • Weather Conditions
  • Design
  • Product Availability Globally
  • Planning or Landlord Restrictions

We often use 3M’s Visual Attention Software to pinpoint the optimum location, size and design, helping to ensure the sign fits sympathetically within its surroundings.

Detailing helps to define exact requirements in terms of colour and materials, leading to a clear product specification.

Digital displays are increasingly prevalent, offering you the opportunity to regularly update and use interactive content.

'Detailing helps to define exact requirements in terms of colour and materials, leading to a clear product specification.'

03: Procurement

You are now ready to source your suppliers.

It is rarely desirable to manufacture centrally and ship signs around the world. Tempting as this may sound, because of the quality control and consistency it offers, it won’t offer you cost efficiency, nor will it stand up to environmental scrutiny.

In many cases, it is possible to retrofit signs and recycling should be encouraged.

By working with a specialist, you can tap into a network of accredited suppliers where the quality of product and standards of manufacture are guaranteed.

A single point of contact helps to keep you in control of your brand, and where specific materials or products may not be available, your team will have a firm grip on what constitutes an acceptable compromise or alternative.

For larger facilities, commission a pilot site to check the robustness of the solution, particularly if it is to be rolled out far and wide.

By working with a specialist, you can tap into a network of accredited suppliers where quality of product and standards of manufacture are guaranteed.

04: Permits And Site Access

Companies rarely own all their sites. Often, property is rented and each landlord and each country, will have a different set of regulations.

Restrictions include:

  • Location
  • Prominence – Tenant Hierarchy
  • Size, Style or Colour

A local project manager, well versed in dealing with variations in law, can more smoothly manage the permit process, dealing with landlords and planning permission on your behalf.  Once this information is fed into a central project management system, you can be confident that your global programme is on track in every market.

'Communication and collaboration between all stakeholders is key – architects, landlords, designers, manufacturers and installers. This will help to minimise onsite disruption and reduce downtime when it comes to installation.'

05: Site Surveys

The more thorough the site survey, the better the outcome. Accurate detailed measurements are key to successful implementation.

Work only with surveyors who are tried and tested, otherwise, you risk the expensive scenario of producing signs that are not fit for purpose, causing costly mistakes in terms of time, manufacture and installation.

Alternatively, use a proven self-survey tool and ensure that staff are well trained.

Bringing together all these partners will ensure that your designs are intuitive and that your signs clearly waymark a defined route for improved accessibility. And most importantly they will proudly showcase your brand.

Through the symphony of strategy, Brawley Crawford orchestrates success as GLIMMA's Commercial Manager, seamlessly blending international market insights, strategic acumen, and a harmonious fusion of personal passions.

A Visionary in Commercial Management

Brawley Crawford brings a wealth of experience from his tenure as a business development director with a leading research and advisory services firm. His strategic vision and deep understanding of the industry make him the perfect fit for the role of Commercial Manager at GLIMMA.

Bridging Continents: USA Market Expansion

In his new capacity, Brawley will collaborate with executives to develop and implement brand strategies throughout the United States. Beyond borders, he will forge connections with international partners in the UK, Europe, India, and Asia, facilitating the expansion of their client brands into the American market in his new role as commercial manager.

Beyond the Desk: The Many Notes of Brawley’s Life

Away from the world of commercial management, Brawley is not just about strategy and business. An avid outdoorsman, sports fan, and accomplished cellist, he brings a harmonious blend of passions to both his professional and personal life. A graduate of Wake Forest University with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, Brawley’s talents extend beyond the boardroom.

Married to Sterling Duke Crawford, the couple is set to celebrate their first anniversary, adding a personal note to Brawley’s multifaceted narrative. The symphony of his life is not just confined to strategic planning; it resonates through his love for the outdoors, sports, music, and the celebration of personal milestones.

In Brawley, GLIMMA has found not just a Commercial Manager but a visionary orchestrator of success. Stay tuned for more tales from our exceptional team as we continue to shape the future of brand experiences at GLIMMA.

meet kirsten Director New Business Development. picture of person wearing glasses

From Matchmaking to Brand Building:

Kirsten’s trajectory may seem varied, but her past as a matchmaker mirrors her current role at GLIMMA. Unlike the high-pressure sales environments of her past, matchmaking allowed her to develop crucial skills – listening, emotional intelligence, and above all, authenticity. At GLIMMA, we pride ourselves on this value, recognizing its pivotal role in building trust and long-lasting relationships in this new era of purpose.

'Authenticism is not just a brand value—it's the heartbeat of every enduring connection we craft at GLIMMA.'

Kirsten Donaldson
Director New Business Development

Navigating Borders: A Global Perspective on New Business Development

As a third-culture kid based in London, originally from Scotland but with roots in Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Singapore, Kirsten thrives on the ability to work without borders. Her role as New Business Director involves navigating time zones, catching up with the team in Bangkok in the morning, and diving into a USA pitch in the afternoon. It’s a dynamic, ever-evolving landscape that mirrors the rich cultural perspectives she brings to every project.

Beyond Business: The Creative Rhythms of Kirsten’s Life

Beyond her role in new business development, Kirsten is a creative soul. The arts hold a special place in her life, with a love for painting, drawing, and a penchant for listening to music from around the world. It’s this creative rhythm that enhances her ability to weave compelling narratives for brands.

In Kirsten, GLIMMA not only has a New Business Director but a conductor of authentic brand relationships. Stay tuned for more stories from our exceptional team as we continue shaping the future of brand experiences at GLIMMA.

A Sky-High Journey to Creative Lead

Adam’s journey into brand brilliance took flight during his 22-year tenure at Delta Air Lines, where he honed his skills in delivering exceptional brand experiences and driving design innovation. As the design lead for Delta’s global airport network, Adam crafted visual experiences covering more than 20 million square feet of airport terminals worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on iconic locations such as New York JFK, London Gatwick, and Salt Lake City.

Adam is an exceptional artist

New York State of Mind

Beyond the confines of brand experience, Adam is a seasoned fine artist whose early influence from galleries in New York City laid the foundation for his vibrant and exuberant artistic vision. Inspired by artists like Warhol and Haring, Adam’s pop surrealism seamlessly evolved into abstract expressionism. His unique artistic journey took a captivating turn as he delved into the world of commercial aviation, birthing the innovative Jet Drip Art.

"In the world of art and aviation, I've found the perfect canvas for crafting distinctive brand experiences—where creativity takes flight."

Adam Pinsley
Creative Lead

LIVE UNITED 60” X 48” PPG Aerospace Paint on Commercial Aircraft Aluminum

Beyond the Boardroom: Lacrosse, Coaching, and Creative Expansion

Away from the creative realm, Adam is a passionate lacrosse player and coach, dedicating 40 years to playing and 12 years to coaching. Competing at the masters level nationally and internationally with Team Israel Masters, Adam embodies the same dedication and strategic thinking on the field as he does in the consultancy world.

In Adam, GLIMMA not only has a Creative Lead but a maestro of brand experiences, blending the artistry of aviation with the strategic finesse of consultancy. Stay tuned for more stories from our exceptional team as we continue to shape the future of brand experiences at GLIMMA.

'We create brand experiences that are rich in quality, impact and emotion.'

We work collaboratively with the Brand Experience, Marketing, Corporate Real Estate, Facilities, and Airport Customer Service teams at Delta to design, produce, and install visual brand assets in all 275 airport destinations around the world delivering a comprehensive Airport Terminal Curb to Curb suite of visual brand solutions.

Delta Check-in

'We work collaboratively to design, produce and install visual brand assets in all 275 airport destinations around the world.'

Delta Air Lines branding was applied across 275 airport destinations

Premium brand experience

We manage an extensive range of brand assets for Delta globally and frequently complete on-site surveys, track completed projects and gather specific brand data to feed it into our brand asset database to help track Delta’s branding and in-market messaging for their teams.

Our design team interpret Delta brand guidelines to create consistently effective visual signage, wayfinding, and marketing communication assets across the entire customer travel journey and we are constantly innovating with the Delta teams adding new services to the solution portfolio, including vendor network management, technology services, fleet services and product specification, 

'We know how to land a brand globally.'

Marketing/advertising

EGD

Vehicle/fleet graphics