Brand Positioning is More Than a Tagline or a Logo

Every once in awhile, when we are retained to help an organization with its brand strategy, participants in the process are thinking that we will help them come up with a cool new logo, an amazing tagline or a memorable advertising campaign. While all of these are possible byproducts of the project, we primarily focus on helping organizations develop a more robust business model and unique value proposition. This may include embracing a new set of values too. While these will likely result in a new brand identity, messaging and marketing communication, they may also result in organization changes including culture changes. Additionally, they may result in new hiring criteria, performance objectives, customer service processes, employee training and products/services. Further, they will have implications for budgeting, including capital investments. The purpose of crafting a new brand strategy and positioning is to gain a competitive advantage that will decrease price sensitivity, allow the organization to charge a price premium and develop more loyal customers. This starts with the strategy but is then translated into a customer promise, which must be communicated and especially delivered upon. So brand strategy is just that, a strategy. But it must be translated not only to identity and communication, but also to tough decisions and real action. People who don't have this broader understanding of brand strategy formulation may be in for a shock when they retain a genuine brand strategist to help them with their brand strategy.