Simplified branding. Whether you're a start-up or a seasoned entrepreneur, this step-by-step, brand-defining methodology guides you and your employee teams toward uncovering your brand's unique genetic code; your Dimensional Nucleic Assets®, from the inside out. Once defined, your business begins its transformation as it gets highly focused and infuses your brand DNA into your systems, leadership and culture, then through your promotional efforts. Brand DNA will help you establish a foundation for success by defining your distinguishing brand attributes: VALUES, STYLE, DIFFERENTIATORS, and STANDARDS upon which to create competitive advantage and build your authentic brand. It is the foundation that enables you to: • Cultivate a unified, inspired, and engaged employee culture that supports your brand 100% and shares common core values and performance standards • Create consistent brand experiences that win customers for life • Adapt your business strategy and set the rules for doing business • Establish the basis for brand awareness by leveraging your distinctive brand attributes through the behaviors of your employees • Create long term growth and sustainability for your business • Leverage your brand DNA attributes within your external marketing efforts, social media, and PR to create distinction and competitive advantage

BRAND DNA

Uncover Your Organization's Genetic Code for Competitive AdvantageBy Carol Chapman Suzanne Tulien

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Carol Chapman and Suzanne Tulien
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4502-2063-7

Contents

Foreword..........................................................................................................xvAcknowledgements..................................................................................................xixPreface...........................................................................................................xxiPart 1: Meg's World...............................................................................................1Introduction: Meet Meg............................................................................................3Chapter 1: My Brand is My Logo....................................................................................11Chapter 2: It's My Company; I Know Who I Am.......................................................................24Chapter 3: My Tagline is My Brand Promise.........................................................................37Chapter 4: Branding is Marketing..................................................................................48Chapter 5: My Customers Just Want the Best Price..................................................................65Chapter 7: My Brand Appeals to Everyone...........................................................................88Chapter 8: The Size of My Marketing Budget Determines My Brand's Success..........................................96Reader Exercises Part 2:..........................................................................................107Chapter 1 Exercise: Identify and Define Your Core Values and Style Attributes.....................................109Chapter 2 Exercise: Define Your Differentiators and Establish Standards for Your Brand............................122Chapter 3 Exercise: Discover Your Brand Platform and Declare Your Brand Promise...................................143Chapter 4 Exercise: Reassess Your Marketing Message...............................................................153Audit.............................................................................................................158Chapter 6 Exercise: Assess and Align Your Brand Behaviors to Your Values and Style Attributes.....................165Chapter 7 Exercise: Define Your Ideal Customer....................................................................170Chapter 8 Exercise: Leverage the Power of the Senses to Build Your Brand Experience...............................176Epilogue..........................................................................................................185Afterword.........................................................................................................187About the Authors.................................................................................................189Part 3: Branding Tools and Resources..............................................................................191Brand Terminology.................................................................................................193Brand Behavior Assessment.........................................................................................196Brand Elevation Resources.........................................................................................198Living Your Brand Activities......................................................................................200Endnotes..........................................................................................................205

Chapter One

My Brand is My Logo

Nothing seems more obvious to me than a product or service only becomes a brand when it is imbued with profound values that translate into fact and feeling that employees can project and customers can embrace. -Richard Branson, CEO Virgin Airways

THE CHALLENGE

As I stepped out of the frigid temperatures into the warm, toasty environment of the store, all my senses were at attention. I was fully immersed in the scent of aroma-rich espresso and pastries in the air and the soft sound of jazz music in the background. It was 7:30 am. I exhaled a deep breath and looked around to see a place full of people. Everyone seemed fully engrossed in their moments of enjoyment. I spied Meg in a corner, sitting in an overstuff ed couch. She looked up; a big grin from ear to ear emerged as she waved me over.

"Hi Carol," she said after she finished a gulp from her coffee and stood up to greet me with a firm handshake.

"Hello Meg!" I said and then set my computer bag on the rectangular coffee table while plunging into the soft overstuff ed chair next to Meg. "I just got off the phone with Suzanne. She's just around the corner," I reassured.

"Great! I can't thank you enough for agreeing to meet here before we begin today's Brand DNA session. I have a few things I need to share with you and Suzanne that involve some immediate decisions for the business. I couldn't think of a better place than this to grab some time before we start our session," Meg remarked in an appreciative tone.

"Absolutely! I guess that's why they call it the "third place" after home and office. You don't have to twist my arm to get me here," I replied.

"Me either. It's hard for me to pass up a Starbucks," said Meg.

"Well, now that you mention it, Starbucks is a wonderful example of what building a brand is all about!" I added. "Besides, the location is great. A quick walk under the viaduct and we're at BA Group's offices."

Meg shared a big grin, slapped her hand on her tote bag, and said, "I can't wait to show you what I have here. And what timing-there's Suzanne." She gestured her over with a warm welcome.

"Hello ladies! Brisk enough outside for you? Brrr, I need some coffee!" Suzanne said, setting her computer bag on the coffee table, ready to charge to the counter.

"Oh no, please; it's truly my treat! I insist. What would you both like?" Meg asked.

"Okay, you're on. How about a grande vanilla, soy chai latte?" Suzanne answered.

"I'll have a venti dry cappuccino with a touch of chocolate and cinnamon powder on top," I quickly added, almost too eagerly. Suzanne relaxed on the sofa next to Meg's spot. She and I conferred for a couple minutes regarding the Brand DNA session while Meg crossed over to the counter.

Meg was back in a flash. "Today's session will be a real pivotal point for Ecolog as it sparks the beginning of the defining moments of the future of your brand," I said.

"Well, I have to admit that my team and I have been in suspense for the last few weeks in anticipation of this session and what it will mean for our brand. We need to work on finding ways to market and sell more business, since we've lost some good customers recently and we're falling short of our revenue goals," she explained as she began to sift through her tote.

Immediately a red flag went up in my mind. "To clarify, Meg, today's session is not about exploring more ways to market or sell more business but rather to define the unique assets of the Ecolog brand," I explained.

"Oh, yes. I remember us talking about this session and the expected outcomes," she said as she pulled out a portfolio. Meg's face beamed with enthusiasm and eagerness. "Here we go! Tah dah!!" She placed and updated logo and business card design (Figure 1.1) on the table.

Suzanne and I looked at one another and then back to Meg, allowing her a bit more indulgence in the moment.

Meg bulldozed through, "I had two of my staff members, Kyla and Stefan, review the modifications and provide some input on the revisions before finalizing these. Aren't these cool? Oh and I have some great new ideas on my marketing brochure with a couple of new mock-ups that I want to show you today. Here they are! We have done a great job updating the information with a new exciting message about our brand and our products and services." Meg proudly displayed her new creative ideas. Her explosive energy bounced off the walls. "I'm so excited about this revised logo and the new brochure look and feel. I know this is the answer to get more business in the door. A fresh new look!"

"A quick question: how many times have you reworked your logo and changed the marketing message in your brochure since you started the business, Meg?" asked Suzanne innocently.

"Hmmm ..." As Meg reflected and rubbed her chin, Suzanne cast a quick glance my way, lifting her eyebrow. Meg responded, "Well, probably on average ... once, maybe twice a year. Umm ... four or five times total in the last three years? Why do you ask?"

Suzanne asked another question, "Why have you had to rework the logo and brochure so many times?"

Meg took a deep breath and said. "Well, they didn't seem to be working for us. And I've never been satisfied with the logo look and feel, so we've continued to tweak it ... because after all my logo is my brand!"

"Whoa," I said. "Your logo is your brand?"

"Meg," Suzanne asked, "What is the Ecolog brand? How do you define your brand?"

Meg thought for a minute and asked, "Is this a trick question?"

"Oh, no," said Suzanne.

"Well, my brand is what you see here in these materials, my logo mainly ... yes, isn't it?" asked Meg looking for approval.

Suzanne and I glanced yet again at one another and smiled.

I cleared my throat and replied, "Not exactly, Meg. Your logo is an important element of your brand that contributes in part to how others in the market perceive your brand. Your logo is merely a visual representation of the brand ... so that continues to beg the question: 'What is your brand?' That's the purpose of today's Brand DNA session. To help you clarify how you want to be perceived and what you stand for."

"The logo is only one element," Suzanne explained. "Your brand is much more than that. If you were to ask your customers what one or two words do you own in the minds of your market, what would they say?"

Meg pondered a few moments, "I think they would say pure and natural."

I asked, "Meg, how do you want them to define it; what do you want them to say?"

Meg sighed, "I want them to see us as simple and pure definitely, but other than that I'm not sure. I'm not really clear."

Suzanne responded, "This begs a further question that I want you to think carefully about. Do you think that because you are not clear this might be why you keep tweaking your logo and brochure?"

Meg's face turned beet red as she stumbled for words. She seemed a bit tense now. "I think you're trying to tell me something here, aren't you?"

"You've just admitted you are not clear on how you define your brand. And if you are not clear, how the heck do you expect your employees and customers to be clear on what the brand stands for?" Suzanne asked.

"Meg, can we take a step back for a moment? Would that be okay?" I asked.

"Sure," she replied.

"Thank you. In our last conversation we discussed some of the issues you were experiencing in the business, in particular inconsistencies in how your staff represent the brand and handle customers and service levels not meeting commitments you've made. Hence you've lost a few customers."

Meg flushed and put a hand to her forehead. "Oh yes. I do recall us talking about that."

Suzanne added, "Do you honestly think that further changes to the logo and brochure at this time will solve those issues?"

Meg thought about it for a moment and then replied. "I guess not. I know I need to work on the service issues, but how is defining my Brand DNA going to help me do that? The logo and brochure are the most tangible things I have right now. I'm falling short of my revenue goals to date. I know this may look like a knee-jerk reaction. But I guess I'm not getting to the root of the issue, am I?"

It was clear we had some further educating to do to help Meg understand that building her brand was much more than a marketing exercise.

Suzanne scanned the room and said to Meg, "Look around you. What do you sense about this place? When you think of Starbucks (lifting up the coffee cup with the logo clearly in view) what comes to mind?"

Meg looked carefully around and said, "I see a lot of people enjoying themselves, doing their thing. I see employees having fun in the process of doing their jobs. It shows on their faces and in their laughter and conversations with customers. People are inspired when they come here. The place is tantalizing to all the senses. I love the environment; it makes me feel ..." Meg stopped in mid-sentence. She looked at Suzanne and me with wide eyes and with her hand to her mouth mumbled, "I didn't say anything about the logo, did I?"

I shook my head, saying, "Nope! It is not about the logo or the brochure now, is it? You see the logo ... it leaves an impression in your mind, but in and of itself it doesn't create the sole connection you have to the brand. It is not the green, black, and white colors in the logo with an illustration of a sea witch that keeps you coming back into this establishment, is it? Of course not! It's the experience you have when you come to Starbucks that creates the emotional connection that you bond with. The logo merely represents that emotive feeling and helps you to identify where you can get that connection, but that's all. Starbucks is much more than its logo. The Ecolog brand is much more than its logo."

Suzanne added, "So how do you expect your logo and brochure in and of itself to address the service issues with your staff and to create the connection you want your customers to have with the Ecolog brand?"

Meg was in deep thought, taking it all in.

Suzanne continued, "It's the experience that your customers have that creates the connection to your brand. It's the unique style in which you present the brand. It's the behaviors and way you do business, the values your brand stands for, and how your customers perceive you relative to those values. That's why you need to work on the foundational components of the brand. Defining your Brand DNA through our step-by step process will establish and guide the experience you want to deliver for your customers and for your employees as well. It will help you address the service issues and how employees represent your brand."

"The definition of your Brand DNA is the missing piece your brand has been lacking since you started the business," I said. "Don't get me wrong-you've done well so far, but you can take this business a lot farther. However, you keep spinning your wheels by refining your logo and brochure when what you need to think about is putting a stake in the ground. You need to get crystal clear on what the Ecolog brand stands for, how you want to show up, how you want your customers to feel, and what you want to own in the minds of your customers."

Suzanne leaned closer toward Meg and added, "The Brand DNA session takes you and your team through a discovery process of the four critical components that distinguish you from others in the market ... your values, your style, your standards, and your differentiators, all of which set you apart, and which no one else does better than the Ecolog brand!"

"Exactly," I said. "And from these components you and your team will extract and develop your Brand Platform and Promise, all of which set the guiding rules for doing business. Why do think Starbucks is so successful? Is it because of the pretty green and black sea witch?" I pointed at the logo on the coffee cup.

"No, definitely not!" said Meg.

I added, "Ahh ... we're making some progress. It's because Starbucks has defined the critical elements of their brand attributes, and they deliver on these elements, day in and day out."

"One cup at a time," Suzanne added. "Starbucks can't deliver the way they do without communicating the values upon which the brand was created. It can't deliver without creating the systems and processes and cultivating the culture that supports their values. And neither can a lot of other highly successful brands like Disney, Nordstrom, Ritz Carlton, Southwest Airlines, Virgin, Harley-Davidson, GE, Johnson & Johnson, and Bath & Body Works. Need we go on?"

Meg sighed and sunk back into her cushioned seat. "Wow! I have a lot to learn from the two of you. Where has my head been? This seems like the most obvious thing now, but I couldn't see it before. It's going to take some work to retrain my brain in how I think about my brand and where I focus my time, energy, and money."

I put my hand on Meg's shoulder and said, "Relax! Do you think you're the first entrepreneur who has gotten caught up in the trap of believing your logo is your brand and that's what branding is all about?"

Meg smiled and said, "I can see now how my brand is so much more than the logo but rather is the attributes that define our DNA."

Suzanne reinforced, "And that's why you and your team need to create the foundation that guides the experience you want to create by defining the details of Ecolog's Brand DNA."

"So the DNA will help guide me in my efforts like Starbucks has done?" asked Meg.

"Absolutely! It will lay the foundation for creating the road map to elevate your brand. Once we get through the next two days of the Brand DNA session you will be clear on what your brand stands for and have a much better foundation for elevating the brand. So do you see how it would be highly beneficial for you and your team to work on the foundational components of your brand before you redesign the logo and create any new messages?"

"Yes," Meg said.

"All right then; are you ready to get started?" asked Suzanne.

Meg replied with a definitive, "Yes!"

"Okay, let's head to the office," I said.

Meg, Suzanne, and I entered the meeting room just outside the reception lobby of the floor that held the Brand Ascension Group offices. My assistant, Sharon, had everything ready to go: digital light projector, laptop, screen, workbooks, and refreshments for the three of us and the five people who already sat casually around the large conference room table. Our invitees to this critical session were Meg's team of three: her office manager, Kyla; her East Coast sales rep, Sadie; and her West Coast sales rep, Stefan. All had been hired within the past eighteen months. Leeza, a close friend of Meg's and an avid supporter of the brand, and Ty, a former colleague, were on hand, too. We all made our introductions and the session began.

We started with an experiential ice breaker: Who's on Your Team. This exercise helps the team understand that one of the key elements to building a successful brand involves trust within the team. Trust is the foundation of every successful relationship. It is one person to another. It starts with getting to know who is on your team and their interests and talents both on a personal and a professional level. We also shared several stories of enduring brands to demonstrate a common thread within all these brands-core values. Suzanne and I challenged the group to think about the Ecolog brand's core values. "These are the core principles that are essential to everything you do collectively as a brand; how you behave and act in the world in which you do business," Suzanne said.

"Why are values important?" I asked the group.

I then emphasized, "These values are why you say yes or no to a key decision that impacts the current state and ultimately the future of the business. Look into the future, ten years from now, and think about the magic story of Ecolog and the team of people who built it from the guiding principles that are at the heart of everything that makes the brand what is. What are those core values?"

"What is consistent and enduring in the history of the brand that forms the basis for who you are and what you represent?" asked Suzanne.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from BRAND DNAby Carol Chapman Suzanne Tulien Copyright © 2010 by Carol Chapman and Suzanne Tulien. Excerpted by permission.
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