When I was a kid, my mom used to laugh at me because I
basically had the TV Guide memorized about 10 minutes after we got it. I would know what shows were coming on which
day, which shows were new and which were repeats, and even which celebrity
guest stars would be on Match Game. To
be fair, there were a lot less channels than there are now. And further, I didn’t have much to do
apparently, so memorizing the TV Guide was easily done.
I loved TV. I guess I
still do, though I watch much, much less than I did as a kid. And I could not tell you the last time I held
a TV Guide in my hands. So much has
changed in that medium. I wish I knew then
what I know now about how it would evolve. It would have been
great to be at the forefront of the development.
Our brands need the same care. What are our brands? I think there are a few to pay attention to:
1 – Our companies – The brand identification for our
organizations matters. What does the
public perceive about your company? What
is the messaging? What is it they think
of first when they hear your company name?
Those answers are a matter of our brand.
Do you know those answers? How do
you know them? In other words, how were
they communicated to you? Companies
spend millions on marketing their brand, but can still miss the fact that the
messaging is misaligned from the actual company.
Branding is not marketing.
Branding is about the utilization of the brand; it’s about the prep work
done ahead of the marketing to the public.
Sometimes, companies think that a snappy logo is the brand identification. The logo is really more about marketing than
branding (See Phoenix Cavalier’s thoughts at http://biznik.com/articles/branding-is-not-marketing).
2 – Our roles – There is perspective held by those around us
of our jobs. A role may be seen as
tactical or strategic. The position we
have now may not be what we want for our future, but because the role is seen
as one type of position, it can translate to what others might think of what
you can do. If the role you’re in is not
strategic, but you want that opportunity, then re-branding it is as strategic
is necessary.
Think about the positions in your company that have been
changed or discontinued. How did they
become irrelevant? Is there danger of
that for your role? I worked for a
company that saw a particular role as irrelevant and therefore discontinued
it. About three months later, there was
so much not being done that the short-sightedness was glaring. One VP commented, “I had no idea how much
that role actually meant to the function of the department.” The brand of the role was not clear. A brand is simply the message of a product,
service, or, in this case, a position.
Again, what’s the message of your position to the company?
3 – Our competencies – If a role is to go away, are you
going to be swept away with the position?
Can the company see the
difference? Your skills, knowledge,
aptitudes and abilities have a message.
Step back for a minute and see if you can read what they are saying to
those around you. If you’re feeling
particularly brave, ask someone if they could give you 3 skills that he/she
sees you demonstrating on a regular basis.
Vulnerable, yes, but it could be quite eye-opening.
When the makers of the TV Guide magazine product imagined their
brand, they could only see it as a publication distributed on a weekly
basis. As time went on, it provided
interviews with TV stars. And once the
necessity for a weekly magazine became less relevant, TV Guide moved to
creating a TV channel with entertainment news, syndicated shows, reality-based
programming and showbiz interviews. The
core brand evolved to a fuller spectrum of TV entertainment.
Check your brands.
What’s the message? Oh yeah, by the way, if it’s to be
a good-looking, Italian, HR pro with a dynamic consultancy and a killer blog
who is trying to influence the business community with strategic development
encouragement, I’m sorry to say that’s already taken. Back off and pick another.
