What Is Your Branding Strategy?
CAUTION: Developing your own branding strategy may cause extreme frustration, which is hazardous to your health. Do not attempt unsupervised!
Maybe hazardous to your health is a slight exaggeration, but a branding strategy is something every brand needs. Successful brands are built on a foundation of meaningful strategy that provides the framework for a brand's meaning. Is your challenge creating a new brand? Merging brands? Or maybe refreshing your brand? Regardless of your branding challenge, our branding experts have created a list of key questions to ask yourself when developing your branding strategy...that is if you're still brave enough to go it alone.
Do you think we missed something important? Share your own branding tips and questions
Happy Birthday Apple Stores!
A lot has changed since 2001. Back in yesteryear Mark Zuckerberg was not a household name, the word tweeting was the sound a bird made, and as of May 2001 Apple had yet to open any retail stores – the catalyst that helped Apple become the brand that it is today.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of Apple opening their first retail store in Tysons Corner, VA, a Washington, DC suburb. At the time many in the retail industry saw the move as risky, because "big box" technology stores had a stronghold on technology sales. Apple broke away from the norm with their stores by exclusively selling Apple products, instead of selling them alongside their competitors.
No doubt much of Apple's success has come from their innovative and industry changing products, but it is also impossible to ignore the fact that the brand's success has a lot to do with their brand image and seemingly flawless execution of brand standards.
Take a moment to think of each Apple store you've been in. It's hard to decipher which is which, and where each was located isn’t it? You can attribute that to the fact that Apple cuts no corners in controlling their retail environments. Each store has the same look and the same feel, when you step into an Apple store there is no second guessing your location. Isn't that something all brands desire to achieve, an all knowing awareness of their brand?
Whether its architectural design, package design, or product design, Apple uses a consistent brand image to maintain a familiarity amongst consumers, and in a world dominated by ever changing technology Apple's consistent design and image has no doubt helped the brand who was ranked as the world's 49th most valuable brand in 2001 skyrocket to the top of the list and land at #1 in May 2011.
So, Happy 10th Birthday Apple stores, I'm sure you'll have no problem getting friends to come to your birthday party.
Insperity | What it Means to Their CEO
You may recall the posts in March about the Insperity launch. We did our best to sum up our engagement with the Administaff/ Insperity team, but it is a lot more exciting to hear about the transition directly from Insperity Chairman of the Board and CEO Paul Sarvadi. (He also happens to be one of the founders.) Take a look at the video below.
JFG Coffee Sign Returns
On Saturday, a Charlotte icon returned to the city's skyline and marked the beginning of Charlotte's Historic Preservation Month.
The JFG Special Coffee shines brightly again, now atop the VBGB Beer Hall & Garden at the North Carolina Music Factory.
The NC Music Factory was a natural fit for the 40-year-old sign because the area is made up of historic buildings that have been converted into venues for producing and enjoying music.
The JFG Coffee sign used to perch along I-277, near Bank of America Stadium. It was removed in 2009 with the hope of finding a new home and funding for its restoration. The mission to save the sign helped to spark a new campaign called Save Our Signs, which aims to preserve other vintage signs around the Queen City.
Another historic landmark benefiting from the emphasis on preservation is Reid's Fine Foods. It's sign at the Myers Park location was also relit over the weekend.
Insperity | DNA of a Great Team
While a proven methodology is critical for a successful project, having the right team in place also plays a huge factor in the fluidity of any branding initiative. The Administaff/Insperity team exhibited all the characteristics of a successful project team, and the entire Addison Whitney organization would like to congratulate them on their passionate engagement in the process, willingness to embrace change, and decision to move forward on its new corporate identity with clear strategic intent.
With almost 20 years experience in managing branding projects, we'd like to offer some key attributes that client teams can adopt to result in a successful project and process, and some key takeaways from our work with Insperity.
Meeting deadlines.
Staying on deadline is imperative for an agency or client partner; our reputation is built on the ability to meet our client's time lines. However, it's important for the client to remain on deadline as well. A delayed process means momentum, energy, and excitement around the project can be lost, and those are difficult to regain after a long period of time.
An open mind.
Sometimes, as leaders of an organization, it can be difficult to be honest and open about the challenges you face. Having an open mind about refreshing your positioning, changing your name, or creating brand new standards is imperative to a successful project. If you expect it to be seamless and without challenges, you're in for a difficult journey. Rely on the experience and expertise of your agency/client partner as a resource for guiding you through the project.
Trust your gut.
Even with all of the time we spend learning about our client companies, there’s no way we’ll know your brand as well as you do. When you see results, trust your gut. Suggest changes to be more reflective of your company culture or organizational plans. Often times, the best outcomes of our projects are from collaborations with our client companies.
Utilizing the research correctly.
Good data was important to the Insperity team before making any decision. There is a difference between market research and good market research. Understanding key goals before creating questionnaires is important to getting the insight you need to make critical decisions. Having a skilled, outside agency interpret the data can be important so that you know exactly what the data is saying and corresponding key insights.
Often times, clients will conduct market research looking for the name. They assume that because a name tested high that it's the best choice for their product/service/company. Using the research or supporting data as a guide, not the final decision maker, is the best path of action.
Engaging senior leadership.
A successful project is also contingent on having a senior leadership team (CEO, SVP Sales & Marketing) that is heavily engaged in the process. Having a plan in place that fosters good communication and aligns with the business strategy and vision for the company is essential. A good process incorporates timely progress updates at key milestones with management leaders, board of directors, etc., and presents these updates as a team.
Consistent project team.
There is no quicker way to derail a project than to have 10 members participate in the initial meetings, and only half of that in attendance during the key milestones and touch points. Create a core team (5-7 team members is ideal), and engage them consistently in the process. Even though the core Insperity team did go through a few changes, key team members were consistent and diligent in communicating about needs and deadlines with other project team members.
Celebrating your success.
Often times, this step is skipped by clients. But, the effort it takes to engage in a branding process and the results of that can be a big change for many organizations. Once you have a result, it's important to celebrate and recognize the internal team that worked so diligently on the project. In addition, make a big splash about the new/re-positioned brand. There’s no better way to show the whole organization how important the results are than to celebrate it – no matter whether that celebration is in your board room or in a major league ballpark.
Again, congratulations to the Insperity team on a successful process, project, re-brand and launch. We have been honored and inspired to be a part of your success!
Insperity | Taking it to the streets
On March 3, 2011, the Administaff family gathered to celebrate 25 years of success and a new beginning as Insperity. Some members of the Addison Whitney-Insperity team were lucky enough to attend and witness this magical evening.
Picture this – Minute Maid Park home of the Houston Astros, deep in the heart of Texas, buzzing with the excitement of more than 3,000 people. As we all filed into seats along the third baseline, we were met with an incredible program. Hosted by new Insperity spokesman Jim Nantz, it featured a conversation with Steve Forbes and presentations by company leadership. Saying the presentation by Chairman and CEO Paul Sarvadi was inspiring and energizing just does not do it justice. He passionately talked about the company’s evolution over the past 25 years and his vision for the years to come. This new vision coupled with the new corporate identity was unveiled in 3D – yes, thousands of guests put on branded 3D glasses for the unveiling.
The night featured an amazing spread of food, dancing and festivities. As we headed out to left field to get our souvenir – an Insperity-branded box filled with mementos celebrating the company’s history – Michael McDonald took the stage to cap off the night.
Often times when our clients launch new brand strategies or corporate identities, we do not get to witness the excitement of the event. So being able to attend was very special for our team. Every detail of this event and the Sales Convention happening at the same time were so well thought-out and very impressive including the signs, stage lighting and the entire color palette – all of which changed overnight.
To borrow something we overheard employees saying that night: here’s to Insperity – cheers!
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Insperity | Crafting a New Verbal Brand
Verbal Branding: Corporate Identity
With directives from Market Research and Brand Strategy, the Verbal Branding team embarked on creative for the new identity. With all of our core competencies in house, it was an easy project transition to move from strategy into naming. The Verbal Branding team worked closely with the Brand Strategy team to focus on the key drivers and characteristics from the market research. We also explored which creative cues and concepts should be communicated through the name, and which ones could be messaged through collateral, tagline, or another form of marketing.
The Administaff name had equity ... twenty-five years of awareness and associations to be specific. But according to our research, the messaging behind the name was limiting for future growth and positioned Administaff incorrectly in the minds of prospects. The name didn't capture the 'spirit of the entrepreneur' which we heard in many of our on-site meetings, and was a barrier to new clients who thought of Administaff as simply a 'staffing organization."
Our group began the process of crafting names and sharing those with the Administaff team. We explored a range of name constructions and communications, cognizant of being too descriptive of one particular service. After presenting several iterations of options and narrowing down through feedback, the name Insperity slowly began rising to the top of the list. We utilized our Market Research capabilities once again to validate the name among other candidates, testing each on a variety of marketing criteria. The target audience had a positive first impression of Insperity, and the name conveyed all of the selected attributes and performed well on likeability and preference measures. Using this information as a guide, the Administaff team was well equipped to strategically choose their new identity.
Insperity was coined by fusing two key concepts: inspiration + prosperity. We wanted to hone in on the emotion behind the company's promise of helping business owners achieve their goals and the utmost level of success. The team felt this name was broad enough to allow the company to tell the whole story of their full range of services and their refined positioning as a business performance solution provider. Insperity as a name is active and engaging in its tonality, which complements the emotional connection the company has with its clients and partners.
Verbal Branding: Tagline Development
When it came to the tagline, Addison Whitney wanted to create something that really identified what the business was all about. The new brand name communicates the emotion behind the offering; we wanted to use the tagline to help identify what the company offers, without limiting them in future applications or endeavors. "Inspiring Business Performance" works on two levels: the initial word "inspiring" can perform the role of an adjective, to describe the type of business performance clients can expect; it also serves as a verb, clarifying the functional aspects of what Insperity offers to its partners as a strategic adviser. It is an engaging tagline that provides the opportunity for business owners to define performance in their own individual way.
Next step: Visual Development of the identity and brand standards.
Click here for more information on Addison Whitney's Verbal Branding capabilities.
Insperity | Laying the Strategic Foundation
The extensive market research conducted among internal and external audiences helped provide critical insight to help drive both brand architecture and brand positioning recommendations.
Addison Whitney worked closely with various business units to understand the existing brands, their key challenges, and how each could support the Administaff corporate brand. Like many B2B companies, a mostly master branded strategy was ideal due to the efficiency and ease of managing one main brand versus many standalone brands.
Once the organization of the corporate brand was clearly outlined, Addison Whitney began developing the Administaff brand positioning. It’s important that a brand positioning be believable and compelling. Looking back at the research, Addison Whitney correlated compelling to attribute importance ratings and believable to attribute performance ratings. The recommended positioning strategy defined Administaff as the trusted advisor who provides business performance solutions to guide clients toward success.
To help the Administaff team communicate the brand positioning to target audience groups, Addison Whitney developed targeted messaging for both clients and prospects. These messaging guidelines will ensure consistency in communication – one of the most critical parts of brand management.
In addition to driving the brand architecture and brand positioning, one more finding came from the market research. With minimal brand awareness among prospects and incorrect brand associations, it became clear that a corporate identity change would set Administaff up for future success. This decision was not taken lightly by the Administaff team. Nearly 25 years of hard work had built the Administaff brand, and it was time to set a new, strong foundation for the next 25 years of success.
Next step…corporate name and tagline.
(Please note: Administaff is now Insperity. You can find them on the web at insperity.com)
Insperity | Gathering New Insights
When Administaff first approached Addison Whitney in late 2008, it was experiencing strategic challenges similar to many of our clients. In recent years, the company had grown through acquisitions and product development, creating a need to redefine who it is (brand positioning) and how its brands relate to one another (brand architecture).
Founded in 1986, Administaff pioneered the Professional Employer Organization (PEO) industry. The PEO provides small and medium-sized businesses with HR services, including payroll, benefits and administrative support, so that these businesses can better compete for employees and remain compliant with state and federal regulations. As the company grew so too did the types of services it offered.
Through acquisitions and internal product development, the scope of Administaff’s services expanded. Administaff now had to manage not only its own changing corporate brand, but also to develop a strategy for integrating new product/service brands.
Strong market research is critical to developing a compelling and differentiated brand strategy. Addison Whitney’s market research team worked closely with the Administaff team to develop a thorough research plan that would gather insight from internal and external target audience members.
In-depth interviews are a great way to gather detailed insight. First, in-depth interviews were conducted among key Administaff team members to learn about challenges and to help drive the brand process. Then, in-depth interviews with members of the external audience (customers and prospective customers) were conducted. Both of these studies helped the Addison Whitney team develop the survey instruments for quantitative studies with employees and external audience members, which were both conducted online. The employee and external studies were designed to closely align with one another in order to show perceptual gaps.
Using both qualitative (in-depth interviews) and quantitative (online surveys) methodologies to evaluate external audience perceptions, Addison Whitney was able to identify unmet needs and areas in which Administaff out-performed competition.
Having strong, detailed and quantifiable data is important to drive strategic decision making and to support the proposed brand positioning and architecture. This multi-layered research design was important for the Administaff team and critical to the next step in the process, brand strategy.
(Please note: Administaff is now Insperity. You can find them on the web at insperity.com)
Introducing Insperity
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For those of you who have been following our recent tweases (Twitter teases) noted by our hashtag #AW3095, you already know the news. For everyone else, it’s our pleasure to introduce Insperity, formerly Administaff.
Addison Whitney has been working with the Insperity team since February 2009 and is so proud of its team’s hard work throughout the process, and especially at the launch some members of our team were lucky enough to attend.
We are excited to begin our Insperity series to highlight the key steps from throughout our more than two year relationship with the Insperity team. Throughout each post we will give you some insight into things we learned or just fun facts from each phase.
Here are some headlines to get you excited and coming back for a double dip of Brand Salsa.
- Market Research – gathering key insights from current and future customers
- Brand Strategy – who are we and what to do with all of these offerings and brands
- Verbal Branding – farewell Administaff, hello Insperity
- Visual Branding – Insperity’s new look and feel
- Brand Rollout – dancing in the streets of Houston
- What Makes a Great Project Team – we’ll tell you because we worked with a fantastic one at Insperity
Stay tuned!