When America’s most iconic soup maker announced that it intended to drop the “soup” and rebrand as The Campbell’s Company to reflect its diverse portfolio, the world immediately reacted. The decision led headlines and news segments around the globe, stirring up a stew of posts and comments on social media ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.
That level of grassroots response to a corporate business decision is a huge reminder that a brand is more than just a name, logo, or line of products or services. It’s also bound up with emotion, memory, affinity, experience, relationships, culture, and value judgments. And it’s not static. Even the most classic brands recognize the need to evolve . . . even if they were immortalized in artwork by Andy Warhol.
No enterprise is immune.
WHEN BRANDS GO COLD
Lately, in fact, we’re seeing proof that all kinds and sizes of organizations are subject to this reality in today’s fluid, fast-changing environment. For example, it’s estimated that a professional association’s brand can lose its potency for recruiting, retaining, and engaging members in as little as two to five years!
So right now, we’re working with multiple associations to assess the state of their brands in the minds of members, prospects, and partners and gauge the impact of current brand strategy on their success, growth, and longevity.
They’ve engaged our help for a variety of reasons—many of which could apply to almost any type of business organization, from manufacturing to retail:
- Their offerings have changed or expanded
- The industry has undergone important shifts
- The audience has changed or expects different things
- Membership (or revenue) is stagnant or declining
- Participation in events or online engagement is decreasing
THE RECIPE FOR A REFRESH
What they need to learn is pretty basic. Is the brand still relevant and resonant with stakeholders? Still associated with positive feelings, a great experience, and the perception of value? Is it still an accurate representation of who the organization is, what it does, and its place within the industry? Uncovering the answers is a process that includes defining goals, performing discovery, and distilling information.
What’s learned helps determine what comes next. Does the association simply need to refresh its brand—perhaps with a modern visual makeover, more on-point messaging, or an updated experience that increases awareness and engagement while keeping the essential brand intact? Or does it need a more radical rebrand that, like The Campbell’s Company move, requires a new identity, mission, and core focus in order to reposition it in the marketplace and clearly reflect some kind of significant transformation?
Either way, the organization needs to tell a new story, using an intentional strategic plan that aligns with organizational objectives as well as an evolving environment, balances the brand’s heritage with modernity, and guides the tactics used to create and communicate the revitalized brand. Our critical role is making sure each association:
- Identifies and understands its prime target audiences and talks directly to them
- Develops a unique value proposition that everyone can recognize and relate to
- Designs and delivers marketing that triggers affinity and response
- Creates a consistent brand experience that attracts fresh attention and positively changes perceptions
WHAT’S YOUR BRAND SHELF LIFE?
We’re excited about the work we’re doing with these associations to reignite their branding strategy and marketing initiatives. But what about your organization’s brand? Is it still hitting the spot, or is it time to stir things up? We’re curious. Take our poll and let us know.
Figuring out if your brand still hits the spot, or if it’s gone a bit cold, isn’t easy. If you’d like our creative team to have a look and help you stir things up, just let me know. Pick a date, and we can talk over a bowl of soup—my treat!
