Opinion Articles
Out of the Picture
More than just a play on words, the above title (which is borrowed from the media) really speaks to the current plight of Kodak. Just recently it has been reported that Kodak has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it tries to restructure, boost cash and importantly, stay in business. These next two years will really determine how the company operates (if at all) into the future.
On face value, this story seems like any other story about disruptive technologies changing the market and the fallout from companies who were either on the front or back foot. The real tragedy for Kodak was that the company was on both, the front foot and then the back. How could a company with over 100 years experience in essentially capitalising on disruptive technologies get is so wrong in this case?
Brand is Image and Image is Brand….
For those that believe brand and image are separate and in no way linked may need to rethink their position. In the media recently have been two prime examples of how brand and image are closely interrelated, albeit almost the same thing. Brand in its simplest context are those attributes that makes one product or company stand apart from another. Image is how products and companies present themselves, through logos, colours and artefacts.
The definition of brand needs to go one step deeper because those attributes that make a product or company stand out from others stems from something beyond image and below the surface of what we see – that part of the iceberg that lays underneath the waterline. These are normally considered core values. That is, those values that help us create a relationship with products, services and companies so we then grow to know and trust them.
Is the Qantas brand still well-liked?
Well, does it matter? Do we have a real choice? After all, the latest IBISWorld report indicates that Qantas (along with its subsidiary Jetstar) is the clear leader with a 74% market share of domestic passenger travel. Virgin Blue’s shift away from the ‘No-Frills’ image and business model is still in transition: its point of differentiation does not command the price premium that Qantas does, while its price (and cost structure) is similar to that of Jetstar, a rising star to whom it has lost market share over the last five years. Having outlasted its competitors (remember Ansett and Australian Airlines), the brand is quite endearing and the history or legacy appears to associate it as Australia’s airline.
Think Different
Whether you are a lover or hater, promoter or detractor, a user of Microsoft Windows or Google Android, there is one thing we can all agree on. Apple Inc. with Steve Jobs at the helm has influenced ours lives in one way or another. You may be a “disciple of the church of Apple” or wishing to bring it down, either way Apple has been on the tip of your tongue. This blog post aims to discuss how brands, especially brands like Apple, can evoke such strong emotional responses in us, either on a conscious or subconscious level, and whether brands are simply a function of clever marketing and advertising or evolve from somewhere deep within the psyche of an organisation.
Employee’s Perspective on Successful Internal Branding
Companies whose employees possess a strong knowledge of their brand have a competitive advantage. However, many organisations are still failing to provide the right information and support their people to deliver their organisation’s brand experience to customer.
In a recent article, Internal Branding: Exploring the Employee’s Perspective, the authors discuss internal branding from an employee perspective. The focus of the paper is on factors that were considered to be necessary for employees to successfully deliver their organisation’s brand promise.
The link between brand, culture and customer experience
Making the link between brand, culture and customer experience is not a new concept. However, effectively managing the link between these three concepts continues to challenge organisations. In the recent article Customer experience, organisational culture and the employer brand, the authors explore employer brand management and how you can use your employer brand to ensure your culture is aligned with your desired customer experience.
Characteristics of successful Employer brands
There has been a great deal of discussion on employer branding in the last decade. Organisations from a diverse range of industry sectors have formally defined, and are strategically managing their employer brand (eg Siemens, Honeywell, Accenture, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, Roche, Yahoo, Johnson and Johnson, Starbucks). Cultivating a unique employer brand experience is one method these organisations have chosen to attract and retain the most sought after talented employees; those who will enable them to generate success and secure ongoing profitability. In a recent article, Characteristics of Successful Employer Brands, the authors explore the perceived characteristics of successful and unsuccessful employer brands and construct a typology that organisations can use to assess their employer brands.
Top 100 Best Companies to Work for 2009
Even in uncertain times, some organisations are going out of their way to please employees. Why? Well, as the 2009 No. 1 ranked top employer from Fortunes 100 Best Companies to Work for 2009, NetApp believes “Happy people are more productive”. NetApp, have proven that it can continue to grow revenues while boosting employee morale. Read more about NetApp’s success and how they toppled Google from the No. 1 spot in 2009.
Why your Employer Brand Still Matters in Uncertain Times
Marketing and branding always seem to be the first casualties of a downturn. The focus is on bottom line results and the activities that do not directly show a clear return on investment simply get cut. It seems a short sighted view, as history has shown that the economy will recover, business will again pick up and organisations will need the capability to respond.
So why have so many organisations put a stop to their employer branding initiatives and how many are in fact damaging their employer brand through inactivity?