The Ultimate Branding Transgression

Image from Time on CNN

Image from Time on CNN

Brand values: Every company has (or should have) them. What does your company stand for? Have you taken time for brand cascading to make sure the whole company understands brand values and knows how to “live” them? What happens when brands lose sight of their values?

Over the course of a few short months, we have witnessed an unprecedented spate of apologies and contrition from the CEOs of some of the world’s [previously] most reputable brands: Toyota, Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson and, most recently, BP. All of these brands were shown to have failed on the very attributes their vaunted brands were built upon: Reliability for Toyota; Financial acumen for Goldman Sachs; Health for J&J and Environmental Leadership in energy for BP. Does this mean that branding is just a marketing “snow job” that pulls the wool over people’s eyes? I think not.

At one point in time these companies actually lived by their brand values and became successful because they delivered on these values. However, I do think it means that companies can become so large and successful that they grow estranged from what made them successful in the first place, either by inattention or because they feel they can be even more successful by cutting corners (never a good brand strategy!). The smart organizations will take heed of the misfortunes of the above mentioned companies and reaffirm in word and deed their company’s commitment to their brand values. Some may even choose to conduct a brand cascading project to re-align everyone around their brand values. These companies will protect their valuable brand reputation and equity.

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