Faculty
Bookshelf: Kellogg on Branding
New
Kellogg on Branding makes its mark
Latest
literary offering from Kellogg adds to school's published
thought leadership
The Kellogg
School of Management has published Kellogg on Branding
(Wiley & Sons), a compilation of insights about brands and
branding. The latest in a series of titles by Kellogg contributors,
Kellogg on Branding offers valuable perspectives that
combine theory with practical application, making it a worthy
addition to existing "Kellogg on" texts that have explored
subjects such as marketing, technology, developing markets
and strategy (see Kellogg on Strategy).
With chapters
written by Kellogg professors and business leaders, Kellogg
on Branding is a holistic study that goes to the heart
of what today's marketing leaders should do to achieve success.
Here are just two excerpts from the new book, which is available
online at the Kellogg
Emporium.
"Finding
the Right Brand Name"
By Carol Bernick,
chairman, Alberto-Culver Co.
In the process
of branded product development, the selection of a name can
be the most creative and the most critical aspect. ... If
your brand name is distinctive and memorable, it can and will
make the difference in winning at the shelf ... make a major
contribution to the longevity of the overall concept ... make
your advertising dollars work harder, and create more attention
and provide more value to your consumer.
As marketers,
it's far too easy to get too close to our brands. What seems
obvious to us can be confusing to the consumer. A great name
is the chance to bring definition, clarity, personality, and,
ultimately, trial to a new idea just taking shape.
The
new brand faces daunting odds - crowded shelves stocked high
with competitors' products, the huge advertising budgets of
global players. ... And yet each year new entrants carve out
niches and sometimes a considerable presence in both new and
established categories.
In part this is
because the playing field is a bit more level than it may
appear. A consumer watching a television commercial or reading
a print ad does not know, nor particularly care, whether the
company behind that message is a startup or a global powerhouse.
At that moment she may be convinced by a message - more specifically
a unique selling proposition convincingly communicated. Whatever
shelf space you are allotted, a powerfully communicated benefit
- your unique selling proposition - coupled with an
outstanding, memorable, ownable name and personality can still
reach the shopper. But the time for a product to prove itself
is short and continually shrinking, and the need to move a
consumer with a single message as opposed to 10 is increasingly
critical.
"Branding and
Organizational Culture"
By Gary A. Mecklenburg,
president and CEO, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare
In most industries,
businesses know that having a positive brand image is critical
to building a loyal customer base. Those of us in the highly
complex healthcare field recognize that our image and reputation
are based on the first-hand experiences that patients and
families have at a time when they are most vulnerable. Sensitivity
and compassion as well as professional competence are both
essential elements of our brand.
Many believe that
a successful brand image is the product of marketing and advertising
initiatives that present an organization's attributes to the
outside world. Based on 35 years as a hospital executive,
I believe the most successful brands, especially in healthcare,
begin internally with a strong, ... omnipresent organizational
culture. And ... that culture needs a clearly articulated
and lived mission that captures the commitment of every person
in the organization.
My own realization
of this principle began in the early 1980s when I was asked
to lead St. Joseph's Hospital, the largest Catholic hospital
in Wisconsin.
I met a woman named
Emma during my tenure as president and CEO. Emma was like
many people in Milwaukee - very ethnic, very religious, and
very industrious. She was an older woman whose features and
carriage exhibited a life of hard work. Emma was the housekeeper
responsible for cleaning the main lobby where a large statue
of St. Joseph stood to welcome visitors. Even though the building
was 60 years old, the floors shined, the windows sparkled,
and nothing was out of place.
As I got to know
her, I realized that Emma worked not only for a paycheck but
also to help fulfill her responsibilities to her faith. It
wasn't the hospital's lobby; it was God's lobby. Emma kept
it spotlessly clean for Him as He healed our patients.
Over time, I learned
that most of our staff, regardless of their religious affiliation,
were just like Emma. They worked harder and longer, volunteered
for extra assignments, and came in on weekends and holidays
because they fundamentally believed in the importance of the
organization's work and their personal role within it.
At St. Joseph's,
the founder's purpose and the employees' goals had become
one. Our strategies, decisions, and allocation of resources
emanated from our mission and values, which resulted in a
clear direction and focus throughout the organization.
Thus, long before
the concept of branding became popular in healthcare,
I learned that a positive brand image begins with day-to-day
service excellence provided by committed employees. |