You Already Have a Brand, Experts Say

A brand identity should focus on the lone element that truly differentiates the business from all others and should come from the meat of a company, according to the authors of the new book, Why Can’t Johnny Brand?

Authors Bill Schley and Carl Nichols, partners at david, inc., spoke to about 50 alumni via international teleconference November 11 as part of the Career Development Office’s Global Speakers Series. They stressed the necessity of establishing a brand identity and outlined steps companies can take to control their public reputation.

“People think branding is icing on the cake, [when in fact it’s] a tangible asset with measurable value,” Schley said. Companies must seriously consider how they position themselves; if they don’t, the public does it for them. “You already have a brand,” Schley told listeners. “Whether you’ve chosen it or not, people give you a reputation. They ascribe you value and character. Your only choice is to define and control it yourself. You’ll be branded whether you like it or not.”

To start establishing a brand, a company must first identify one core asset of value to consumers. “A single strong message in a cluttered media landscape is what works,” Nichols said.

The message must not only be focused, it should be something no one else can claim and that the company can truly deliver. “Align the consumer experience with the message,” he said. “Branding isn’t just advertising. You have to deliver what you promise.”

In fact, Schley said, branding is corporate communications. It’s how people identify the business. “We call it ‘painting the tail on the airline.’ “

—Carmen Marti