A STORY UNTARNISHED BY TEAMS CLAMBERING TO MEET KPIS AND BUDGETS, BY AGENCIES ALLERGIC TO SELF-FLAGELLATION AND RETICENT TO BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS THEM, OR BY CREATIVES HUNGRY FOR SOME DESPERATE GLORY?

IT’S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO PUSH BACK ON YOUR AGENCY OR YOUR TEAMS, TO ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS AND DEMAND HONEST ANSWERS. IT’S ALL TOO EASY TO SLIP INTO THE SEE-WHAT-YOU-BELIEVE, DON’T-ROCK-THE-BOAT, SAY-A-PRAYER-AND-HOPE-FOR-THE BEST SCENARIO. THAT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE HUMAN, AND BEING HUMAN AFTER ALL, IS A GOOD THING.

WHAT’S NOT SUCH A GOOD THING IS THE LONG-TERM RESULT OF SHORT-TERM, CAMPAIGN-BASED THINKING, BURYING OF HEADS IN SAND, AND OVERWHELMING HESITANCE TO MAKE PEOPLE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

IT’S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO CHALLENGE THE DATA & MEASUREMENTS/ INSIGHTS THAT LAND ON YOUR DESK (OR ARE PAINFULLY DELIVERED DURING A GODAWFUL POWERPOINT/EXCEL PRESENTATION) – ESPECIALLY WHEN THOSE DELIVERING MAY HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE MOTIVE.

THAT’S NOT TO SAY THEY ARE DOING IT ON PURPOSE – JUST THAT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN CROSS TO BEAR, THEIR OWN GOALS TO MEET – AND THAT MEANS SOMETIMES YOU DON’T GET GIVEN THE BIG PICTURE.

​

THE RESULT? MEDIOCRITY AT BEST.   

AT WORST: SLOW, PAINFUL BRAND IMPLOSION.

A GOOD BRAND REVIEW LETS YOU STEP BACK AND REVIEW YOUR BRAND’S PERFORMANCE AND POSITIONING SO THAT YOU CAN DEVELOP A STRONGER BRAND PLATFORM AND AN EFFECTIVE BRAND STRATEGY.

EASY, RIGHT? NOT REALLY. IT TAKES A LOT MORE THAN ENGAGEMENT RATES, A CUSTOMER SURVEY AND YOUR SALES CONVERSION FIGURES TO REALLY GET AN OVERVIEW OF YOUR BRAND. IT TAKES A SYSTEMATIC, STRATEGIC APPROACH THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT:

• HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

• VISION, MISSION, VALUES

• MESSAGING

• CULTURE

• OFFERING (IN RELATION TO MARKET NEEDS/TRENDS)

• PERFORMANCE

• AUDIENCE PROFILING

• BRAND PERSONA

• CONTENT

• VISUAL IDENTITY

​

WHAT TO DO? WHAT TO DO?

GET AN INDEPENDENT, BEHAVIOUR-BASED BRAND REVIEW THAT GIVES YOU REAL INSIGHTS INTO HOW YOUR BRAND IS PERFORMING, HOW YOUR MESSAGING IS BEING INTERPRETED, AND WHAT EXISTING AND POTENTIAL AUDIENCES THINK OF YOUR COMPANY AND YOUR INDUSTRY?

INDEPENDENT IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS CARRIED OUT BY SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T ALREADY WORK FOR YOU, ISN’T TRYING TO SELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE, AND HAS NOTHING TO HIDE. INDEPENDENT IN THE SENSE THAT THEY TRULY DARE TO GIVE IT TO YOU STRAIGHT.

KNOWING THE RIGHT STUFF MEANS BEING ABLE TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS. IT HELPS YOU SAY YES WHEN YOU SHOULD SAY YES, AND HAVE AN ARGUMENT BEYOND BUDGET WHEN YOU NEED TO SAY NO TO THAT “AMAZING” CAMPAIGN IDEA, THAT DESPERATELY-NEEDED NEW SOCIAL CHANNEL, THAT WONDERFUL PODCAST…

​