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Corporate Image
Terms & Conditions of Use We All Have One, But Few Work to Protect, Project It Building a positive corporate image requires skillful longterm planning. Management cannot limit its focus to the next few weeks or months. Plans to ensure a positive corporate image should create an impression that will last for years. - G.A. "Andy" Marken In nutritional circles, its said that you are what you eat. As a corporate entity, you are what people think you are. According to a recent report from the Opinion Research Corp., corporate image is a major part of what sells a company and its products. In the study, 97 percent of the responding senior and middle managers said image accounts for a significant measure of

RSS: WQP Articles Related Articles "CEO Still Determines Communications" "Corporate Communications: All About Delivering Value" "Corporate Identity" "PRGetting It Right" "Promoting Company Image" "Specialty Advertising" "The Pros & Cons of International Business" L"What Drives Your Company ?" E A R Editorial Categories N Business M O Management R E ! Related Products Seminars Related Links www.ilr.cornell.edu/cahrs/PDFs/hrSpectrum/HRSpec04-01.pdf www.markencom.com www.metrostate.com/library/stories/03/mar/trustworthiness.shtml Alternate Format View article as a PDF Share It Email this Article to a Friend Share |

Corporate Identity
Terms & Conditions of Use Getting the brand recognition companies need to succeed Every company--both large and small--needs to create a strong corporate identity that synthesizes the right visual elements and words to make a lasting impression and build brand recognition over time. Most importantly, the corporate logo and tagline must be thoughtfully crafted to convey the company's positioning, desired image and central values, while utilizing a very limited amount of space and words - Walt Denny Owens Corning, the company that invented the glass fiber, also invented one of the world's most widely recognized corporate logo / tagline combinations. Its unmistakable red-and-white signature logo--the visual cornerstone of its corporate identity--reflects its continual growth through innovation. Its succinct yet highly descriptive "Innovations for Living" tagline completes the big picture, mirroring the company's most important attributes and core values in three words that tell the company's compelling story. In addition, few people will ever forget when back in 1980, Owens Corning introduced its new corporate mascot, the popular Pink Panther cartoon character with the goal of promoting its PINK Fiberglas insulation. In 1987, Owens Corning became the first company ever to trademark the name of a color, a move that captured and held the world's attention. Every company--both large and small--needs to create a strong corporate identity that synthesizes the right visual elements and words to make a lasting impression and build brand recognition over time. Most importantly, the corporate logo and tagline must be thoughtfully crafted to convey the company's positioning, desired image and central values, while utilizing a very limited amount of space and words. Creating a strong corporate identity is a critical first step for every new company on the road to realizing greater brand equity. Similarly, rethinking an existing corporate logo design or tagline can be an equally critical step for an established company that wants to update or revitalize its corporate identity. For example, to improve the standing of a tired, generic or even misunderstood brand image, the solution could be anything from a simple change of color or typeface to a total overhaul of a logo's design--or a new tagline that emphasizes a company's aspirations and promise versus its past accomplishments. An effective tagline should tell a concise yet compelling story about a company. DuPont, for instance, developed the intriguing tagline "The miracles of science," which reflects its ongoing commitment to leveraging scientific discovery to develop materials such as Tyvec, house wrap and Teflon. In addition, the DuPont signature oval logo, which contains the DuPont name, is a symbol that instantly is recognized by millions of people. The logo's red color effectively

reinforces the company's image of boldness in product innovation. Were the DuPont logo to appear in avocado green or sky blue versus red, however, its visual impact might be diminished and its meaning interpreted a little differently. That is why, when creating and managing corporate identity, no company should find itself without a set of well-defined logo and tagline usage guidelines, also called a brand standards manual. Commonly available to employees, subsidiaries and even business partners, a brand standards manual helps ensure communication of a strong, consistent corporate identity that is quickly and easily recognized and that leaves a lasting impression. While some companies prefer to work in-house on their corporate logos and taglines, many others opt to collaborate with experienced advertising/public relations agencies that can bring corporate identity experts including logo designers, artists, copywriters and marketing communications strategists, into the fold. A reputable agency will have the time, resources and knowledge base needed to help any company develop a unique corporate identity that genuinely reflects who they are, is memorable to the masses, has staying power and builds the brand recognition it needs to succeed long-term.

Corporate Communications: All About Delivering Value

Terms & Conditions of Use Effective public relations helps produce sales, profits and long-term benefits Common sense says that for programs to be successful they must be founded on business objectives, not PR objectives. - Andy Marken Over the years, hundreds of highly respected professionals, analysts and educators have developed comprehensive and sometimes complicated descriptions of public relations and corporate communications. There have been heated discussions regarding the separation of public relations from advertising, public relations from marketing and the role public relations should play in a company. What is most counter-productive has been public relations desire to distance itself from the distasteful task of actually selling the company, its propositions, products, technologies and services. If public relations doesnt help perpetuate the company, what value does it serve regardless of the definition? We recently read a clear, concise and easy to understand description of public relations. It stripped away all of the rhetoric and lofty philosophies. Effective public relations is simply applied common sense.

Common sense says that a company must achieve sales and must produce profit if it is to survive. If it doesnt survive, it stands for nothing and is worth nothing. Done properly, public relations adds value by employing people; providing a return to shareholders; supporting our governmental institutions; and by delivering product/service value to customers. Common sense says that for programs to be successful they must be founded on business objectives, not PR objectives. They must focus on the companys brand equity, not on individual products. This branding activity must extend beyond media relations, charitable giving, legislative relations and other niches. Accomplishing all of this is no easy task. It means that the companys PR teaminternal or externalhas to truly understand and be involved in building and promoting the companys brand franchise. Some people like to refer to this process as integrated marketing communications. We prefer not to apply a label, but rather to think of it as doing what is necessary to ensure the company survives and prospers. It requires public relations people to become involved in building trust with all of the companys buyers and sellers. Dont think you can just go to senior management, plead your case, and get a mandate to be responsible for the establishment and vocalization of the companys total activities, wont happen. Start slow and take small steps. Public relations is a service and support function. Advise and assist in branding activities online and offline. Become involved in assisting purchasing, HR, sales activities, face-to-face encounter training, trade show activities, web activities including customer service/support and other efforts that involve the companys brand franchise and the organizations bottom line results. Often PR people waste their efforts because they are so busy practicing public relations they forget their primary mission. The success or failure of their practice is weighed by the pound. For example, how many published releases, how many website hits? Because they weigh more, too many PR people justify that 50 hits, which dont further the companys goals, are obviously worth more than five that support and extend the companys brand franchise.

Effective PR
Effective public relations is much like a three-legged stool: 1) understanding the companys anchor value; 2) understanding the customer value propositions; and 3) understanding the marketplace positioning of the products or services. Understanding the three will help the company, help tangibly produce sales and profits and long-term benefits.

Anchor Values
The companys anchor values should control and guide every strategic and tactical PR activity. From the day it opens its doors, every company is based on specific purposeful and fundamental values that highlight the companys strategic ambition, direction and future plan. Without a good understanding of these values we contend that it is impossible for public relations to effectively deliver for the company. Without a clear understanding of what the company is trying to achieve, public relations simply goes through the motions. By being on the

same wavelength they can ensure the right basic message is always delivered, that it is delivered to and through the right channels, and that it achieves the desired impact and objective.

Customer Values
The second leg of a sound PR program is to clearly understand what the anchor values mean to the customer. This means you have to translate the companys values into general and product/service specific customer values and benefits. PR people tend to list the tangible, technical and functional benefits and stop. Often referred to as specsmanship, the focus is a one way stream from the company to the marketplace rather than taking the time and effort to understand and project this information in customer terms. Intangible and tangible customer values must continuously support each other and reinforce the companys anchor values.

Positioning
The third leg of the PR program is product/service positioning which will vary from market segment to market segment. If the dotcom trials and tribulations of the past years have shown us anything, it is that there is no such thing as one global market. There is a different positioning proposition for dealers, first time buyers, corporate buyers, professional users, manufacturer management, engineers and buyers, as well as other markets. Service organizations like legal, financial, venture capital, market research, and yes, even public relations are tailoring their messages to specific market and client segments.

A Program with Legs

When a PR program is based on clearly defined anchor values, customer values and positioning, the actual implementation and tactics are easier to manage and carry out. Or to put it in the vernacular of the day, its a program with legs or a program with traction. Suddenly it becomes easier to establish and manage the relationship with the companys many audiences. The most difficult aspect of the program will be the internal management issue. We increasingly live and operate in an instant results, instant gratification environment. No part of the public relations or communications program is instant. It requires consistency and continuity. Too frequently management is willing to approve a given tactic or activity and immediately expect positive results. The effort or activity may build awareness but awareness seldom develops an initial relationship and certainly doesnt develop a long-term relationship. That only comes with a consistent and continuous program. At the same time, public relations people have to continuously manage,

monitor and question every tactical aspect of their programs and the individual messages. Internal and external forces are in a constant state of flux. What was effective last month or yesterday can be totally ineffective, or worse, counterproductive today. wqp

RGetting It Right
Terms & Conditions of Use How to choose and work with a PR agency Remember, good public relations is not a part-time activity. Total communication affects everything, from the highest policy decisions to the way people are greeted at your door. - By G.A. "Andy" Marken A good public relations agency can make a companys communications dollars work harder and actually save them money in the long term. But even the best agency can do that only when it acts as a business partner, selling the client and the products/services profitably. That requires confidence in the agencys professionalism. Building confidence begins early, from the moment the client begins to look for an agency. You can buy news releases, press kits and articles from almost anyone, but finding an agency you can rely on as a partner takes some time. Choosing just the right agency requires an objective appraisal and some give-and-take. Hire the agency that has the best capabilities to sell your products and services.

Define Your Needs

Your first step is to define your needs. Be realistic in what you want public relations to accomplish for you, and establish a budget that will accomplish those tasks. This will help you decide quickly whether you want a large-, small-, or medium-sized agency. If your budget is large and the agency is small, your objectives can suffer. If your budget is small and the agency is large, you can get lost. Next, decide whether agency experience in the field is important or not. Most people find they are more comfortable with people who understand their language, competition, customers and marketplace. Others would rather have an agency that deals only in creative solutions, rather than market segments. Occasionally, you will have to consider whether or not you are concerned about having an agency with a competitive account. If the agency is large enough, you wont be sharing the same account team, and an ethical agency keeps the information separate and confidential. A plus to such a situation is that there is a distinct possibility you will be able to draw upon the agencys overall pool of knowledge, special talents and experiences, rather than be forced to make the same mistakes others have made.

Where to Look
Browsing the Yellow Pages or surfing the Internet wont be a lot of help in finding the right agency. One way is to decide what companies PR activities impress you, and then contact their management. They will probably be flattered and happy to furnish you with the name of their agency. Another way is to talk to editors or reporters you know. They are a ready source of information regarding good agencies. When you have a few top choices, arrange a preliminary meeting with the agency people and brief them on your products, systems, services, objectives and budgets. Give them enough information so they can make some basic determinations of your needs and how they can be accomplished. Give them a realistic deadline to come back to you with their initial thoughts and recommendations. Next, involve your senior management. Then ask yourself some serious questions.

Does the agency know your market? Does it understand and work with media that hits your buyers? Are its efforts organized and well-planned? Does it create PR materials that are well-written, attention-getting, creative, effective and used? Can its people work with your people and you? Will it make a profit on your account, so it will stay interested in your account? Dont expect a full-blown presentation complete with ideas, position statements, editorial calendars, etc. Some agencies may do that, but keep in mind that if any agency gives you free ideas, you can be sure someone had to pay for them, i.e. other clients. That means that some time in the future you may, directly or indirectly, pay for someone elses presentation.

Presenting
Concentrate on the presentations because they will be important to your agency selection. Again, ask some tough questions.

Will the people making the presentation be the people serving you? Do they understand your organization, competition and products, as well as markets, objectives, channels of distribu-tion and customers? Are the proposals reasonable and thorough? Can they handle other commun-ications assignments?

Determine if they understand your goals and needs. If they dont agree with you, do they have sound rationale for the positions they have developed? After all, you dont have all the answers, and their appraisal may have some substance.

Trust

Once you have chosen your new agency, trust them. Give their people sufficient information. Consider them part of the team. Remember, youll have to spend considerable time at the outset getting them up to speed. But in the long run it will be profitable for both of you. Confidence is the most important part of a client-agency relationship, and your relationship will be reflected in the work produced. To get the best productivity and creativity from your agency, you have to be receptive. Creativity is essentially the process of growth from the known to the unknown. It must be supported and fed. And just as important, it must be held accountable. That is why you need short- and long-term goals to keep the PR process from being sidetracked. Make certain your program has both a long-range plan of action and intermediate deadlines so achievements are measurable. You should expect the agency to be integrated into all phases of your business. The best relationships are those where the agency is brought into managements confidence early in the fact-finding and decision-making stages. That allows you to evaluate what can and should be done. And by bringing the agency in early, you can accomplish the tasks at hand on time and, generally, at a lower overall cost.,/p>

About the Purse Strings

Finally, an area of most concern to the agency, and often of least importance to the client, is agency compensation. The agency should make a reasonable profit on every project it does, for every client. Who is going to pay the expenses if the client doesnt? Often, the compensation package has to be tailored to the situation. Client management should be more concerned that the client is getting what it wants, rather than worrying about the method of payment. Once the compensation program is established, make certain there are incentives for the agency built into the plan. If the fee is based on a cost-accounting procedure, make certain it is adequate and thoroughly understood by all parties. Very few clients really understand what goes into the creation of a PR program. This is why there is often such a misunderstanding about the money involved. Management doesnt have to understand all of the steps and costs involved in the operation of the agency; but they need to understand that a lot of highly qualified and expensive people are involved in every step of the process. Remember, good public relations is not a part-time activity. Total communication affects everything, from the highest policy decisions to the way people are greeted at your door. With the right approach to choosing an agency, and the development of an honest two-way communications effort, you wont have to continually go through the agency selection process. Instead, the partners can work as a team and can focus 100% of their efforts on building and expanding the companys image, visibility, sales and profits. wqp

Source: Water Quality Products August 2005 Volume: 10 Number: 8 Copyright 2011 Scranton Gillette Communications