Here are some of the highlights and things I wish I had known before heading into the massive undertaking of refreshing a long-established brand.
- Have a Plan. A full brand relaunch isn’t something to be taken lightly. The effort, from start to finish, can be expected to span more than a year. Thus, having a strong plan in place, with the agility to make changes as needed, is crucial to achieving milestones while maintaining focus on the desired business impact.
- Make Data-Driven Decisions. Changing a legacy brand in any way can be like trying to turn an ocean liner. They don’t just pivot on a dime, and often face resistance from the tide of personal emotion affiliated with the brand. But data is a huge motivator. When people can see the results of studies, it’s hard to argue with the course ahead.
- Consider All Stakeholders. Relying on the perspective of just one group is ill-advised, even if it is your senior leadership team. Make sure to listen to many different voices in the research process, including your leadership team members, employees, customers, prospects, and any other key partners. You may find that employees are drawn to one element, but if it doesn’t resonate with prospects, you may end up with a brand no one wants to buy.
- Balance Quantitative with Qualitative. Data IS king – but you need to understand it. Without delving deep in the research phase with probing questions about motivators and sentiment, you may totally miss the point your stakeholders were trying to share. For example, if you learn that respondents don’t find value in a certain proposed tagline…dig a little deeper. Is it one word? Do they not like the concept or just the use of that specific word? Sometimes understanding what’s behind the data will help you course correct.
- Look Out Ahead. This is always a good rule of thumb, but it is especially true when it comes to developing a brand. Don’t just focus on where your brand has been, instead focus on where the company is going. Without this forward-looking element in your branding, you’ll need to refresh again in moments instead of years!
- Be Sure to Fully Embrace the Results. If you can’t stand behind the results of the data, your brand promise will crumble. Just because the data says your customers prefer a brand that does X, if you can’t deliver X, you can’t authentically live the brand. You have to be sure your organization can actually walk the walk and talk the talk. Being focused and genuine is key to creating a brand promise, image and voice that you can rally around.
Following these tenets will help you develop a measured, data-driven approach that integrates both the science and art of marketing to create a strong brand that resonates with all stakeholders. Using data insights as the foundation of your refreshed brand, you can create brand awareness and then, ultimately, drive brand preference.
In all, our new brand identity stems directly from insights we collected from existing and prospective business and personal insurance customers, and is backed by our commitment to delivering an exceptional customer experience. Today’s consumers demand their business partners know them, value them, protect them, and make it easy to do business with them – it’s what we do, and our new brand reflects that. It certainly is an exciting ‘New Brand Day’ for those who are charged with carrying on a company’s brand legacy.
About the Author
Cindy Heismeyer, Vice President and Director of Marketing, is responsible for driving Selective’s marketing, advertising and branding efforts. Cindy leads a dynamic marketing team that develops and executes marketing strategies, and incorporates new and innovative marketing and communication programs for agents and consumers by utilizing multiple channels and solutions. Ms. Heismeyer joined the company in 1985 and has held a number of positions within the Information Technology, Market Research and Competitive Intelligence, Corporate Communications and Corporate Marketing departments during her tenure. Cindy is also one of the founding member of Selective’s Women's Agency Leadership Initiative and Women at Work initiatives and is an advocate for the advancement of women in insurance.