"No more bull," for me, has become a euphemism for what happens when an organization places more emphasis on its logo and marketing efforts than it does on its core cultural values. And if ever I needed a case study to prove my point, enter today’s massive financial industry collapse!
Question: What happened when once-venerable Merrill Lynch plowed more time, energy and money creating and marketing its logo—that bold, aggressive-looking bull—than it did focusing on being a good steward of its investors’ funds?
Answer: No more bull!
I pick out Merrill Lynch because it is an easy and illustrative target. But the same thing has happened to countless other companies and organizations. To bring the example closer to home for many nonprofits, look what happened to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which once aggressively marketed themselves as helping low and moderate-income people purchase their first homes, when money became more important than mission.
Organizations of all stripes and colors need to understand that their long-term survivability is rooted not in logos, taglines, marketing, advertising and public relations, but rather in the trust the public places in their good name--or brand.
What does it take to win brand trust?
Quality leadership
It all starts with quality leadership. And I’m not talking about a "bully management" or leadership style that can whip people into action. I’m talking about leaders at all levels of an organization who value, respect and recognize their staff for the good work that they do; who create work environments that are healthy, open and productive; and who serve as role models for the positive core cultural values they want their workforce to embrace.
Leaders must especially create a work atmosphere in which employees feel free to speak truth to authority without fear of punishment or reprisal.
This kind of leadership produces quality staff who understand the value of their organization’s brand and good name—and know what it takes to maintain them.
Accountable and ethical behavior
If your decision makers are unclear about the difference between what’s ethical and what’s legal, that’s not a good omen for your organization’s long-term health and viability.
We live in an era of increased consumer knowledge and awareness, where organizational and corporate accountability and ethical behavior, especially in light of the potential high-profile bailout of our financial sector, are coming under increasingly intensified scrutiny.
The lesson we all need to learn is that it’s a lot easier—and cheaper—to maintain a good brand name than it is to try to rehabilitate one that has been tarnished by neglect, or worse. Log on to www.accountability-central.com for more information on corporate accountability.
The willingness, ability and commitment to live up to what you say about your organization
As a professional communicator who specializes in branding, I’m often asked by clients to "help us look better." My reply is always the same: A brand is not a cosmetic you apply to make your organization look pretty; rather it’s your DNA, meaning it’s a true reflection of who you are and what you do.
A brand screams out "Trust me!" A good brand quietly—and always—fulfills that commitment.
A recent Hyundai automobile ad, I believe, says it best: "Truth is, logos don’t really do much of anything....They don’t make you cooler. They don’t make the product better. In fact a logo means nothing. Unless, of course, the company behind it means something."
So, if you are new to branding and are worried about where you’re going to get the resources to create a logo and tagline, plus the funds to orchestrate a marketing campaign to elevate the visibility of your organization’s name, relax. First focus on your leadership and ethics, as well as make good on all your commitments, and over time your brand will do just fine.
And that’s no bull!
