Branding is a hot topic and there have been plenty of stories written about the “why” and “how” of branding. Less has been written about the “so what”? As in, so what difference does branding make to those on the inside? For organizations just starting a branding process through to those who’ve completed and launched a new brand, what do the brand and branding process mean for staff? How does the brand shape or direct the way people do their jobs?

This past June, the CNIB launched its new brand. Background research indicated that what the public knew about the organization was almost the opposite of what the organization actually does. This was quite a surprise for many of those who work for the CNIB, but as president and CEO explains, “Objectively, we’re the last people in the world to judge what people know about us and what messages our old brand was giving because we know ourselves too well!”

Adjusting internal perceptions

That meant that one of the CNIB’s challenges was to convince people internally that there was a perception problem. “Our own staff had first to understand that we weren’t just changing our name or our logo,” remarks Sanders. “We were, in fact, changing the way we present ourselves in everything we do. We had to re-tool our thinking.” In addition to the external brand launch, there was an internal launch. The CNIB, in partnership with (who donated their services), provided all staff with a brand kit produced in large print, braille, and digital audio format. The CNIB currently has specially trained staff to review all written documents against brand standards. Sanders anticipates that these staff people will be in place for the first 18 months to help everyone adjust to the new brand internally.

There are certainly challenges to such a major overhaul, but Sanders says the changes to how staff relate to the organization and approach their jobs is worth any initial challenges. He notes how much staff have learned about the work of the CNIB. For instance, not all staff knew about the extensive research conducted by the CNIB – more than one million dollars worth per year. Through the branding process, people learned about other areas of the CNIB beyond their own.

Team-building opportunities

That’s a spin-off benefit that Lynn Gran hopes for. She is the vice president of philanthropy and marketing for the Nature Conservancy of Canada and currently spearheads their branding process. “Sometimes we unconsciously work in silos,” remarks Gran. “There is ‘this team’ and ‘that department’. I believe this is going to help me bring everyone together with consistent messaging.”

She anticipates that when their branding process concludes staff and volunteers will have a strong idea of the organization’s essence so that internally everyone will be “on the same page.” They will be saying the same thing and people will feel confidence in how they describe the organization. “I’m a big believer that everyone has the ability and the responsibility to make the case and keep the donor,” says Gran. “You take the receptionist; that’s the frontline person when someone contacts an organization. She needs to feel comfortable in her messaging. It’s not just how internal people speak to external people, but how we speak to each other internally and reinforce that everyone is a communicator and a fundraiser and a donor support person.”

Consistent and clear messaging

Consistent messaging is definitely an important aspect of branding, but it’s also about delivering a clear message. That will be very helpful in Anne Sashikata’s case. Sashikata is the community relations manager with Junior Achievement of British Columbia (JABC). In her work, she meets people at networking and community events and finds that half the people know of Junior Achievement and think great things of the organization while the other half have never heard of them before. Sashikata’s task is to explain what “junior achievement” is – it’s about youth, it’s about business, it’s about helping youth to be successful.

Junior Achievement in Canada is in the early stages of refreshing its brand. After 50 years in Canada, the organization wants to reposition itself and deal with the ambiguities of its name. The very first step was a logo change and then extensive research to find out what Canadian stakeholders thought of Junior Achievement. The results will be unveiled at a national meeting this spring.

Working with internal stakeholders

Talking to stakeholders – both internal and external – is fundamental to the branding process, says Heather Mains, principal communication director at Duegood. Comments Mains, “If you don’t have buy-in then you are already alienating stakeholders and it is harder to execute the brand because they haven’t been consulted about what they bring to the organization or what they need from the organization. You need both a buy-in to the process, as well as a feeling of ownership for the final deliverable.” When dealing with internal stakeholders, she points out, it’s also important to consider the history of the current brand, particularly if it was created by an internal stakeholder. Organizations must be careful to address that.

Mains recommends a sub-committee to make sure that the brand is useful for different people in different roles within the organization. Look for a cross-section of people and make sure they can speak on behalf of the larger group to voice the concerns and issues of their constituents. The result is representation and commitment, plus two–way communication as you develop the brand.

Now back to our original question…what difference does branding make to those on the inside? The difference can be a greater understanding of the totality of the organization, team-building, and the tools and confidence to communicate a clear and consistent message.

Louise Chatterton Luchuk is a freelance writer and consultant who combines her love of writing with experience at the local, provincial and national levels of volunteer-involving organizations. For more information, visit www.luchuk.com.