By: Nicola Suter


For decades we have promulgated the importance of consistency, critiquing brands in accordance with this key success factor. The vast majority of methodologies headline a brands visual and verbal consistency. This is not a suggestion to throw caution to the wind and release the reigns on brands; but a necessary review of how we define the word ‘consistency' in the world of brands.

While brands certainly need to deliver on a holistic experience, consistently reaffirming the desired consumer perception, perhaps uniformity by way of a straightjacket does little to catapult a brand's resonance with its priority targets. This becomes increasingly important as brands entrance into the global arena is accelerated.

Branding as a discipline has evolved dramatically and is finally gaining respect in the boardroom. While the weighting of a brand's perceived importance varies across industries and countries, the critical importance of brands as significant contributors to the bottom line is gaining momentum. Why? Quite simply, because consumers no longer live with brands, but determine them. Consumers today demand more than reliability by way of brand trust. Gaining a real voice in the global playing field requires a balance between reliability and customisation. Our consumers have evolved; perhaps we should evolve the way we intend to connect with them. Brand policing, centred predominately on aesthetics and disciplined brand semantics do little to deepen relationships. In fact, we need to ask ourselves, are we in danger of insulting our audience? Perhaps we need to remember that policing must always come second to value creation.

What then is the alternative? In a paper written by the DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc, in which a strong case was made for the redefinition of brand consistency, the alternative proposed is an approach termed ‘Constancy of Purpose'. This is subsequently defined as “an emerging brand strategy that capitalises on the benefits of ubiquity and uniformity while encouraging flexibility to ensure relevance and differentiation without eroding long-term credibility and trust”. A tall order, there's no debate.

The necessity for a relook at our traditional branding principles when it comes to consistency held the high ground in a recent project Interbrand Sampson completed with a leading South African born telecommunications company, MTN. In recent years this organisation, through aggressive acquisition and expansion activity, have grown to dominate, if not challenge the dominator, in a vast number of African and Middle Eastern countries. In conducting a full independent appraisal, using the Brand Health Check^TM, in twenty of the markets in which the business operates, the insights gained were invaluable.

The necessity to strike a balance between global consistency and local relevance, beyond pure rhetoric, was highlighted. It is hardly breaking news that the successful application of a brand strategy should come from a constancy of purpose, with most successful brands communicating and delivering a high level of consistency throughout their operations (e.g. a consistent visual identity and customer experience). However brand consistency should not stem from ‘blind uniformity' and rigid control of brand execution (an over-emphasis on ‘consistency'); rather brand coherency comes from a shared belief in the strategy and values, allowing a freer range of activities which will continue to excite consumers.

While a brand needs to look and feel consistent throughout its different operations to embed the trust that facilitates simplicity; this reliability cannot equate to rigid and predictable communication behaviour. While consumers look to brands to simplify their lives, they simultaneously are easily bored and actively seek out the innovative among us. With this in mind, can we really afford for unrelenting brand design principles to translate brand communications into wallpaper? This is not an avocation to throw our brand guidelines out the window. In fact, as the competitive landscape becomes global, consistency and its resultant benefits have never been more important. However, never undermine those whose pockets determine your survival. While African countries are still growing their economies, be under no illusion, they are acutely brand conscious and will act accordingly.

Prêt A Manger advocates consistent direction but acknowledges there are infinite large and small touches one can employ to follow that direction when building a brand and interacting with customers in different markets.

Prêt A Manger is a fine illustration of the marriage of global consistency and local relevance. Andrew Rolfe of Prêt A Manger aptly advocates, “We're not concerned about having consistency of brand so much as about consistency of purpose that flows throughout the whole organisation. It doesn't actually matter what we write on the napkins or say through advertising; all that matters is that when you go into a Prêt shop you get that set of experiences that describes Prêt.”

As promulgators of societal culture, should brands really be encouraging, if not pioneering a homogeneous global society? Mass customisation has long expired it's sell-by date, with consumers actively seeking intimacy and authenticity. This necessitates that brands not only cater for the language, cultural and buyer behaviour differences in its various markets, but actively embrace these nuances. Local entrepreneurialism is required, not by way of non-conformists wishing to challenge head office, but rather through active on the ground local engagement allowing for meaningful resonance and resulting affinity.

Karin Koonings, Vice President of Marketing for Starbuck International, comments, “Our marketers everywhere are always looking for ways to connect to their communities and in ways that make a difference. I don't think there is another global brand that runs the breath and diversity of local marketing programmes that we do. But all programs deliver against our core values and business principles, providing the consistency that our customers have learned to recognise and respect.” Now we are starting to redefine branding consistency.

What does this really mean, especially for the likes of brand consultants? It means an honest and practised understanding of partnership. It means we do not send our clients on their merry way, brand toolkit safely in tow, but we partner in the understanding and opportunity leveraging of the brand across diverse markets and geographies. Only then will brands truly become global, as oppose to occupying a presence in a number of geographies. Only then will brands really resonate, beyond uniform semantics and restrictive photographic styles.

Visit our PRESS OFFICE: Interbrand has been voted the 'world's leading branding consultancy', having developed some of the world's most significant brands over 29 years. As part of the Omincom Group of companies, with 34 offices in 27 countries around the globe, our experience covers every area of commercial endeavour.- more....

[1 Sep 2008 14:15]

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