Brand and reputation management was one of the discussion points in The Times’ "Brand and Reputation Management" supplement recently, which Asset Bank was featured in.
How do brands remain consistent? How do they control their assets? And how do they save money whilst doing so?
Working without global barriers
Nowadays the marketing landscape is multinational, brands work across different time zones and languages. Not only that but with the rise of the internet and social media, brands no longer have control over where their logos are used, their brands discussed, or who discusses them. It is becoming increasingly harder for marketing teams to control brand messages. In fact it’s fair to say that it has become impossible to control all touch points.
The Times report focused on a number of areas affecting brand management and how brands can cost effectively solve the problems they face.
Best results come from coherent branding
Highlighting the need for marketing agencies - PR, Marketing, Sales Promotion, etc. - to work together, the Times reflected, was key to communicate a coherent brand message. Gone are the days where agencies can afford to work separately, increasingly agencies are recognising the benefits of shared communication, strategies and assets. If all agencies are conveying a consistent message, then all outgoing communications (externally and internally) work effectively.
But it’s not just across agencies that messages need to be consistent and communication effective, nowadays companies often have to tap into foreign markets and in doing so are struggling to export their brand. How do they strive for everyone ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’? How do they also ensure that whilst driving for consistency, high quality and control of their identity, brands don’t kill off local flexibility?
The Chartered Institute of Marketing pointed out in The Times report that many organisations are pursuing a balanced model where core strategic assets are produced centrally with regional input (language, imagery, etc.) which thereby ensures that all communication is consistent across global marketing strategies, whilst keeping authenticity in the region it will be produced.
Save time, save money!
In our ever-increasing financial pressurised global economy, Managing Directors are increasingly being asked to focus on solutions that make a difference to their profit margins. Investing in the best people and ideas is all well and good but if the best tools aren’t available for those people to do their jobs then cost cutting won’t be easy. Managing profit and effectiveness offers the answer and it’s clear that any system that saves time and money is worth its weight in gold.
Digital Asset Management was the answer, concluded The Times
Using a DAM system like Asset Bank allows for a central repository for assets to be used/re-used in on-line and off-line campaigns, resulting in company staff saving precious time finding, sending and sharing assets. The challenge of keeping brand consistency is fulfilled through an easily accessible central database, which is language specific and ensures that brand messages across agency, country and internal communication teams are consistent.
Marketing teams know that with the right brand guidelines, brand identity and brand book it’s possible to create an inspirational brand message. What they need to be able to do is control it and share it where appropriate.
Managing this centrally and giving access to everyone from marketing staff (both local and international) to partner organisations promotes the brand message itself to these groups. Sharing assets such as images, documents, presentations and videos through Digital Asset Management improves effectiveness and saves time. And as Benjamin Franklin famously said ‘time is money’, no business can afford to miss an opportunity to save money, which is why all organisations (large and small) should consider the benefits of Digital Asset Management.
If you have any feedback or questions then please get in touch: feedback@bright-interactive.co.uk.
