Brand design success is down to the HR function, not the marketing function

avatar
by Anna Munhin May 31, 2023 News
Brand design success is down to the HR function, not the marketing function

Over the years, I have learned that the head of HR is the most important ally in a client business. The marketing department is not what many people think.

The HR department can be the key to success or failure.

It is worth remembering that the best strategy in the world will fail if the culture is not in place to bring it to life.

Brand design isn't just an ad campaign or a logo.

It is a full value proposition in the marketplace and the essence of what a business stands for, which in turn informs every commercial decision.

Does the brand matter?

Values are important in the workplace culture.

Grow your brand.

The internal culture and employer brand need to be aligned with the external brand of a progressive company. Great things happen at this time of year.

Great brands can be designed upfront, which is a realization. 40% of the market value of a services brand and 20% of a products/goods brand are represented by them.

The role of HR is being impacted by Gen Z.

Corporate priorities and the nature of brand are driven by Gen Z priorities. Today's brands are compelled to communicate the positive impact they have on the world where once it was enough to build a brand that embodied an aspirational lifestyle. Brand narratives are no longer about selling but about helping consumers believe that they can make a difference.

Employees are more likely to want to play their part in delivering positive goals if the workforce is aligned around a brand mission.

It is easy to see why as a guardian of culture and employee motivation. HR practitioners are important in driving the internal behaviours that will deliver on the brand promise.

Brand design needs human resources.

Creating or refreshing the architecture around a brand is a huge investment; at its most ambitious, look at Burberry's evolution from British heritage brand to global fashion powerhouse.

A big change in culture and mindset is needed to deliver on the brand promise. The HR department should be included in the brand development process. Most HR functions don't think of their job through a brand lens.

As part of a brand design, HR sits at the top table to see how they can re-engineer the culture of the business to be more commercial.

They immediately have the ability to think in a different way. They see the brand process enter their day to day as a result of being at the heart of these conversations. Sometimes it is a real eureka moment.

The entrepreneurial HR function could be entered.

The perception of HR is elevated when other C-suite functions are included in the brand design discussion.

The role of HR in aligning brand with employee and corporate culture becomes clear when it's not seen as a pragmatic function.

What do you think is required of an HR practitioners? It's about stepping away from a rigid rules and regulations based approach and embracing an entrepreneurial mindset that understands the need to plug the HR department into the wider vision of the brand.

A strong vision for the future of the business is more likely to be seen by an HR person.

If employees don't buy into the brand vision, it will fall over.

The HR team is essential to creating a culture that drives this vision.

When a new brand vision with its values is created, it needs to connect with the existing cultural values of the organization. The brand and HR teams need to work together to iron out any differences.

Brand values are driven by HR.

The execution stage covers deliverables such as agreeing on recruitment criteria and job spec, interview questions and approach, staff guidelines, appraisals and an on-boarding process and key documents that must include brand design content.

Ensuring that every HR touchpoint considers the question of brand and builds a business with people buying into the brand beliefs is what it is about.

A brand design process can be a powerful means to drive unity within a business because everyone is forced to think about how the core brand values translate in their role and the valuable role they play in communicating them for the better.

A happier workplace and improved productivity can be achieved when the HR leader is part of a brand design process that ties brand values with corporate culture.

Why don't more companies put HR at the center of brand design?

There is a director of brand strategy at Fresh Britain.