Business cards, an envelope, letterhead and a notebook in the same house style, next to a colour fan with one orange swatch

PropositionBrand and communication

A brand that shows what you stand for

Trying to appeal to everyone means standing for no one. The Next Organization works with you to decide what your brand stands for and how it sounds. That way communication contributes to growth, in the short term and the long term.

Sound familiar?

Your brand says little about what sets you apart
Your communication is created ad hoc
Most of your budget goes to campaigns with results you can measure straight away
Customers are happy, but too few people know who you are
After a merger, nobody is sure what belongs to the group and what to the brand
Customers choose you for your price, not your brand

What is a brand strategy?

A brand strategy translates your organisation’s identity to the market. It determines the place your brand takes in the minds of your target group, and how you express that consistently. We work with three layers that build on each other.

Three layers that build on each other

Layer 1

Positioning

The question

What position do we hold with our target group?

What you define

Who customers compare you with, where you are similar and where you differ, summed up in a positioning statement
Layer 2

Brand values

The question

How do customers recognise us?

What you define

A handful of brand values, brand personality and tone of voice
Brand building long term Activation short term

Layer 3

Communication

The question

How do we get it across?

What you define

Core message, balance between brand building and activation, media mix and measurement plan

Brand values grow out of your core values. Test them against your competitors: what almost every brand claims does not set you apart.

Brand building pays off over the long term, activation in the short term; you need both. Your positioning builds on your value proposition.

What you get

You get a clear positioning, summed up in a single positioning statement. It comes with a handful of brand values, a brand personality and a tone of voice. A communication strategy with a core message, budget split and measurement plan completes the picture.

Frequently asked questions

How do you decide on your positioning?

First decide who you are there for and who customers compare you with. Then name where you are the same as your competitors and where you are different. That difference has to be something your target group values and others find hard to copy.

How much should you invest in brand building and how much in activation?

For consumer brands, Les Binet and Peter Field recommend roughly 60% brand building and 40% activation. In business markets they found an optimum around 46% brand building and 54% activation. It is a guideline, as category and growth stage also play a part.

What is tone of voice?

Tone of voice is how your brand sounds in words. It covers word choice, sentence structure and how formal or personal you write. A consistent tone of voice makes you recognisable, even when several colleagues are writing.

When do you need a rebrand?

When your brand no longer fits your strategy. Think of a new target group, a merger or an offering that has changed significantly. A new logo will not fix an unclear positioning.

How do you handle several brands within one group?

Decide topic by topic whether it belongs to the group or to the brand. Share what customers do not see, such as systems and purchasing. Leave with each brand whatever ties customers to that brand.