The People Edition
This past month, we've seen organisations prioritising their people (or not!) to activate their brand and promote their products and services. In this issue, we’ll explore how placing your people at the core of your brand can reinforce your purpose, improve employee engagement, and drive success for the unpredictable future.
People build brands and brands build businesses
We loved this piece in Forbes about how you can build you own personal brand. 77% of consumers are more likely to buy from a company when the CEO's active on social media. 82% trust companies more when their leaders show up online. In this article you can learn how to use ChatGPT to craft (and live) your own personal brand.
Curry's puts its brand in the hands of Gen Z
Employee driven marketing is changing the way brands connect with their audiences. Duolingo’s green owl has gained 8.2 million followers in two years, thanks to a Gen Z employee, while Ocado, Boots, and even Henry Vacuum are going viral on TikTok for posting staff content.
As our Brand Activation director, Sally Tarbit, puts it, 'Involving your people in marketing doesn’t just energise the team, it builds deeper trust with your customers." And it works: content from employees has seen 8x more engagement than brand content.
WITH THE TEAM EVENTS Harriot Pleydell-Bouverie
This December we are joined by entrepreneur, Harriot Pleydell-Bouverie, founder of Mallow & Marsh. Harriot will talk to clients about entrepreneurial mindset and the importance of a clear value proposition. She'll also talk about sweets and candy! Come and join us.
10 December, 4.00pm GMT
Don't anger the fans!
"I know you guys want squad investment, but can I interest you in a pointless rebrand instead?" was @_HometownGlory's response to the new Tottenham Hotspur rebrand. He's not alone. See Football insider for a whole host of other barbs.
But, some love it, because it has reintroduced elements of storytelling (it now incorporates the trees of the seven sisters) and people love storytelling in brands.
Okay, so we know that the nuance of brand can be lost of some people, and football fans aren't slow in coming forward with moans, but the reaction demonstrates the importance of taking the people with you. As our Executive Creative Director @D It doesn't matter how good the work is, if your fans don't get it, then nobody will. When you change the brand, you need maximum impact, and you need to take your people with you.
Still, at least Spurs haven't done a Jaguar! See Mark Ritson's review for the plethora of negative reaction. But then again, the Jaguar launch is now the most eagerly awaited car launch in decades, so let's wait and see what they do. Their brand teaser was certainly 'copying nothing.'
(EDIT: See our director Cliff Ettridge 's post after the next phase in the Jaguar launch.)
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Is adoption of AI stalling among workers?
A new study from Slack has revealed that while executives remain fully committed to AI, for the first time since genAI’s introduction, adoption rates are levelling off, and enthusiasm is waning among the global workforce! Read the article to find out what's changed.
Communicating with employees in a crisis and emerging AI
Brands benefit from having engaged people when troubled times come calling. Businesses like bp and The Body Shop have fallen back on the goodwill of people when facing negative PR or existential crisis.
In the On Brand podcast with Nick Westergaard , The Team's director Cliff Ettridge outlines what brands can do.
Values matter
Defining values matters. Both your employees and your customers want to see clear, authentic examples of what your brand stands for. 60% of Gen Z and Millennials now consider values a deal-breaker when considering a job, and research from Accenture says customers are willing to walk away from companies that don't reflect their values, and turn to those that do.
Research we conducted four years ago revealed 3 leading values among high performing organisations: Customer, Quality and Team. Genius Sports have launched their values this year and they have gone with the Power of Three as well. Wise move. But which ones?
Reskilling with a difference
In the face of AI, yet another technological upheaval, businesses face an important question: How do we future-proof our people? In Maddyness , our Strategy Director, Toby Mortleman, shows us that the answer lies in a diverse approach to learning.
By encouraging people to cross boundaries and learn a varied skill set, we’re preparing for a future that AI can’t shape. 70% of companies are equipping people with the kind of skills that fuel innovation and encourage adaptability in a rapidly changing world.
Would you wear it?
When employees connect with a brands purpose, they take pride in it. Take Gas Safe Register — engineers wear the brand with confidence because it clearly reflects a strong commitment to their own safety and well-being, as well as others.
In fact, 58% of employees are more likely to stay with a company whose mission, values and purpose align with their own. Our creative director, Dave Recchia, often asks clients, “Would you wear it?” If your brand reflects your purpose, your people will wear it with pride.