From brand launched to brand lost: Where's the brand I paid for?

It's a sentiment many tech CMOs and marketing leaders can relate to. After pouring significant resources, time, and effort into crafting a powerful brand identity, the expectation is to see that brand thrive and resonate in the market. Yet, all too often, what follows is a gradual drift from the brand's core essence. Despite the substantial investment in the initial brand launch, many find themselves grappling with a brand that seems unfamiliar, diluted, or even lost in the vast sea of the tech industry. This article delves into the challenges of maintaining brand consistency post-launch and offers tactical solutions to bridge the gap.

Why does this happen? Common mistakes tech brands make leading to brand decay

Before diving into the branding paradox, it's essential to understand the missteps that lead tech brands astray:

• Overemphasis on Launch, Underemphasis on Sustainment: The glitz and glamour of a brand launch often overshadow the need for a sustained marketing strategy. The initial buzz is essential, but what about the months and years that follow?
• Lack of Comprehensive Brand Guidelines: Initial brand guidelines might cover the basics, but they often lack detailed instructions for diverse marketing scenarios. This absence can lead to varied interpretations and inconsistencies.
• Not Adapting to Evolving Market Dynamics: The tech industry is ever-evolving. Brands that stick rigidly to their initial messaging risk becoming outdated, not resonating with the changing needs and preferences of their audience.
• Inadequate Training for Marketing Teams: A brand is only as strong as the people promoting it. Without regular training sessions, marketing and sales teams might drift from the core brand message.
• Not Leveraging Technology: In an age of digital transformation, failing to use modern tools to maintain brand consistency is a missed opportunity.

Surprisingly, only 60% of marketers believe their brand is consistently represented in the marketplace [Source: Lucidpress]. Obviously, this is a real problem, both for CMOs but for the downstream marketing teams that feel the heat when the brand begins to decay.

The branding paradox

Brands often invest significantly in the initial launch, creating a robust brand identity, messaging, and positioning. However, as time progresses, this brand essence can dilute. Different teams, from demand generation to sales, might have varied interpretations of the brand, leading to a fragmented brand presence in the market.

Too often marketing leaders, in the rush of trying to get their brands completed and out the door, neglect to ask the questions that will improve the chances that all that hard work will pay off over time. Questions like:

• Are we consistently reinforcing our brand's core messaging in all our marketing campaigns?
• How often do we review and update our brand guidelines to ensure they remain relevant?
• Are all our teams, from sales to content creators, aligned with our brand's essence?
• How do we measure brand consistency across various channels and campaigns?
• Are we leveraging the latest tools and technologies to maintain brand consistency?

Tactical frameworks for brand consistency

To bridge the gap between brand creation and sustained marketing, it's essential to have tactical frameworks in place. I know, you just went through a strategic process and now you have to get tactical. Well, it works. These frameworks serve as blueprints, ensuring that every marketing effort resonates with the brand's core messaging and essence for the long haul (not just the initial launch materials). By implementing these frameworks, brands can ensure a cohesive and consistent brand presence across all touchpoints.

Demand generation

Demand generation is the foundation of any marketing strategy. It's about creating awareness and interest in your brand. To ensure that your demand generation efforts align with your brand's essence for the long haul, a structured approach is crucial.

• Content Calendar Template: Align all content with brand themes and messaging. Regularly update this calendar to stay relevant and test the marketing messaging against the original brand position. Put checks and balance in place that weigh the need for review while also keeping the process agile. No one wants the brand team breathing down their necks. With training and inspection, this can be avoided.
• A/B Testing Framework: Test variations of brand messaging to find what resonates best with the audience, ensuring it remains true to the brand essence. Ensure that there is a testing framework that is agile, can be improved over time and is consistently used.

Lead generation

Lead generation is the critical process of attracting potential customers to your brand. And it's an ongoing siege that needs consistency and speed. It's essential that every touchpoint, from a downloadable eBook to a webinar sign-up, reflects your brand's voice and promise and that over time, there is a consistent thread of the brand in everything that is meant to engage and convert customers.

• Lead Magnet Blueprint: Ensure all lead magnets, from eBooks to whitepapers, maintain the brand's voice, design, and messaging.
• CTA Design Guide: Design CTAs consistent with brand colors, fonts, and messaging.
• Templates: When designing (or redesigning) your email, landing page, ad and other marketing templates, have fun with it and make your templates as flexible as possible while also maintaining your brand essence. Time and again we see brands creating templates that aren't flexible enough for the lead gen team, and thus new templates get made that ruin the brand look and feel.

Sales enablement

Your sales team is often the face of your brand. Equipping them with the right tools and materials ensures they communicate your brand's value proposition effectively and consistently. This isn't a one and done affair, however. It should start with a kick-off but continue with constant reinforcement.

• Sales Playbook: Equip sales teams with a guide on the brand's value proposition, messaging, and differentiators.
• Branded Pitch Deck Templates: Ensure every presentation is on-brand. Again, this is an area that is a major problem if pitch decks are not flexible or complete enough to carry the needs of sales. If they don't have what they need, they will ignore what you give them and create it themselves. A good rule of thumb when creating new brand element for sales is to ask them for what they need BEFORE you create it.

Marketing perspective

From a broader marketing perspective, it's crucial to have systems in place that regularly check for brand consistency and provide feedback mechanisms to ensure alignment.

• Brand Audit Checklist: Periodically review all marketing materials for brand consistency, but don't slow down or constrain the marketing team too much. Teach and encourage them to flex the brand in the right ways.
• Feedback Loop System: Establish regular communication between marketing teams and your brand team. Also involve your agencies in your discussion around the brand and further education on how to use it.

Techniques to reinforce brand consistency

In the dynamic world of technology marketing, maintaining brand consistency is akin to navigating a ship through ever-changing waters. While the initial brand launch sets the course, it's the continuous reinforcement techniques that ensure the ship stays on track. For tech CMOs and marketing leaders, it's not just about creating a brand but actively nurturing and safeguarding it. The following techniques are pivotal in ensuring that the brand's essence remains undiluted and consistently resonates across all touchpoints, no matter how turbulent the market becomes.

• Brand Workshops: Conduct workshops to train teams on brand guidelines and best practices.
• Digital Asset Management (DAM) Systems: Use a centralized repository for all brand assets, ensuring everyone accesses the latest materials.
• Brand Scorecards: Measure and rate brand consistency across channels and campaigns. Remember, brands consistently presented are 3 to 4 times more likely to experience brand visibility [Source: Lucidpress].

What is your role as a senior marketing leader?

In the intricate tapestry of brand management and marketing, senior leaders like CMOs and VPs of Marketing are the master weavers. Their role should transcend beyond mere oversight; they are the visionaries, the guardians, and the champions of a brand's essence.

Visionaries: As the strategic minds behind branding initiatives, senior marketing leaders are responsible for setting the direction. They envision the brand's future, anticipate market shifts, and craft strategies that not only resonate with the current audience but also adapt to future demands. Their foresight ensures that the brand remains relevant, competitive, and aligned with industry innovations.

Guardians: Protecting the brand's integrity is a paramount responsibility. From ensuring that marketing campaigns adhere to brand guidelines to intervening when the brand's image is at stake, these leaders act as the brand's first line of defense. They ensure that every touchpoint, be it a social media post or a major product launch, echoes the brand's core values and messaging.

Champions: Senior marketing leaders are the brand's most vocal advocates. They rally their teams, instill a sense of brand pride, and foster a culture where the brand's essence is revered and upheld. Their passion and commitment to the brand inspire others to maintain consistency and strive for excellence.

The weight of this role cannot be understated. After all, 64% of buyers cite shared values as the primary reason they have a relationship with a brand [Source: Harvard Business Review]. It underscores the importance of a brand's authenticity and consistency in building and nurturing customer relationships. As the torchbearers of these values, senior marketing leaders play an indispensable role in shaping the brand's journey and ensuring its lasting impact in the market.

The stakes are incredibly high

Branding isn't just about creating an identity; it's about preserving and amplifying that identity over time. For tech CMOs and senior marketing leaders, the stakes are incredibly high. After investing substantial time, resources, and capital into a brand overhaul, the expectation is clear: the brand must not only shine at launch but continue to resonate and thrive in the market.

According to a study by Gartner, B2B companies spend on average 11% of their revenue on marketing, with a significant portion dedicated to branding initiatives [Source: Gartner]. This investment isn't trivial. When CEOs and other stakeholders don't see the brand's essence reflected downstream or notice its decay over time, it raises serious concerns about the return on that investment. Such discrepancies can put marketing leadership under intense scrutiny, questioning the efficacy of their strategies and the value they bring to the organization.

In essence, a brand's decay isn't just a marketing challenge; it's a business risk. It jeopardizes the trust and credibility of marketing leadership, potentially leading to organizational shifts and strategic overhauls. For CMOs and their teams, ensuring brand consistency post-launch isn't just a duty—it's a critical imperative to safeguard their roles, validate their efforts, and truly deliver on the promise of their brand to both their organization and their audience.

At Mighty & True, we spend a lot of time helping tech brands make the most of their investments in their brand story and ensuring that downstream efforts are fully aligned. In fact, our brand launch playbook, as well as all our tech marketing plays are just what is needed to keep the brand working over time. Interested in learning more, let's talk!

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