Bringing the corporation into corporate branding

This paper describes corporate branding as an organisational tool whose successful application depends on attending to the strategic, organisational and communicational context in which it is used. A model to help managers analyse context in terms of the alignment between strategic vision, organisational culture and corporate image is presented. Themodel is based on a gap analysis, which enables managers to assess the coherence of their corporate brand. Use of the model is illustrated by examining the stages of development that BritishAirways passed through in the creation of its corporate brand. The paper concludes that corporate brand management is a dynamic process that involves keeping up with continuous adjustments of vision, culture and image. The model suggests an approach to corporate branding that is organisationally integrated and cross-functional, hence the thesis that it is important to bring the (whole) corporation into corporate branding. Among the changes that businesses make as they move toward globalisation is a shift in marketing emphasis from product brands to corporate branding (e.g. Aaker, 1996; Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000; Balmer, 1995, 2001a; de Chernatony, 1999; Dowling, 2001, 1993; Harris and de Chernatony, 2001; Hatch and Schultz, 2001, Ind, 1997; Kapferer, 1992; Keller, 2000a, b; Knox et al., 2000; Olins, 2000; Schmitt and Simonsen, 1997). This is usually ascribed to the dif®culties of maintaining credible product differentiation in the face of imitation and homogenisation of products and services, and the fragmentation of traditional market segments that occurs as customers become more sophisticated and markets more complex. In an era when companies can no longer base their strategy on a predictable market or a stable preferential product range, the ground rules for competition change. Differentiation requires positioning, not products, but the whole corporation. Accordingly, the values and emotions symbolised by the organisation become key elements of differentiation strategies, and the corporation itself moves center stage. Support for the shift to corporate branding often comes from within marketing. For example, some marketing researchers have claimed that a strong corporate brand has signi®cant impact in creating positive consumer The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at http://www .emeraldinsight .com/researchregister http:// www.emeraldinsigh t.com/0309-056 6.htm The authors would like to acknowledge and thank John Williamson and his colleagues at Wolff Olins for their contribution to this paper (see www.wolff-olins.com) Corporate branding