I had a math teacher in high school who taught a math rule like this: “Whenever X happens, it always means Y,” he’d say, “Coca-Cola. Walmart. Always.” He’d even provide hints on our tests, sometimes writing “Coca-Cola + Walmart” next to a problem to remind us to use the “Always” rule. Math was never my strong suit, so I couldn’t tell you the actual rule (sorry, Mr. Morris), but I did get a valuable takeaway about brand consistency I can apply in my current role.
Two of the world’s biggest brands shared the same word in their taglines: Always.
From Coke’s early-1990s “Always Coca-Cola” slogan to every Walmart pre-2007 slogan, the “Always” inclusion signals the brand consistency these industry giants offer. Consistency represents trust, expectations, reliability and satisfaction. When it comes to Coca-Cola and Walmart, the phrases insinuate you will always get what you expect. This messaging is carried throughout the brand — from social media and website pages to social responsibility efforts and the end-user experience. The brand consistency is perfect. But it’s also expensive.
I’ve worked with hundreds of brands, and most companies struggle with brand consistency — some because of a lack of awareness around its importance or how to implement it, and others because of a lack of resources (few of us have Coca-Cola or Walmart-sized budgets). In my experience, I’ve uncovered a few tips practiced by some of the most successful brand marketers.
Brand Consistency Tip #1: Foundational Vs. Strategic
Too many companies draft messaging documents and never look at them again. Across industries, too many hours are wasted in boardrooms debating words and nuances like “Boulder-based” vs. “Based in Boulder.” The truth is, it doesn’t matter what your brand messaging says if it never sees the light of day.
In marketing, there are foundational elements and strategic elements. The foundational elements are the table stakes — the things you, as a marketer, need to develop to do your job: brand guidelines, messaging, boilerplate language, a mission statement, an elevator pitch, etc. These items are nonnegotiables that help you create a brand.
The strategic elements come into play when examining how often you update these brand elements, how and where you use them, which of them goes to which audiences, how you provide internal education and expectations, and how you actually enforce the use (or lack of use) of your brand’s established messaging.
These more strategic items are nonnegotiables for creating brand consistency. And without consistency, any brand will suffer.
Brand Consistency Tip #2: Good Vs. Great
General messaging is good, but messaging tailored to each stakeholder is even better. Do you talk to the press differently than you talk with potential investors? You should.
Not only should you make sure your messaging lands with the right audience, but you need to determine which messaging is most appropriate for each vertical. Brand consistency doesn’t necessarily mean the message must be the exact same every time. Consistency in marketing means the right brand message lands with your ideal audience at the right time and in the right place — every time.
Of course, consistency with brand guidelines and other brand elements is important, but remember to consider other examples of common ways companies “miss” when it comes to brand consistency:
- Social Media: Your LinkedIn audience is likely pretty different from your Facebook audience, and your messaging should be, too! As a general rule, cross-posting the same message across platforms is ineffective and can come off as lazy.
- Investor Relations: Your investor relations verbiage doesn’t belong in every single press release, and it certainly shouldn’t be used to pitch the press, even on an announcement related to investment. If you’re making a public earnings announcement or announcing the terms of a new deal or raise, your legally approved investor relations language is certainly appropriate. However, if you’re putting out a press release on an award win, for example, using the same legal verbiage as you would when addressing financial stakeholders is a bit silly. If you must use that verbiage in all press releases, perhaps you reconsider if this “news” is truly worthy of a release—or if it is a better fit as simply a blog or piece of company news (don’t get me started on this topic!).
- Elevator Pitch: Words matter! If you’re a technology company, your salespeople may target CTOs while your public relations team targets journalists. That elevator pitch must make sense for its corresponding audience. Salespeople may want to lead with product specifications and ROI, whereas your press team prefers leading with your company differentiators. These are only two examples of the many places to examine your messaging so your brand can leverage the most effective message for each audience.
Remember, brand consistency doesn’t always mean doing things the same way “no matter what.” It means you’re consistently showing up in the right ways to the right audiences.
Brand Consistency Tip #3: Prepare for “Earned” Opportunities
All of the above are examples of “owned” content, where we have full control over our message. But, what about the messaging you can’t control — how are you preparing for these opportunities? Let me paint a picture: Your top salesperson is at your trade show booth, and a member of the media walks up to them and begins a conversation. Are your salespeople trained to speak to the media, or at the very least, able to recognize when a reporter asks probing questions and know how to pass them along to the appropriate channel?
This level of preparedness may not seem like a big deal, but this quick interaction could result in major issues for your brand if this salesperson doesn’t understand your public-facing messaging. At best, it could mean an opportunity lost or squandered with an important media outlet. At worst, speculative or off-brand commentary could make it into the story and negatively impact the company. Bottom line: You’re at risk if you’re not enforcing brand consistency at all touch points.
Brand Consistency Tip #4: Eliminate “Too Many Cooks”
One of the biggest brand consistency mistakes I see is working with too many vendors. If you’re working with an in-house team, internal communication is key. But, when working with teams outside your organization, communication becomes the most important thing. An agency employs experts in certain areas. If you only want public relations help, go to a PR agency, but if you also want social help, try to find an integrated communications agency that does both. Better yet, find an agency with the capabilities to do it all.
When a company spreads its marketing, PR and communications work across more than one agency, the company contact generally ends up leading a game of telephone from one agency to another. In addition to a lack of visibility across teams, more time in meetings and the potential for repetitive work or work that misses the mark, this piecemeal approach lacks a seamless, synergistic strategy.
That’s right — it all boils down to your strategy. Your plan for developing, iterating and enforcing your brand messaging must include processes and stop checks to ensure a seamless — and consistent — brand experience for all “end users.”
Boost Your Brand Consistency to Build Your Legacy with Comprise
Sound like a big job? It sure is. Our team of experts at Comprise is ready to help you navigate the journey to a seamless brand experience. Our name is no accident. We comprise every aspect of strategic communications, with an in-house team of creative designers, web developers, copywriters, public relations professionals and SEO specialists upholding the highest standards for project planning and execution.
Like Coca-Cola’s “Always Coca-Cola” and Walmart’s “Always Low Prices,” brand consistency makes your message memorable and cements a steady identity that helps you stand out. When big companies like these commit to a consistent tone, message and value proposition, they create an enduring connection with their audience.
Whether you’re a brand on the rise or need more help becoming an industry authority, let us know how we can help you maintain a consistent voice across all your platforms and infuse that “always” your audience can count on — every time.
