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Show notes for the CUES Podcast Episode 25: Brand Strategy
“Every single associate, every single staff member is a brand ambassador,” says John Mathes on the CUES Podcast Episode 25. Mathes is director of brand strategy at CUES Supplier member Weber Marketing Group and a faculty member at CUES School of Strategic Marketing I and II, where you can learn about branding this summer in Seattle.
That is why, when undergoing a credit union rebrand, it’s important to survey entire staff for their points of view. When Weber Marketing Group works with a CU client, they conduct employee focus groups, plus workshops with the senior leadership team and board members.
“You never know where the brand insights are going to come from,” he says.
What is branding?
“It’s actually difficult to describe. There are so many parts and pieces and components of branding,” Mathes says. “The misconception is that a brand is a tangible object or a logo. Those are just the elements of the brand. Brands are intangible. They live in the mind and the heart and the soul.
“What drives the brand is from inside of the organization. It is the essence of the organization that develops the brand. It’s like the DNA of the organization,” he adds. The key takeaways from the interview include:
- identifying your return on marketing efforts;
- defining “brand”;
- identifying the driving force behind branding;
- considerations for defining your market; and
- a discussion of the book, Positioning, the Battle for the Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout, which he strongly recommends for our listeners.
Theresa Witham is CUES’ managing editor/publisher.
