Internal Branding
The role of internal branding in business process is engagement, influence and adoption communication. Sometimes also
known as a change management or as I prefer to call it, transition facilitation, internal branding facilitates the transition from the
old state to the new state. Typically used in marketing for a product campaign, this branding concept can also be applied to the
marketing of any internal need. Internal branding is absolutely necessary for the successful dissemination of a new, innovative or
emerging idea, process or program.
Internal branding can differ from the existing corporate external brand. If a team is bringing new and innovative ideas and process
to their world while the external corporate image expresses stability and is highly transactional, should the branding match? No.
The goals of that team, at that place in time, are different. Either one will eventually change or evolve.
The decisions around internal branding are also different. Incorrectly approached with a tops-down communication style, this
communication is poorly delivered when management waves its magic wand setting the expectation of instant and complete
compliance. Never happens. An illustration is the new trend toward the adoption of the concept of “collaboration”. Typically
unexplained and un-illustrated, collaboration is being presented to the population as an icon word, sometimes accompanied by
some action such as moving the furniture around to remove the “barriers” of walls and panels or just calling all groups “teams”.
Rarely, if ever, does rank-and-file follow.
If you dare to ask people what they think collaboration means, with a now huge spread in diversity of gender, generations and
genus in the workplace, you get responses as diverse as “we should partner more across silos” to “ we shot collaborators in
World War II”. Yes, I have truly received the latter response. Needless to say, that person will not be aligned with the goals and
objectives, ever. And that person may be an important senior executive whose support and buy-in you need.
Decisions for internal branding require comprehensive (meaning across organization structure and culture boundaries) and
inclusionary, macro and micro questioning, overlook and specifics naming, no matter how small or large the group or transition
occurrence.
The Role of Business Graphics
Business graphics play a huge role in the transition facilitation of a program and as a tool for depiction and communication of a
brand. Yes – a picture is still worth a thousand words. Some pointers: Good business communication brand graphics should:
• be easy to recognize
• attract attention
• set the tone and style of expression
• position the program relative to the goals
• be embedded with the main message
• align with the program’s mission and vision (not necessarily the company’s)
• be cognizant and inclusive of consumer’s (end user) identity, culture and behavior
• evolve with the program
The thumbnails to the left are some internal branding developed for various transitions over the years. click on the thumbnail to
see the larger image.
Branding Graphics:
Items 1 - 3: Concept by Catherine Adams Lee, Graphic Design by Yamaguma & Associates - Design2Market;
Road Maps: Concept and Graphic Design by Catherine Adams Lee.
The role of internal branding in business process is engagement, influence and adoption communication. Sometimes also
known as a change management or as I prefer to call it, transition facilitation, internal branding facilitates the transition from the
old state to the new state. Typically used in marketing for a product campaign, this branding concept can also be applied to the
marketing of any internal need. Internal branding is absolutely necessary for the successful dissemination of a new, innovative or
emerging idea, process or program.
Internal branding can differ from the existing corporate external brand. If a team is bringing new and innovative ideas and process
to their world while the external corporate image expresses stability and is highly transactional, should the branding match? No.
The goals of that team, at that place in time, are different. Either one will eventually change or evolve.
The decisions around internal branding are also different. Incorrectly approached with a tops-down communication style, this
communication is poorly delivered when management waves its magic wand setting the expectation of instant and complete
compliance. Never happens. An illustration is the new trend toward the adoption of the concept of “collaboration”. Typically
unexplained and un-illustrated, collaboration is being presented to the population as an icon word, sometimes accompanied by
some action such as moving the furniture around to remove the “barriers” of walls and panels or just calling all groups “teams”.
Rarely, if ever, does rank-and-file follow.
If you dare to ask people what they think collaboration means, with a now huge spread in diversity of gender, generations and
genus in the workplace, you get responses as diverse as “we should partner more across silos” to “ we shot collaborators in
World War II”. Yes, I have truly received the latter response. Needless to say, that person will not be aligned with the goals and
objectives, ever. And that person may be an important senior executive whose support and buy-in you need.
Decisions for internal branding require comprehensive (meaning across organization structure and culture boundaries) and
inclusionary, macro and micro questioning, overlook and specifics naming, no matter how small or large the group or transition
occurrence.
The Role of Business Graphics
Business graphics play a huge role in the transition facilitation of a program and as a tool for depiction and communication of a
brand. Yes – a picture is still worth a thousand words. Some pointers: Good business communication brand graphics should:
• be easy to recognize
• attract attention
• set the tone and style of expression
• position the program relative to the goals
• be embedded with the main message
• align with the program’s mission and vision (not necessarily the company’s)
• be cognizant and inclusive of consumer’s (end user) identity, culture and behavior
• evolve with the program
The thumbnails to the left are some internal branding developed for various transitions over the years. click on the thumbnail to
see the larger image.
Branding Graphics:
Items 1 - 3: Concept by Catherine Adams Lee, Graphic Design by Yamaguma & Associates - Design2Market;
Road Maps: Concept and Graphic Design by Catherine Adams Lee.
| Road Maps - Example #1 Road Maps - Example #2 Road Maps - Example #3 |
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