Maintaining Brand Consistency

Maintaining brand consistency is a constant challenge. Especially in times of growth and change. How can we overcome these barriers? Let’s take a moment to pause and reflect.

• Consistency over time is what makes brands distinctive, memorable and valuable.

• Yet many organizations continue to struggle with consistency.

• It’s often ignored or not taken seriously.

• It can be tempting to do things differently—to leave your mark on a brand. Or focus on what needs to change instead of what needs to stay the same.

• Consistency is especially hard to maintain when an organization’s structure is complex or undergoing restructuring.

• When consistency falters, it can lead to criticism and confusion from customers.

• Think of Tropicana’s left turn packaging revamp. Or Kia’s impenetrable new logo.

• So how can we marketers maintain brand consistency?

• Let’s start with what this actually means.

• Brand consistency is about ensuring that all forms of brand expression—words, designs, experiences—align with each other according to the brand strategy and visual identity.

• It’s proven to boost customer satisfaction. It creates trust and signals credibility. And—most importantly—it works over time to move your customer from awareness to consideration.

• Having the right people, processes, and tools in place can help deliver brand consistency—across channels and touchpoints.

• This can involve RACIs, guidelines, review and approval processes, cross-training, and a single file-sharing tool—Dropbox, Google Drive or a DAM.

• If your organization is undergoing a lot of growth and change, there’s more to take into consideration.

• In the case of a merger or acquisition, we marketers have a vital role to play in weighing what part of each brand should be combined, separated, or created as new.

• If you’re in this position, be sure to get stakeholders—employees, investors, and customers—involved early in the process. And communicate with them regularly to gain maximum support and buy-in.

• The process should include creating a migration plan and building a cross-functional team to manage it over time.

• And as teams are being combined, consider throwing an internal launch event to share the brand strategy.

• No matter how much change you’re facing, maintaining brand consistency requires continuous effort.

• It’s not about rigid policing.

• It’s about protecting a valuable asset.
• It might not be easy, but it’s always worth the effort.