What can Not-For-Profits learn from the World’s Best Brands?

“A brand should strive to own a word in the mind of the consumer.”

Al Reis and Laura Reis, from The 22 Immutable Laws of BRANDING

Pop quiz for you…

What is the world’s best brand today?

Kodak? Xerox? Mercedes Benz? All were in the top ten at one time but do not crack the list any longer.

There are different ways to slice and dice the pecking order of which brand comes out on top. There’s the “Most Valuable”, the “Most Recognized”, the “Most Powerful” and so on. So to simplify the discussion, let’s just list the top five in alphabetical order…

• Coca-Cola
• GE
• Google
• IBM
• Microsoft

Of those five, Coca-Cola and Google are the ones that share the number one rankings on the various lists I have seen.

The differences between these companies are enormous! But it is in their similarity that we can learn so much about successful branding!

One company is over 100 years old while the other is just over 10 years old. One has been a manufacturer of consumer products that people around the world have enjoyed for generations, while the other is a high tech internet based search engine whose brand name was officially added as a verb to both the Merriam Webster Collegiate as well as the Oxford English Dictionaries in 2006.

Let’s see what we can learn from Coca-Cola first.

With the turn of the new millennium in 2000, Coca-Cola established a new goal for their company…”To become the world’s premier relationship company.”

They set out to deliver deeply resonating consumer brand experiences by doing the following:

• Create memorable connections with their consumers.
• The consumer was going to be respected. They would feel like they are a part of the brand…much like a fan of a sports team feels like they have a stake in the team.
• There would be the ability to customize a brand experience for different consumer segments.
• Opportunities would be developed for consumers to identify with the brand.
• They were going to be different, better, and special”
  

What they did was set a goal to become a larger part of people’s daily lives. They could no longer rely strictly on their history and reputation. They were going to be more relevant to the consumer!

They began by changing the focus of their slogan from themselves and their products to the consumer. In 2000, the slogan was changed from “Always Coca-Cola” to simply “Enjoy”.

Today, if you go to the Coca-Cola website (www.coca-cola.com), the focus is still on the consumer experience…The slogan is…”Open Happiness”.

The other thing that you immediately notice is the lack of focus on their products. Instead, the website focuses on your experience with the brand.

You see the “MyCokeRewards” Program that states…”Grab a drink. Enjoy. We’re gonna love you back.”

Front and center is the opportunity to own Coca-Cola merchandise both through the Rewards program and also through the Coca-Cola Store. Not only are they encouraging the consumer to identify with the brand, but they are getting millions of branding hits every day when people use the merchandise or wear the apparel.

Better yet…people are actually paying them to help advance their brand. And doing it gladly! This is just BRILLIANT!

You will also see opportunities for the consumer to help all kinds of great causes from Education and the Environment to Saving Polar Bears. Just by drinking the Coca-Cola products. Adding to the experience of enjoying the products by supporting great causes also.

The only products you see are Diet Coke and Coke Zero. Interesting! A great example of how they are customizing the brand experience for a different segment of their market.

All of this is very consistent with the original goals set back in 2000 and makes their brand sustainable! Its no wonder they are #1…

Now lets take a look at Google.

It has been said that a brand should strive to own a word in the mind of the consumer. In Coca-Cola’s case, they have owned the word “Refreshment” for generations.

In Google’s case, they not only own a word…they invented it also! Now when you are thinking of doing a search online, you are more likely than not thinking about “Googling”. Their brand has become an action…or an experience!

Google has become a portal of information to its customers and consumers. They are a destination and a resource for their customers all at the same time. They have found a way to become a valuable part of your daily life…They have relevance and meaning to their customers. This makes the Google brand sustainable.

Like corporations, not-for-profits should be thinking about their sustainability also. Most universities struggle with making branding work for themselves. It appears that the greatest mistake universities make is their short term approach to branding that is most often associated with products and not corporate brands.

Products change. On the other hand, corporate brands are focused on sustainability and are based on overarching core values and beliefs that connect the entire organization. This is where Universities should be focusing their efforts with their constituents.

Let’s look at Harvard as a litmus test…

Over 100 years ago, a prominent guidebook of the times called Harvard…”"the oldest, richest, and most famous of American seats of learning." Remarkably, the first two are still true absolutely and the last part is arguably still true as well!

Harvard has been able to sustain its brand since it was founded in 1636. Like Harvard or not, agree with them or not, their core values and beliefs have not changed drastically for over 300 years.

The products (courses and facilities) may have changed, but the corporate brand has endured. Yes…I said corporate brand! Harvard is also the first and oldest corporation in North America.

“Harvard” defines a first class educational experience. It is also defined by the success of its alumni and how strongly they identify with the brand.

Wouldn’t it be a good thing if your University Brand was as strong and defined as the Harvard brand?

Write in and share your thoughts on this and the other topics of the blog!