what would you do?

For some reason I can’t stop thinking about this article I saw in the newspaper three days ago. Here are the key points:

• EWEB is planning a "brand development" campaign to learn whether customers' perceptions of EWEB matches employees' perceptions and the utility's communications to the public, spokesman Marty Douglass said.
• “The utility plans to spend about $75,000 on initial survey and research work, and then will consider spending another $75,000 on brand development. The work is being done in conjunction with Cappelli Miles [spring], a Eugene-based marketing and communications firm.”
• A new "brand" could conceivably include a new slogan or logo.
• "We don't feel we can make that decision right now in the absence of research."

Here are my concerns: What business problem will the utility solve by conducting this research? Is there truly a logo or tagline problem that needs solving?

Let’s remember that a brand is a living concept found in people’s minds. The visual identity of a firm or its products is only but a small part of a brand. The greater the gap between what a firm says versus what is does, the less authentic it will appear. When the two are aligned a firm will be perceived as authentic.  I have a feeling that this is what the utility is after: a sense of authenticity and connection with its customers.

I believe what a firm does, however, is more important that what it says it does. In writing the rule of thumb says, show don’t tell. It’s true with brands too.  A brand encompasses everything a customer comes in contact with (every touch point, each employee, the architecture of the office, how customers are treated, ect.)

I’m curious, how would you spend $75,000 to improve the utility’s brand?

Comments

[Stephen Landau]

Good point, Sam. Coincidentally, there's an interesting article about authenticity on Fast Company's site:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/115/features-who-do-you-love.html