practice

services

Vision & Mission

Brand DNA

Brand Positioning

Product Positioning

Research Design & Management

Brainstorm Design & Facilitation

Executive & Expert Interviews

POV Development

​Sales/Pitch Deck Development

netnewideasLLC

brand strategy is a right-brain/left-brain activity.  when not aligned, a client receives a well defined problem with no solution or a great idea that doesn't make a meaningful difference on institutional goals.  a successful engagement is a marriage of the consulting brain and the creative brain.  here's how we do it:

1. read everything - we will read everything we can to understand the context of your institution (strategic plans, marketing materials, category analysis, customer/student research, competitive/peer-group intelligence, mission and vision, etc.)
   
2. identity the problem - next, we will define the problem that the brand can and will solve.  this is trickier than it seems.  since brand affects everything, it's tempting to burden it with objectives that should be solved through strategy, differentiated offering, sales, service, or operations.  this is the first - and most important - deliverable.
   
3. define the brand DNA - the DNA of the brand is the distillation of why the brand exists, where it has come from, and what its values are.  brands that are linked to the founder or institutional culture can be defined, or re-defined, through an internal investigation.  brands that are constructed for a specific audience will need to integrate the audience's mindset.  for brands like this, external research is required.
   
4. crack the brand positioning - the positioning is about the future of the brand, not its past.  it defines a space that transports the brand to where it needs to go.  to be successful, the positioning must be relevant, differentiated, and reflective of the organization's unique expertise.
   
5. create a brand idea - if the brand positioning identifies the territory you want to occupy, the brand idea is the "content" that you need to own.  it's the strategic thought or premise that we feel - in our collective hearts - will connect with your audiences, outflank your competition, energize your stakeholders and employees, inspire action, and drive buzz.
   
6. build the brand hierarchy - once the idea is established, it's time to build the hierarchy to flush out the brand meaning and connect the brand to the offering and experience.  the hierarchy becomes the touchstone that guides the development of brand assets and brand campaigns. 
   
7. ​activate the brand - a brand platform (DNA, positioning, idea, hierarchy) supports the entire enterprise.  before external audiences are exposed to new communications, the brand should be socialized internally with presentations and workshops.  with all employees prepared to live the brand, everything the organization does will prove to audiences that the brand means what it says.  it's real and for real.