When it comes to squeezing growth out of companies in a slowing economy, Shelly Lazarus believes that brand is everything. And the CEO of ad agency Ogilvy & Mather says catchy 30-second spots are only the start to building strong brands. Companies must examine every facet of the business to make sure the enterprise is speaking with a single voice. There's a welter of other disciplines that help define a brand--from Web sites and telemarketing to packaging and product instructions. Don't laugh. O&M even has an in-house architect who works with clients to give their lobbies the same "look" as their ads. Says Lazarus: "Once the enterprise understands what the brand is all about, it gives direction to the whole enterprise." That includes employees. Lazarus believes it's just as important to convey brand values to them as to customers. "They are absolutely critical. If the people who work in a company don't understand what the brand is, if they can't articulate what the brand's all about, then who can?" A good campaign can even convince workers an Old Economy brand has a wired future. In a stagnating economy, keeping your people motivated is half the battle.
By Gerry Khermouch in New York
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