Don't Undermine Your Own Brand

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Consistency protects brand authenticity

Second, authenticity requires credibility. I recently stayed at a hotel that had paper-thin walls, which became evident when my neighbors, a rather energetic high school softball team, enjoyed too much fun and too little sleep (as did I). When I dragged my weary body into the bathroom the next morning, there on the shower curtain was the hotel brand's chirpy slogan: "Wake up on the bright side." Not a credible promise, although I did have some sympathy for the chain. Authenticity is a particularly vexing problem for franchised companies that leave the customer experience in the hands of independent operators, some of which care less than others. (See "Don't Neglect Internal Branding.")

Third, authenticity requires consistency, both in the moment and over time. In the digital age there's no way to confine people's exposure to a brand's slick, external veneer. They are going to catch a glimpse inside one way or another. When they spy a dent or a chip in the paint, they shouldn't be surprised.

If your brand is solid on the outside but no more impressive than particle board within, your good name will last about as long as a cheap chair. Depending on your starting point, it may take time to earn the credibility that comes with consistency. Citi's new direction may be as authentic as it gets; given the company's history, it's going to be a while before most people believe it.

Every brand can find its place of authenticity. If you're in business and you're making a profit, you're obviously doing something right for someone. Start there and discover exactly what it is you do that is ringing customers' bells. Then do more of what adds to it and less of what doesn't.

don't boast about not-great service

Look for the links between "consumer truths" and "brand truths." Consumer truths aren't difficult to find: People make their wants and needs known, and good research can turn up motivations customers may not realize or won't even admit. The bigger challenge is to differentiate between your brand's truths and its aspirations. There's nothing wrong with aspirations, but by definition they're not true—at least not today.

Take great service, for example. It's an admirable aspiration, to be sure, but it honestly, credibly, and consistently characterizes few companies. If you're not genuinely one of them, don't claim to be.

Instead, be authentic with yourself. Ask hard questions about your brand. What is it that fundamentally drives your value proposition? At what are you genuinely, credibly, and consistently excellent? How can you be authentically better? Where are the holes, and how can you fill them? And when it comes to marketing, how can you communicate authentically, without resorting to simplistic and dangerous claims and promises?

The good news is that money doesn't matter. In fact, being authentic will actually make your limited budget go farther because you're not trying to convince people of anything that isn't true. I recently drove past a bail bonding company in a ramshackle building with a beat-up sign that said: "Because jail sucks." Now that's authentic—not to mention funny. I'm not in the market for a bail bond (and hope never to be), but if something bad happens this weekend, I know who to call.

Branding isn't difficult. It's just like real life. You should continually strive to make your brand the best it can be. Just never try to make it something other than what it is.

Steve McKee is president of McKee Wallwork Cleveland Advertising, a firm that specializes in helping stalled companies rekindle growth. He is the author of the new book, When Growth Stalls.

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