This is a presentation I gave at the opening of the 2010 Branding Conference in South Africa. The 45 minutes allocated was too short to go into much detail so the presentation just touches on key issues in managing brands in turbulence, something that brand managers and strategists are going to have to get used to doing. Some of the slides require a talking head in front of them, but I hope that the general message of the presentation comes through. The use of a strategy canvas to develop a brand positioning is based on the excellent Blue Ocean Strategy work of W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne. I also used Philip Kotler and John A. Caslione's Chaotics as a reference book.
3. the world is facing increased
turbulence over the next
decade and beyond
Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World
released by the National Intelligence Council
4. all of which impacts on brands
which are also confronted with
8. Disruptive Technology / Issues Impacted Industry
Rapid emergence of e-readers Media, publishing, advertising
Google TV / Hulu Television, advertising
Smartphone games Game developers
Car manufacturers / housing
Environment / climate change
developers
Volcanic ash cloud Airlines / video conferencing
10. “We postulate that turbulence, and
especially heightened turbulence, with its
consequent chaos, risk and uncertainty, is
now the normal conditions of industries,
markets and companies”
Philip Kotler
John A Caslione
11. what brands need to
do to prepare for and
survive, even prosper,
in turbulence
by kevin dooley
12. Maintaining the brand core
Changing one’s mindset
Reevaluating the brand positioning
Having a conversation
13. and to explain these concepts we are
going to look beyond the marketing toolkit
15. not to be confused with current offerings,
it is why the brand has those offerings
16. 3M To solve unsolved problems innovatively
To help leading corporations and
McKinsey & Company
governments be more successful
Merck To preserve and improve human life
To experience the joy of advancing and applying
Sony
technology for the benefit of the public
17. a brand’s core can be changed over
time but it must not be rushed and
never at time of heightened
turbulence
18. “Companies that enjoy enduring
success have core values and a core
purpose that remain fixed while their
business strategies and practices
endlessly adapt to a changing world”
Jim Collins
Jerry Porras
20. one that accepts that we can’t predict the
future and should concentrate on being
flexible enough to successfully engage it, in
whatever form it may take
21. essentially need to jettison the
rationalistic mindset that there is one
correct long-term solution for a brand
22. central to many theories and
methodologies how build this “capacity
for uncertainty” is the concept of
scenario planning
23. borne out of military strategy
and effectively used by Shell to
deal with the oil crisis in the
1970s, scenario planning helps
us deal with uncertainty and
plot realistic alternative futures
photo by dirk ingo franke
24. scenarios allow us to see
beyond the headlights
photo by victor cavazzoni
27. 1 enroll diverse, expert opinion within and
outside the organization. get senior buy-in.
2 identify the question that you want
answered and gather the information.
3 identify the drivers that influence events and
compose realistic plots for the scenarios.
4 engage in ongoing strategic conversations
and constantly test the scenarios.
37. Which of the factors that the industry takes for
granted should be eliminated
Which factors should be reduced well below the
industry’s standard
Which factors should be raised well above the
industry’s standard
Which factors should be created that the
industry has never offered
39. Eliminate Raise
Terroir and awards
Price versus budget wines
Aging qualities
Retail store involvement
Above-the-line marketing
Wine complexity Easy drinking
Wine range Ease of selection
Heritage Fun
Reduce Create
40. Strategy Canvas of [yellow tail]
Price ATL Marketing Heritage Varietals Ease of Selection
Terroir / Awards Aging Wine Complexity Easy Drinking Fun
Premium Wines Budget Wines yellow tail
42. Strategy Canvas of Traditional Circuses
Price Animals Multiple Arenas Thrills & Danger
Stars Aisle Con. Fun Venue
Major Circuses Regional Circuses
43. Eliminate Raise
Star performers
Animal shows
Unique venue
Aisle concession sales
Multiple show arenas
Theme
Fun and humor Refined environment
Thrill and danger Multiple productions
Artistic music and dance
Reduce Create
44. Strategy Canvas of Cirque du Soleil
Price Animals Multiple Arenas Thrills & Danger Theme Multiple Production
Stars Aisle Fun Venue Re ned Artistic
Major Circuses Regional Circuses Cirque du Soleil