Let’s just say that your spouse comes home one afternoon with some news. That day he quit his job in order to embark on a new path.  The next day he is leaving on an educational sabbatical to eat, pray, love and become a new person. This might take you a bit off-guard, not to mention the kids and the grandparents. Wouldn’t it have made a bit more sense if there had been some pre-planning and discussion?

The inspiration to re-evaluate a company’s position in the market or to launch a new product comes from deep within that company, but the process to create a new brand identity should involve staff on many levels. A brand is the rally cry of an organization, so start by rallying the most trusted ambassadors. 

A few months back, I had the pleasure to hear Alan Mulally speak about his efforts to renew Ford with the rally cry “One Ford…One Team…One Plan.”  He said, when he first arrived in the parking lot, he thought he might be at the wrong place. There was not a Ford in sight. Well, he has developed his ambassadors and after a few years, the parking lot represents the company and Ford is on a roll. 

What are the critical success factors for launching a new brand identity? Inspiration from within the company; support of trusted ambassadors inside and outside the company; a relevant product or service offering; great design – product, packaging, communications, and delivery; and communication that engages the consumer.

A big public launch is marvelous, but make sure the people close to the idea are in on the secret first.