The golden key to N-dimensional branding

When it comes to the brand, the dimensions of brand image need to be considered in order to keep long-term development. The focuses of each dimension and its positive impact will inject vitality and stamina into the brand's sustainability. And it has nothing to do with the brand's nature, no matter it is an employer brand or a supplier brand, a government brand or an international brand, a public welfare brand or a green brand.

However, from a global perspective, most enterprises face enormous challenges in the comprehensive building of brand's N-dimensional image. No matter it is a change in the philosophy or a branding contradiction, it is necessary to seek the balance. The development and progress of different dimensions are also different, for example, there are some experience can be referenced for employer brands, while the approaches to government brands, international brands, etc. still need to be explored.

How to achieve the internal consistency between brands in each dimension and try to avoid mutual conflict? Here are some of my thoughts.

Challenges of N-dimensional branding

If corporate brand is a comprehensive impression of the brand from each stakeholder and a synthesis of multi-dimensional brands, then the branding process will remain as a huge challenge for most enterprises.

The first challenge is the philosophy. From a global perspective, branding focuses on customers or consumers. Although employer branding has already had certain influence and enterprises have set up special management system for employees, it is still not enough to just build employer brand as enterprise brand. Moreover, the branding process among Chinese enterprises is still at the initial stage.

Second, the process of one-dimensional branding is not always coordinated. Sometimes there are contradictions. For example, in the process of employer brand building, employees' demand for salary increase is sometimes contradictory with the investors' demand for cost reduction and profit in terms of investor brand building; moreover, for customer brand building, there is sometimes conflicts between the demand for high quality and low price and the demand for better purchase price from the perspective of supplier brand building. The building of green brand image and economic brand image are sometimes contradictory as well.

Third, the approaches and methods of one-dimensional branding are different. Except that enterprises have more mature experience on product brand, traditional corporate image brand and employer brand building, the building of supplier brand, government brand, international brand and other one-dimensional brand still has a long way to go.

Core concept of N-dimensional branding

Although there are inconsistencies, even contradictions and conflicts in the one-dimensional branding, there is an internal consistency. For example, the mechanisms of employer brand, customer brand, shareholder brand (investor brand) and competitor brand are intricately connected.

In the business environment, employer brand is a kind of adhesive, which binds different parts of an organization together. A good employer brand can ensure employee loyalty, commitment and high performance, which will bring customer satisfaction, loyalty and support. Developing a good customer brand will promote business growth, increase market share, ensure profit growth, satisfy investors and shareholders, and establish a good corporate economic brand which will gain great influence in the industry, win respect from competitors, and also promote a good employer image.
 

How to achieve the internal consistency between one-dimensional brands and avoid conflicts? As what Chinese President Xi proposed in his speech at the 23rd St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, we can say that sustainable development is the "golden key" to solve this problem.

Because the concept and method of sustainable development can create communication and action opportunities for these different one-dimensional brand groups to discuss interests balance, expectation and reality, coordinate appeals, and make cooperation compromise. This can minimize differences, narrow conflicts and foster consensus. Regarding sustainable development as the core concept, means that business information can be reflected in different time and space, in different stakeholders' actions, and ultimately achieve the consistency of information, action and value.

Common factor of N-dimensional branding

The concept of sustainable development should be integrated into the concept, practice, communication and comprehensive brand management in each one-dimensional branding. That is to say, the concept of sustainable development should be integrated into an enterprise's brand vision and values as well as brand practice (the daily operation of the enterprise).

This kind of daily operation pays special attention to balancing the interests, appeals and expectations of all stakeholders in brand creation, and transmits this production and operation practice to all stakeholders through comprehensive brand communication. Different brand impressions could be formed among different stakeholders, which may be employer brand, green brand, brand of developing the cordial and clean relationship between government and business, partner brand, public welfare brand, etc. The common factor of these one-dimensional brands is the sustainable brand of enterprises.

(Images in this article are from the internet)