I’ve touched on the importance of the brand platform as a way to organize and present the multitude of elements a brand requires.

And in the last post I wrote about the four “statements” that usually emanate from the corporate strategic plan, those being mission, vision, values and positioning. The first three are independent of competition and market needs in that they are generated from within the company. They will usually reflect the founder’s vision, the strengths and drivers inherent in the organization, the values the leaders believe to be their ethical base and brand promise.

Together, these four elements will comprise what is generally known as the “corporate culture”. And because that culture is so ingrained and basic, it is often hard to define and characterize for those within its confines.

So much of any culture, be it corporate or social, is transparent to those within. So it is often best to get the perspective of wise people from outside the organization to point out the important characteristics of the existing corporate culture.

This may be a comprehensive research project, or it could just be keeping the pulse of the stakeholders through monitoring Internet sites concerned with the company’s industry.

However it’s collected and analyzed, those gathering the insights within the company need to be as impartial and realistic as possible even though there is danger of being the messenger who gets shot.

But having a clear picture of your corporate culture, together with the statements of intent concerning mission, vision, values and position, are vital aspects of the brand platform. It’s vital because only a true exhibit of the culture will lead to credibility, trust and ultimately, long-lasting relationships with customer evangelists.

Martin Jelsema

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