Comments on: Why CEOs are the brand, and very little else should be. http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/ The return of the 'blow by blow' Sledgehammer, since the heydays when he wrote weekly for The Star and later, the New Straits Times under the same infamous pen name. Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:58:23 +0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: farouk http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/comment-page-1/#comment-1011 farouk Fri, 30 May 2008 09:01:20 +0000 http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/#comment-1011 Nowadays marketing department is no more exclusive and structured like stovepipe differentiated from other dept such ad accts and hr. In fact all of the employees are doing marketing(holistic) specially in service indusrty. Thus marketing people had to come out with a term called branding to be relevant in the company, something that had been practised by the traders in Rom when they do markings on their pottery. Again i think corp brand is more relenvant than CEO brand for going concern basis just like Bill Gates never name his com. based on his name or Steve on Apple Comp. Nowadays marketing department is no more exclusive and structured like stovepipe differentiated from other dept such ad accts and hr. In fact all of the employees are doing marketing(holistic) specially in service indusrty. Thus marketing people had to come out with a term called branding to be relevant in the company, something that had been practised by the traders in Rom when they do markings on their pottery.

Again i think corp brand is more relenvant than CEO brand for going concern basis just like Bill Gates never name his com. based on his name or Steve on Apple Comp.

]]> By: Zafrul http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/comment-page-1/#comment-1003 Zafrul Thu, 29 May 2008 05:57:08 +0000 http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/#comment-1003 I believe it's quite true, the CEO should embody the essence of the brand, hence why choosing the right CEO is extremely important. However, I believe the company as an entity should have an underlying personality or persona, and that persona should resonate with the leader. And usually company personality are built on personalities of the founder, hence why you see Tony Fernandez = Air Asia, Richard Brenson = Virgin and if you look at Sony even today and study their history, it still embodies the fundamentals of the founder (can't remember his name). As for YTL, the brand and believes of YTL didn't start from Fancis Yeoh, but still has many of the fundamentals from Yeoh Tiong Lay. Yes, Francis did take YTL few more steps ahead and into the next century, but I don't see too much fundamental difference in the YTL brand, besides fresh and updates visual identity,they still all have the same believes. As for MAS, I'm sorry but IJ is still not the brand for me, MAS is still MAS. They have new leader yes, who seems to finally be able to fix things, but the brand and company is still stuck with old brand mind-set and '30 year long' employees. It's not easy to change anyone's mindset. Same can be said about what Wahid has done to TM, and now that he's gone, what is TM's brand? My 2 cents - The brand and the founders are always closely connected, but then a brand/company should be set forward for the next 100 years, and will need to find leaders or CEOs resonates with the brand/company. Otherwise, like someone said, get them out and get someone new in... Zafrul Azhar Noordin Co-Founder, Motionworks I believe it’s quite true, the CEO should embody the essence of the brand, hence why choosing the right CEO is extremely important. However, I believe the company as an entity should have an underlying personality or persona, and that persona should resonate with the leader. And usually company personality are built on personalities of the founder, hence why you see Tony Fernandez = Air Asia, Richard Brenson = Virgin and if you look at Sony even today and study their history, it still embodies the fundamentals of the founder (can’t remember his name). As for YTL, the brand and believes of YTL didn’t start from Fancis Yeoh, but still has many of the fundamentals from Yeoh Tiong Lay. Yes, Francis did take YTL few more steps ahead and into the next century, but I don’t see too much fundamental difference in the YTL brand, besides fresh and updates visual identity,they still all have the same believes.

As for MAS, I’m sorry but IJ is still not the brand for me, MAS is still MAS. They have new leader yes, who seems to finally be able to fix things, but the brand and company is still stuck with old brand mind-set and ‘30 year long’ employees. It’s not easy to change anyone’s mindset. Same can be said about what Wahid has done to TM, and now that he’s gone, what is TM’s brand?

My 2 cents – The brand and the founders are always closely connected, but then a brand/company should be set forward for the next 100 years, and will need to find leaders or CEOs resonates with the brand/company. Otherwise, like someone said, get them out and get someone new in…

Zafrul Azhar Noordin
Co-Founder, Motionworks

]]> By: Jeff Zweig http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/comment-page-1/#comment-996 Jeff Zweig Wed, 28 May 2008 16:27:34 +0000 http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/#comment-996 Ivan, are you sure? I don’t think Mac Attack meant that every CEO should literally appear on the packaging of a company’s products. In your example of a construction material company, perhaps the CEO could champion the idea of environmentally sustainable materials and make this idea part of his/her “CEO brand identity” about that area (assuming this is a relevant USP for the business). Then as I described in my post above, use a CEO blog to show (and not tell) stakeholders/analysts/partners/customers/employees/potential investors/construction industry players/the press/etc. just how the CEO makes this aspect of the brand come alive. Even if the CEO leaves the organization, the CEO blog can still be used to promote the new CEO in the same way and could feature how the new leader will carry on/enhance the tradition left by the outgoing CEO, etc. jeff zweig chief guru, web guru asia http://www.webguruasia.com Ivan, are you sure? I don’t think Mac Attack meant that every CEO should literally appear on the packaging of a company’s products.

In your example of a construction material company, perhaps the CEO could champion the idea of environmentally sustainable materials and make this idea part of his/her “CEO brand identity” about that area (assuming this is a relevant USP for the business).

Then as I described in my post above, use a CEO blog to show (and not tell) stakeholders/analysts/partners/customers/employees/potential investors/construction industry players/the press/etc. just how the CEO makes this aspect of the brand come alive.

Even if the CEO leaves the organization, the CEO blog can still be used to promote the new CEO in the same way and could feature how the new leader will carry on/enhance the tradition left by the outgoing CEO, etc.

jeff zweig
chief guru, web guru asia
http://www.webguruasia.com

]]> By: Ivan http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/comment-page-1/#comment-978 Ivan Tue, 27 May 2008 08:52:22 +0000 http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/#comment-978 Totally disagree on the above statement and i found it narrow minded. If the companies are dealing with Cement or Construction material i dont thinlk the CEO should put their face on the packaging. Totally disagree on the above statement and i found it narrow minded. If the companies are dealing with Cement or Construction material i dont thinlk the CEO should put their face on the packaging.

]]> By: farouk http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/comment-page-1/#comment-977 farouk Tue, 27 May 2008 08:12:38 +0000 http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/#comment-977 Brand's value measurement had always with the company's name(eg Interbrand, Y&R BAV) not on the CEO's alone. No doubt CEO sets the vision for their staff to follow. Brand’s value measurement had always with the company’s name(eg Interbrand, Y&R BAV) not on the CEO’s alone. No doubt CEO sets the vision for their staff to follow.

]]> By: yasmin http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/comment-page-1/#comment-971 yasmin Mon, 26 May 2008 19:15:35 +0000 http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/#comment-971 this was exactly what i said in the new straits times, and at my 4A's speech, last year! this was exactly what i said in the new straits times, and at my 4A’s speech, last year!

]]> By: Sceptical http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/comment-page-1/#comment-969 Sceptical Mon, 26 May 2008 17:41:02 +0000 http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/#comment-969 Remember that famous CEO brand Tajuddin Ramli? Nothing went right... Remember that famous CEO brand Tajuddin Ramli? Nothing went right…

]]> By: Discretee http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/comment-page-1/#comment-964 Discretee Mon, 26 May 2008 03:26:21 +0000 http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/#comment-964 If CEO's are to be the "brand" then we have huge problems on our hand. Ask any marketing & advertising professional worth his/her salt and they will all tell you that a brand relationship is purely a emotional one. Usage of the brand is rational. Therefore, by putting a "face" to the brand through its current CEO there is the innate danger of making the brand have the "personality" of its CEO. and as humans we immediately react with a "like it/dislike it" reaction when a "identifiable personality is put infront". Your two exmples...AirAsia & MAS-- lets us question the --"what after TF & IJ'??? How does those two brands project themselves? If you look at Virgin as an example...RB was the face, was the personality in the intial formative years across the industries Virgin operated in. However there was a planned "brand progression" bcuz now one can see Virgin's brand personality is independent of its owner/ceo clearly across the indistries.And yet its 'maverickness' is common as a dominant brand personality. Similarly with YTL, the associations accredited to the brand have come about through years of careful development with arts and to a small but wealthy group of people this brand appeals (ie investors, high end residential purchasers, financiers, etc) but to the common man on the street what exactly does YTL stand for? For a brand to be successful ie common recall across consumer groups it needs to have a single relationship point. This is not connected with the CEO--tho' its always the CEO (in the asian context) who is seen as the face of the brand as he/she drives the deliverables. If CEO’s are to be the “brand” then we have huge problems on our hand. Ask any marketing & advertising professional worth his/her salt and they will all tell you that a brand relationship is purely a emotional one. Usage of the brand is rational. Therefore, by putting a “face” to the brand through its current CEO there is the innate danger of making the brand have the “personality” of its CEO. and as humans we immediately react with a “like it/dislike it” reaction when a “identifiable personality is put infront”. Your two exmples…AirAsia & MAS– lets us question the –”what after TF & IJ’??? How does those two brands project themselves? If you look at Virgin as an example…RB was the face, was the personality in the intial formative years across the industries Virgin operated in. However there was a planned “brand progression” bcuz now one can see Virgin’s brand personality is independent of its owner/ceo clearly across the indistries.And yet its ‘maverickness’ is common as a dominant brand personality.
Similarly with YTL, the associations accredited to the brand have come about through years of careful development with arts and to a small but wealthy group of people this brand appeals (ie investors, high end residential purchasers, financiers, etc) but to the common man on the street what exactly does YTL stand for? For a brand to be successful ie common recall across consumer groups it needs to have a single relationship point. This is not connected with the CEO–tho’ its always the CEO (in the asian context) who is seen as the face of the brand as he/she drives the deliverables.

]]> By: Malik http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/comment-page-1/#comment-944 Malik Sat, 24 May 2008 07:24:23 +0000 http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/#comment-944 Agreed on a few points. However what happens when a CEO brands himself as the brand for his own personal agenda , making sure he is seen in every photograph and press release ? In other words, the brand is only an excuse for bigger things . Agreed on a few points. However what happens when a CEO brands himself as the brand for his own personal agenda , making sure he is seen in every photograph and press release ? In other words, the brand is only an excuse for bigger things .

]]> By: Jeff Zweig http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/comment-page-1/#comment-928 Jeff Zweig Fri, 23 May 2008 09:35:19 +0000 http://sub.adoimagazine.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/23/why-ceos-are-the-brand-and-very-little-else-should-be/#comment-928 MA, i certainly do agree with what you say in terms of making sure the CEO embodies what a company's brand is all about. of course a brand still needs to live on long after its CEO retires, quits, gets fired, etc. so in order to retain stakeholder confidence, a brand cannot primarily be only about the CEO because if he or she no longer works at the company what happens then? in the case of someone like richard branson or warren buffett, this is certainly a risk for their companies because the virgin and the berkshire hathaway brand are so closely intertwined with the vision and the personalities of their CEOs. i think adpeople should devise strategies that leverage the "greatness" of the brand's current CEO whilst ensuring that the brand can naturally live on without him/her. one way to do this is to run a CEO blog, where the CEO posts thoughts about his/her vision for the brand's industry and for the company, comments on industry news and trends, starts new trends, talks about the brand's latest CSR initiatives (especially good for local public listed companies given KLSE's recent focus on this area), etc. couple this with an integrated podcasting, vodcasting, video sharing, social networking strategy built on top of a proper search engine optimisation foundation and you have the start of something powerful--not only for the current CEO but for any new CEO that comes on board after an old CEO leaves. jeff zweig chief guru, web guru asia http://www.webguruasia.com MA, i certainly do agree with what you say in terms of making sure the CEO embodies what a company’s brand is all about. of course a brand still needs to live on long after its CEO retires, quits, gets fired, etc.

so in order to retain stakeholder confidence, a brand cannot primarily be only about the CEO because if he or she no longer works at the company what happens then? in the case of someone like richard branson or warren buffett, this is certainly a risk for their companies because the virgin and the berkshire hathaway brand are so closely intertwined with the vision and the personalities of their CEOs.

i think adpeople should devise strategies that leverage the “greatness” of the brand’s current CEO whilst ensuring that the brand can naturally live on without him/her.

one way to do this is to run a CEO blog, where the CEO posts thoughts about his/her vision for the brand’s industry and for the company, comments on industry news and trends, starts new trends, talks about the brand’s latest CSR initiatives (especially good for local public listed companies given KLSE’s recent focus on this area), etc.

couple this with an integrated podcasting, vodcasting, video sharing, social networking strategy built on top of a proper search engine optimisation foundation and you have the start of something powerful–not only for the current CEO but for any new CEO that comes on board after an old CEO leaves.

jeff zweig
chief guru, web guru asia
http://www.webguruasia.com

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