Looking inward: How internal branding and communications affect cultural change

Design Management Journal, Summer 2003 by Faust, Bill, Bethge, Beverly

In late 2002, QSP-a division of Reader's Digest Association and a leader in school fundraising programs-identified the need to enhance its sales training and orientation program to reinforce the company's vision, create an image that was engaging, and reassure new sales associates that QSP was a great career choice. All of QSP's sales associates-more than 400 people-are dispersed across the country in order to be close to the schools that make up their customer base. As such, their most intimate connection to the company vision and message is through regional meetings and periodic training sessions.

This case study is interesting because QSP's training organization made a conscious decision not to extend the visual aspects of its outward brand image to the internal communications program. Instead, they developed a new visual language that leveraged the company's brand values and external tone of voice. This decision was driven by several factors. First, the market-facing brand image for QSP was somewhat fragmented visually, and certain decisions about brand architecture and visual brand language were in flux due to recent acquisitions and the addition of new product lines. Second, QSP's external brand language reflected almost exclusively its core customer base-schools representing all age groups. Thus a new, more sophisticated visual language was necessary to communicate to the sales force, whose ages ranged from 25 to 55. School imagery needed to be incorporated, but not in an overwhelming manner.

To tie elements of the training program together, a campaign theme was developed with a corresponding visual and verbal language. The theme-Surround Yourself-was a reference to the tools, techniques, and products with which QSP surrounded its sales force. A 360-degree symbol (figure 8) was created to identify all forms of training communications, from the flagship Training Toolkit to all the printed and electronic correspondence originating from the training department (figure 9). These primary identifiers were supported by a color palette, type font, graphic layout and grid guidelines, and standards for photography. Thus, while the campaign was not considered a stand-alone brand by the company, it was implemented and managed like one. As of this writing, the program was just being rolled out, so no results are available, but QSP management was optimistic about the impact it would have in creating a deeper connection between a decentralized sales force and the overall company mission and vision.

Operations

Our last example was launched in early 2003. Big Lots Inc. is the largest closeout retailer in the United States, with more than 1,100 stores nationwide. Closeout retailing is a unique variant of discount retailing, in which companies specialize in discontinued merchandise and liquidation. Shopping at a closeout store can be a bargain but also a treasure hunt, because merchandise is often inconsistent from week to week. Like many retailers, Big Lots grew organically and through acquisition, and by 2001 it found itself on the verge of becoming a national brand with stores from coast to coast. However, it actually operated under several different names and identities, so the company decided to embark on a company-wide initiative to create a single master brand-Big Lots-and a clear positioning. This strategy was announced externally with a new national advertising campaign and a prototype store design. The brand identity was updated, and one of the strongest identity elements became the color orange, which was only an accent in the logo but took on greater significance in things like signage and store decor.