As I have progressed through my career path, one thing has been constant. Organizations that are well equipped to be fluid and make changes are organizations that enjoy consistent success. Those organizations that are rigid and not equipped for change often find small struggles become larger issues that eventually plague the entire company. Organizations that are consistently successful are organizations that are constantly adapting to technology and market demands.
In Worley & Lawler III’s (2006) article, “Designing Organizations that are Built to Change,” the various aspects that make up the fabric of the organization are discussed. While each of those aspects have merit, for the purposes of this blog post, I am going to discuss how rewards play a role in organizations being built for change.
What I have learned from various positions is to focus the majority of the questions I ask during the interview process on what professional growth and development looks like, and how that growth and development is subsequently rewarded. As Worley & Lawler III (2006) note, pay and other rewards that are associated with longevity and seniority stifle change. Given a significant number of students in the USC MCM program work in marketing, communications, public relations, and related fields, and those fields are constantly evolving and changing, it is important for rewards to be flexible and reward the person, rather than the time they have been with an organization.
This notion may seem controversial, especially to those who have built seniority within an organization. However, those who have built seniority and still maintain their effectiveness likely have little critiques, as their valuable experience was built on being ready for change.
This week Disney will release its live action rendition of The Lion King. The release comes 25 years after the original animated version. It is full of wonderful CGI animals and tells the story of your favorite characters Simba, Nala, and the gang played by celebrities Donald Glover, Beyonce, and James Earl Jones reprising his role as Mufasa.
With this release, Disney is simultaneously launching the Protect the Pride global conservation campaign benefitting the Lion Recovery Fund. According to Disney, since the launch of the original Lion King movie in 1994, the lion population in Africa has declined by half. The Protect the Pride campaign aims to raise money and awareness by giving Disney fans a chance to contribute by purchasing special edition Nala and Simba plush toys, by riding the Kilimanjaro Safaris Expedition at Walt Disney World, and other exciting ways . Disney has already donated over $1.5 million to the Lion Recovery Fund and is hoping to increase this to $3 million with this campaign.
Disney has made the Forbes list of top companies in CSR several times, and it should come as no surprise to Disney, as the company holds CSR central to its core functions. Other top companies with notable CSR programs are Lego, Microsoft, Google, and Nintendo — all who have made contributions to society in meaningful and creative ways.
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” -Warren Buffett
With social media, just as easy as it is to make the list of top companies in CSR, it is also easy to quickly lose points. This is true especially with Millennials, who hold CSR close to their hearts. As a matter of fact, Millennials expect CSR to be a component of the companies they shop with. Apple lost points a few years ago when it refused to cooperate with the FBI and unlock iPhones in connection with a terrorist shooting in San Bernardino, California, while Google has been under fire due to sexual misconduct and the gap between men and women in executive positions.
So how impactful is CSR with Millennials? Very. At this time, CSR is one of the best opportunities to improve sales. By 2020, Millennials will make up 35% of the workforce, so if a company wants to be relevant, a great CSR program is essential. Companies like Disney, who appeal to Millennials with their efforts in sustainability and special causes are a great example. In order to have an exceptional CSR program, companies can begin by taking inventory of their current programs, and choose causes that have a connection to what they represent and the work they do. The key is for a company to position itself to be seen as a leader or more simply put, to be a king of CSR.
The Marketing Genius of 50-50 Raffles Ensures Sports Fans Always “Win”
A 50-50 raffle vendor sells tickets at a Milwaukee Brewers baseball game at Miller Park. (Courtesy: Scott Boehm/Associated Press)
I’m not a big gambler, but I love sports and attending professional games. In recent years, there’s been a trend of raffle tickets being sold to fans. Maybe you’ve seen vendors walking up and down the aisles to offer “50-50 Raffle” tickets. The marketing strategy behind this effort is clever. Why? Well, 50% of the raffle jackpot goes to the winning fan, while the other 50% goes to a local charity. Doesn’t that sound nice? Just buying a ticket means you are helping out people in need.
The popularity of these types of raffles is growing in sports. The Chicago Cubs baseball team announced last month that in addition to fans buying raffle tickets at the game, they can also purchase them online “in accordance with state and local law.” Also last month, the Pennsylvania House approved a bill in a 194-7 vote (wow!) to allow these raffles at college sporting events – and you can even use your credit or debit card (another wow!). Any type of gambling at a venue with amateur athletes has been taboo forever (and, of course, they aren’t paid – that’s for another blog post). But now, put $20 worth of tickets on your plastic as you enjoy your alcohol-free collegiate sports experience!
“Our Pittsburgh major league teams and their charity partners have seen great success with these raffles. The fans really enjoy the chance to win while contributing to a charitable cause.”
-Pennsylvania State Representative Jim Marshall (as reported by The Times)
The bill claims the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pirates teams have generated $9 million for local charities over the past 6 years. Despite that, 50-50 raffles aren’t without controversy. Five years ago, several non-profit groups and Native American tribes in California voiced anger over legislation to allow 50-50 raffles at professional sports games. They used terms like “carve-out” and “special rules” for pro franchises. Why were they mad? In California, non-profits can only give winners 10% of a jackpot and Native American tribes feel threatened by new forms of gambling. The bill passed and became law in California in 2015.
“When you go from a 90-10 split to a 50-50 split, you’re moving away from charity to something more like a lottery. This is a huge change.”
-David Quintana, California Tribal Business Alliance lobbyist (as reported by The Los Angeles Times)
Frankly, I think these raffles are a wonderful idea supported by genius marketing. Ticket-buyers are supporting charities and get chances (albeit very small ones) to win tens of thousands of dollars. Even a gambling-averse person like me will shell out $10 at a game. Granted, it’s a cheap way for me to feel like I’m supporting charity. But hey, the Dodgers have raised nearly $1 million so far this season for its foundation. That doesn’t seem like much of a gamble to me!
The 50-50 raffle crew at Dodger Stadium. (Courtesy: The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation)
In a decision that thrust Nike again into the spotlight, former NFL quarterback turned social justice activist and current Nike Ambassador Colin Kaepernick called on Nike to pull an American-flag-themed shoe after he pointed out that the slave-era symbol used on the shoe was offensive. In honor of Independence Day, Nike had planned to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July that featured the Betsy Ross flag with 13 stars in a circle representing the 13 original colonies. After images were released online, Kaepernick reached out to Nike officials saying that he and others felt the Betsy Ross flag is an offensive symbol because of its connection to an era in which slavery was predominant in the U.S.
It’s important to note that the Anti-Defamation League does not have the particular flag in its database of hate symbols and is most commonly used by people for patriotic purposes.
Even though Nike had already sent the shoes to retailers around the country, Nike acquiesced to Kaepernick’s request citing they did not want to “unintentionally offend anyone or detract from the nation’s patriotic holiday” (Hsu, Draper, Garcia, & Chokshi, 2019). After pulling the shoe, Nike tried to clarify the recall, but this led to allegations of Nike bowing to political correctness and being anti-American.
Whether or not anyone believes that, Nike will be just fine. For instance, the company faced similar criticisms last September when it unveiled its controversial ad with Kaepernick, who was accused of being anti-American for his decision to kneel for the U.S. national anthem during NFL games, in protest of social injustices faced by African Americans. There were calls for boycotts then too, but none happened because let’s face it, Americans love Nike. After an initial dip, Nike stock price reached an all-time high after the Kaepernick ad came out. Nike has aligned itself with a progressive view of America that celebrates the country’s diversity which seems to directly resonate with its intended audience.
With consumers and other political figures expressing their distaste with Nike’s decision, this leads some to question whether Kaepernick should even have the power to dictate pulling products off shelves. One thing Nike knows how to do is take controversy and blow it up into advertising. Since pulling the shoe, According to TMZ Sports, Nike stock shares have since gone up 2 percent, raking in $3 billion after Kaepernick called foul on the shoe-which makes me wonder if Nike did this intentionally. Was this a business ploy, knowing this publicity could potentially have a positive impact on Nike’s business? Why didn’t Nike just created a shoe with the current American flag on it? Would other athletes or consumers have thought this shoe was offensive if Kaepernick did not say anything? There are so many questions left unanswered which leaves me to wonder what Nike’s true intention was.
I’m interested to hear our class thoughts on this!
Hsu, T., Draper, K., Garcia, S. E., & Chokshi, N. (2019, July 2). Nike Drops ‘Betsy Ross Flag’ Sneaker After Kaepernick Criticizes It. The New York Times. Retrived from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/02/business/betsy-ross-shoe-kaepernick-nike.html
Other Annenberg students have touched on the Pop-Up
store craze discussing the madness that has ensued over experiences like
CandyTopia, RoséMansion, The Museum of Ice Cream or Saved by the Bell, just to
name a few. These pop-ups have quite literally popped up all over the place and
slowly become a mindless, unoriginal, social media induced fad. Read Amanda
Hess’s article
in the NYTimes from September 2018 for a recap on the pop-up store industry, her
personal experience and future trajectory of the trendy stores.
A new pop-up experience worth discussing is Charlotte Cho’s Soko House, who is the founder, along with her husband, of Soko Glam. I was unaware of Charlotte Cho and her now famous cosmetic, skincare, and beauty trends line Soko Glam, but evidently her 10-step Korean-inspired skincare routine has created a splash in the industry. Cho and her husband have opted to dive into the pop-up experience by introducing Soko House and particularly its unique feature Soko Sanctuary. At Soko House guests can enter the world of cosmetics and skincare similar to Sephora where they are able to purchase products and snap selfies for various social media platforms per the usual experience. However, the new and distinctive characteristic being marketed in this pop-up experience is its Soko Sanctuary where beauty enthusiasts can sit down behind a curtain, wash their face and actually experiment with the products. Another highlight are the professional skin care experts versus the typical temps hired to facilitate day-to-day operations.
A look inside Soko Glam’s Soko Sanctuary
In 2017, Cho and her team enlisted focus groups at its NYC headquarters to acquire qualitative data around consumer pain points in shopping for skincare products. The conclusion was that consumers did not find satisfaction in only testing make-up or a skincare product on a hand and welcomed the opportunity to test on the face. This inspired the Soko Sanctuary.
Shopping area located inside Soko Glam
Additionally, Cho and her team plan on using the Soko Sanctuary as an observation tactic to discover if consumers are ready for more education and a higher touch point, which is provided in the intimate setting. In 541 and other MCM courses we have discussed various methods for collecting relevant data to validate our research projects. In 541 specifically, we have discussed the goal of consumer research, which is to learn as much about your target audience as possible. This includes looking at the consumers attitudes, lifestyles, media usage and purchase decisions. Furthermore, consumer research can take place by two phases 1) Qualitative (i.e. Interviews and Observations) and 2) Quantitative (i.e. Surveys). Looking at interviews, focus groups, are one key factor in receiving feedback beneficial for advertising ideas and new product concepts. I cannot comment if other pop-up experience innovators are conducting any kind of research to facilitate their decisions in determining achievable goals, but perhaps moving forward it would be beneficial.
How many times have you worked in a group, an educated, well-meaning, interested an invested group, that has had a member (or more) that are just so hard to work with? Let’s call our one friend Ned, Negative Ned. You have an idea and Ned tells you why it’s not going to work. You tell Ned “Hey pal, great work. You know what would make it better?” and Ned hits you back with some defensive argument defending himself. Working in a group is supposed to mean more heads, more perspectives, better results and more efficient use of man-hours. Why, then, do the Neds of the professional world insist on spinning their wheels alone on Negative Island?
Ned probably doesn’t understand that change is good. Ned probably doesn’t see that everyone is NOT out to get him. Ned doesn’t realize that he COULD be better and that’s NOT a bad thing. Everyone could stand to do better. Change is a constant in life. Aside from taxes and death, let’s start adding change to that list, because you could under a rock and the world will continue to revolve around the sun and change will pass you by no matter how you try to hide from it. That leaves us with a choice: change, adapt, roll with the punches or stay stuck in the quicksand of expired concepts, theories and methods.
Lewin’s Change Management Model
Lewin’s model describes the methods for change in, what I believe, is the most severe situation. It doesn’t discuss the environment in need of change as quicksand, as I did. It describes the environment as frozen like ice. In order to create change you have to take a solid object, melt it down, and start all over again molding it until you are ready to freeze it’s contents again. When you have an organization or a group of people frozen in their ways, there is a lot to undo before growth can occur.
What exactly needs to be unfrozen? Process and perception. So many times when Ned has something negative to add or disclose, it’s based on his own perception. People see what they see (everyone, even me) and it can be easy to refuse an alternative simply because you fail to see that there can be more than one right answer. Life is not a multiple choice exam, it’s an open discussion. Our Negative Neds, need to be retrained to believe something they didn’t believe previously. Neds believe that there is a right and a wrong, a black and a white, a yes and a no. The world is full of maybes, sort ofs and grey areas. This means that you need to see your own perception as always less than perfect and combined with other less than perfect perceptions we can get closer to what we want so bad to perfect (because it doesn’t exist lemme tell you). Changes & Growth Once you can get your team to realize this vital concept, you can start to discuss what would be best. It’s not about what you think is right. Remember, we’re not talking right or wrong, we’re talking about what’s best. There could be several solutions and several back up plans and being stuck during a growth spurt can be the worst inhibitor to truly reaching maximum potential. Being open to change, open to failure, open to trying again until you get it right is what the growth phase is all about. Refreeze As long as we’re talking about change being good and perpetual adaptation being key, refreezing everything isn’t the best way to look at this phase. It’s about taking those new concepts and really evaluating which ones are crucial and can’t afford to be forgotten. Those ideas are the ones to be reinforced and given roots. These will help keep the organization or group on track and serve as a guide for success. A guide is not a book of explicit directions, it’s a way to shine light on a way that worked well for those who blazed the trails before you. Once those foundational processes are cemented into the organization’s culture it’s important to remember that with the culture of change fresh in the methods of your group, to continually polish your frozen rock and melt down the edges that need to change with time. Adaptation is the only remedy to the Negative Neds of the world. Constant evolution contributes to a more moldable foundation to start from and avoid many of the difficulties that come with completely unfreezing an organization. https://www.process.st/change-management-models/
What exactly needs to be unfrozen?
Process and perception.
So many times when Ned has something negative to add or disclose, it’s based on his own perception. People see what they see (everyone, even me) and it can be easy to refuse an alternative simply because you fail to see that there can be more than one right answer. Life is not a multiple choice exam, it’s an open discussion. Our Negative Neds, need to be retrained to believe something they didn’t believe previously. Neds believe that there is a right and a wrong, a black and a white, a yes and a no. The world is full of maybes, sort ofs and grey areas. This means that you need to see your own perception as always less than perfect and combined with other less than perfect perceptions we can get closer to what we want so bad to perfect (because it doesn’t exist lemme tell you).
Changes & Growth
Once you can get your team to realize this vital concept, you can start to discuss what would be best. It’s not about what you think is right. Remember, we’re not talking right or wrong, we’re talking about what’s best. There could be several solutions and several back up plans and being stuck during a growth spurt can be the worst inhibitor to truly reaching maximum potential. Being open to change, open to failure, open to trying again until you get it right is what the growth phase is all about.
Refreeze
As long as we’re talking about change being good and perpetual adaptation being key, refreezing everything isn’t the best way to look at this phase. It’s about taking those new concepts and really evaluating which ones are crucial and can’t afford to be forgotten. Those ideas are the ones to be reinforced and given roots. These will help keep the organization or group on track and serve as a guide for success. A guide is not a book of explicit directions, it’s a way to shine light on a way that worked well for those who blazed the trails before you. Once those foundational processes are cemented into the organization’s culture it’s important to remember that with the culture of change fresh in the methods of your group, to continually polish your frozen rock and melt down the edges that need to change with time. Adaptation is the only remedy to the Negative Neds of the world. Constant evolution contributes to a more moldable foundation to start from and avoid many of the difficulties that come with completely unfreezing an organization.
https://www.process.st/change-management-models/
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Gone are the days of having to schedule a doctors appointment to receive important prescriptions. In today’s marketing climate, consumers can easily log into social media or make a few clicks on their keyboards to be able to find medications at a low cost.
Telemedical applications are utilizing social media, online and influencer marketing to capture pharmaceutical consumers in an unconventional, but easy method. Yet, these companies are disrupting some aspects of American politics like access to birth control.
Throw the Baby out with the Bathwater?
For telemedical, birth control company Nurx, offering contraceptives to consumers via discreet delivery options is not only a way to streamline ordering monthly birth control, but a way to empower its target market. Birth control is still widely-politicized in most states. The defunding of Planned Parenthood, a organization that receives federal funding to provide low-cost wellness exams for women, birth control, STD testing and other parenting resources affects millions of women on contraceptives. The organization services nearly two million people annually for birth control. Telemedical contraceptive companies are doing what they can to ensure that contraceptives are easily-available as access to birth control is becoming more daunting. But, these companies also have to adhere to state and federal laws, many of which go hand-in-hand with conservative anti-abortion policies. Abortion is also a service provided by Planned Parenthood.
Marketing Ingenuity or a Scheme?
The telemedical industry uses very common marketing measures like social media and influencer marketing to sell their products. But, many consumers, although they find this form of advertising to be effective, don’t know if many of these companies are legit. The truth is, many telemedical companies are indeed legit and follow federal regulations on pharmaceuticals. This raises an eyebrow on just how far the advancement of technology and marketing can go in our digital world. Will the ingenious marketing of these brands put “big pharma” and millions of doctors out of business? More than likely, no. But, it’s worth noting just how far medical advertising has come.
Berg, Miriam. 2017. How Federal Funding Works at Planned Parenthood. Retrieved from https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/blog/how-federal-funding-works-at-planned-parenthood
Riski, Tess, Singer, Natasha, Thomas, Katie. 2019. Chasing Growth, a Women’s Health Startup Cuts Corners. Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/26/technology/nurx-birth-control-pills-online-womens-health.html
Tusk, Bradley. 2018. The 8 Political Battles Tech Companies will Fight in 2019. Fortune. Retrieved from https://fortune.com/2018/12/17/startups-political-battles-2019/
Social media used to be the “new” thing that everyone needed to jump on, “make sure you have a social media page” would be the number one recommendation when starting your brand marketing communication strategy. Nowadays however, social media is second nature. My son, has a social media account and he’s 3! To say, you need to have a social media presence as a company at this point in time would be superfluous.
So yes, all or most companies have social media pages, whether they are on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, or Pinterest, really depends on their strategy and target audience. However, many companies forget the first thing, maybe the most important thing about social media: to be social. Speaking to and engaging your audience can make such a positive impact on your brand and customers. I have seen companies fall prey to the ease of posting and forgetting all together that what they posts should engage their fans. The use of social media to promote a product or service comes off so pushy and inauthentic, especially if that’s all your company is using it for.
Let’s not forget, social media needs to be social. There are a few ways to go about this, the first method is hiring staff who will speak on behalf of your brand in a style that represents the brand image and voice, Netflix does this very well. If you weren’t already aware, Netflix has multiple pages on Instagram all representing the different genres of film and television they stream. Visit their pages @netflixisajoke and @netflixfamily and you will see them engage with their followers pretty consistently, but here is the twist, they also engage with each other too. It’s brilliant.
@netlixfamily commenting on a post by @netflixisajoke, with a consistent brand voice.
Another way to engage and socialize with your followers and fans is to simply care. Target seems to get this method right. On Target’s Facebook page, you can see how engaged they are with their customers, whether the posts or comments are negative or positive they always seem to be on the pulse of what is going on.
It seems so simple, but companies who actually spend time listening to their customers are increasing their brand loyalty. This type of engagement shows that behind your brand there are real life people, I mean isn’t that why we are on social media in the first place, for the people.
Lastly, another method of engaging consumers on social media is to use it as a tool to position your brand. Trust and Will is a company I came across primarily because of the way it engaged its consumers on Facebook. As a company whose primary business purpose is to facilitate the creation of living trusts and wills online, the first thing that comes to mind would never be “funny”, but they are! They are so playful in the way they reply to comments that they smartly use their voice on social media to be more than just a boring company. They have strategically created a brand voice that is very different, in a good way, than what you would expect, all by engaging their audience.
that should be done by every leader in law enforcement to create a cohesive work environment so that all stakeholders benefit – From community member to department head. If police agencies want to build trust with communities, they need to build trust with their employees. After all, police officers are the face of the organization when it comes to community partnership. If you want officers to follow the core values, you first have to follow them yourself.
This article will explain some of the key components necessary to achieve team success and commitment by internally Marketing police agencies’ Strategic Communications. Business success and employee engagement requires transparently advertising the destination, direction of travel, and the means of getting there – Police Departments are no different and the way ahead needs to be openly shared.
Apple Inc. uses brand equity, marketing integration, and strategic marketing consistency in their advertisements for all Apple platforms. There is no doubt that most people can identify an Apple product at a glance regardless if the item is an iPhone, a MacBook, or an iPad. Electronic items that are mistaken as Apple products, have likely mimicked Apple’s appearance.
In leadership, imitating another’s appearance and behaviors is a true example of flattery – It is genuine and sincere modeling because leadership traits are being done right. Apple’s strategic marketing plan is consistent both internally and externally. This is what police agencies should strive for – To have people recognize police officers in a positive and favorable manner. Moreover, officers that enforce laws should find it easy to be proud of their service and follow societal rules. Nonetheless, the modeling of good behavior starts at the top.
Developing Leadership
There are some established concepts in developing effective leaders that need to be defined. Every police officer should be respected community leader, but the respect has to be earned. One of the first steps in leadership development requires the willingness to do the necessary “me work”. Examples include being open to 360 feedback (Compass Checks), being able to have courageous conversations, and being transparent in mistakes and motives. Problem solving requires the use of applied research. Police leaders must understand end results and refrain from simply using buzzwords instead of mastering leadership concepts.
Servant Leadership versus Organizational Chart Leadership
The Yertle Effect is an adaption from Dr.
Seuss’s book, Yertle the Turtle.
Yertle the Turtle lived in a pond and did not like his limited view. He convinced other turtles to climb on top of each other so he could get a 30,000-foot view. Yertle was supported by other turtles and he did not care if the load was unequally distributed. Nor did the management turtles below him. All of Yertle’s directions made it to the bottom of the pyramid, but if it was too heavy for some, if things were off balance, or if anyone complained he did not hear of the disparities. The turtles at the bottom had the heaviest load and were the least supported. The turtles on the bottom grumbled to those above them, but no one listened. The turtles in the middle had a better view than others so they did not inform the leaders above them of the problems below. One day, a turtle named Mack had had enough and left his position, which caused the pyramid of turtles to come to tumbling down.
Servant Leadership
Leadership hierarchy models tend to resemble organizational charts. The very principle of a chain of command mandates that the Chief of Police be at the top and the pecking order follow as appointed. Organizational charts have a starkly different purpose than leadership models. The mistake of building a leadership structure like an organizational chart can create a Yertle Effect. Police Departments do not exist so Chiefs and Sheriffs can have positions; top positions in law enforcement exist because communities exist. A flaw in leadership design places the department head at the top and the officers at the bottom. In hierarchy leadership, guidance and ideas only roll in one direction. The Chief is ultimately responsible, but an empowerment model, like Servant Leadership, allows employees at all levels to make leadership decisions and obtain personal goals without breaking core values. Simply stated, the rules are followed.
Servant Leadership is the belief that individuals in an organization are in positional leadership roles to support others. Chiefs/Sheriffs empower and support executive staff so that can support and empower the individuals below (Or in this case, above). The support and empowerment continues all the way to the line officer that interacts with the community.
This is where utilizing the constructs of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) can benefit police agencies. If the strategic vision is to be obtained, then the core values and missions have to be followed. Internal and external communications must align with the outward facing mission and vision statements. State the vision, conduct the missions with the purpose of obtaining the vision, and conduct all practices governed by the core values.
In other words, say an agency has publicly expressed a vison of being the most “Trusted, Professional and Courteous” police agency in the state, then the agency has to conduct daily missions in that manner. A core value for the agency might be “Service Before Self” and the missions should be governed with this in mind. The IMC part is that the leadership behavior must follow the rules so that officers follow the rules. The internal strategic messages match the behaviors and the face of the agency models good leadership traits resulting in public trust.
Tying this back to Apple Inc., it is important to understand how Apple uses integrated marketing communications to build brand equity. First, to address brand equity, a definition is in order. People find value in superior products, but they also find value in brands themselves based on a brand’s image – This is brand equity. Most people don’t know or care how an iPhone works, but they know iPhones work well and they know one when they see one. Apple’s integrated marketing communication plan is consistent across all of their products. Because Apple sends the right message, using the right medium, to the right target audience, they create brand equity.
The same principles can be used to build brand and service equity with police officers and communities by consistently marketing internal and external strategic communications that are aligned with the organizations vision and core values. The same concepts of brand equity can be obtained and sustained in a public service industry. Employee image and the service provided is what is being brand marketed. Consistency of core values and integrating them as cultural norms builds a team committed to the strategic roadmap of the vision. In essence, the rules are followed and when that happens societies begin to trust.
Right Message
The right message involves walking the talk and leading by example. Using an organization’s core values to govern how missions are accomplished helps build employee commitment. It is important to sell and market the integrated strategic plan (ISP) internally and externally. A organization with a bad reputation has to market both internally to change behavior and externally to change public beliefs. Because each organization is different, how to internally and externally market an ISP will require creative think-tank sessions. The idea of an ISP needs to be shared and the Mission, Vision, and Values should never be a secret.
Right Medium
Departments must align the strategic message with the core values and the visionary goal. The daily missions have to be conducted with the constructs of the vision and values in mind. The ISP has to be transparently shared, both internally and externally, and it is critical to understand that every representative of an organization is a medium of communication to citizens. Being able to integrate the strategic communication plan over mediums like advertisements and social media are also necessary, but they need to be timely and relevant communications.
Consistency vs Agility
Sometimes shift happens, and goals and visions need to be adjusted. Strong and influential leaders know that strategies may have to change. This does not indicate a lack of consistency, but instead is a sign of agility. If a strategic goal is too lofty, acceptance of raising the bar is easier to obtain from employees. However, if the strategic plan is changing drastically, it might indicate the organization was headed in the wrong direction. Equally, some obstacles cannot be overcome like financial limitations due to economic downturns. Organizations often have to readjust and finetune the visionary goal. Small changes may not be felt, but the boat will likely rock if the readjustment is significant. During change-opportunities, employees may feel that leadership is being inconsistent, when in reality, the effects are being caused by agility. This problem can often be remedied by transparently sharing with employees why things changed.
If police agencies want to change public perceptions, they need to brand market officers in a positive light. The first part is doing the necessary “me work” of being transparent and ensuring the daily missions are governed by the core values so the vision can be met.
As we learn of the importance to communication, there has
been an emphasis on the value it brings to corporations, teams, and
relationships. When beginning a new business venture, it is common practice to develop
norms pertaining to marketing, in-house communication, and public relations. Usually,
corporations lay a foundation for what they want to happen and execute appropriate
steps to get there.
In the education field, teachers utilize a strategy known as
“backwards planning.” Backwards planning allows upper grade level teachers to
collaborate with the teachers within the grade level below them, to view and analyze
student test scores, deficits, and progression of those coming to them. In a
sense, they are debriefing on what worked, what did not work, and planning
future lessons from there.
Toys R Us was a 60 year old company that brought happiness to children and parents, worldwide. Growing up, the traditional jingle reminded everyone, it was better to be a Toys R U kid, than to grow up. Unfortunately, the absence of commercials, social media presence, and community effort, caused them to abruptly close their doors. Dedicated customers were shocked with grief and disappointment when the beloved toy chain announced the closings of all stores and Babies R Us.
As a new, or existing company, it would be beneficial to not only plan for future targets, but to also study the losses of other companies. Allowing in-house counsel to study the sales, presence, and performance that led up to the demise of relatable businesses, will provide direct insight on what not to do, or what to improve on.
One of the critical elements Toys R Us was struggling with, was their online presence. Leaders admitted to doing their best to keep up with new trends online by employing a team of dedicated staff members. Although their Facebook page attracted an average of 1,700 likes per post, it did not transfer to sales. With their reopening under the Tru Kids Brand, hopefully they are able to learn from past mistakes, increase media presence, and re-establish as the leading toy distributor.
Hutchinson, A. (2015, November 14). Big Brand Theory: Toys “R” Us Uses Snapchat to Expand Audience Reach
Cassavechia, J. (2019, February 11, 2019). Toys “R” Us
Emerges with New Vision, Team & Global Strategy
