One topic that has interested me for years is the concept of brand alignment.   Think about the brand promise made by any particular company . . . United Airlines tell us to “Fly the friendly skies.”   Home Depot says, “You can do it, we can help.”   Now think about whether your experience with that company lives up to its brand promise.  Has your flying experience been friendly?  Have you gotten help the last time you went to this particular store? 

Firms often spend a lot of time and money communicating their brand message to the public, but little effort making sure that their employees get it.  This disconnect is a significant problem since it’s the employees who actually interface with the public, consumers, and clients.  Author, speaker, and humorist Elizabeth Freedman provides some great suggestions for how to help employees internalize your company’s brand in her article Building the Brand from Within.

In future posts I’ll discuss many more of the factors that contribute to brand alignment (or misalignment).