What are the most common sources of conflict in brand management and how can you resolve them?

Aligning language in this process is critical. People generally have different interpretations of what Vision, Mission, and Goals mean. As a consequence, expectations also differ. Every company is different, and teams should choose words and definitions that work for them. But whatever the choice, when the Mission statement appears written on a wall or in documentation, everyone in the company should buy into it. Aspects everyone should know and understand: What is the brand about? What are we trying to achieve, and Why are we doing this? How will we get there (strategy), and What are the different actions (tactics) for the coming X months? Who does what — each team and individual should know how they contribute to achieving the Goals.

I used to think creating a Mission statement or Goal statement was a waste of time; but it’s really not. It should be the guiding principle for every department and every aspect of how a company behaves. Too often Brands end up conflicting with themselves especially when it comes to UX. I recently experienced a brand that claimed to be modern and tech-forward. But their APP kept crashing, communication was lacking, and their support team was untrained- all a direct contradiction to the Brand they claimed to be. Great brands practice what they preach all the way from the top to the bottom and have resources allocated to support their Mission and Vision.

A well-crafted Mission statement is the cornerstone of brand identity, guiding every facet of the business. A lot of thought should go into creating a Mission statement & should get reflected in the very DNA of the corporate. But, it does gets compromised. Successful organizations swear by it and the ecosystem maintains the hygiene factor & sanctity. The Marketing Heads, CMOs should: (a) Act as a guiding light, ensure cross-functional alignment of the mission in all communications (b) Communicate, Train & educate the stakeholders by presentations & engagement (c) Create a Sub-Mission Framework for teams (d) Regular Review & re-align wherever necessary (e) Establish a feedback mechanism (f) Transparency, Accountability & Measurement

Apply 3B Business - Brand and Behavior for your company alignment plan. Start with Business Goal then what Brand can help to achieve, and finally turn it into Behaviors action plan. Don't think only in your Marketing field. Marketing and Branding are the tool to do business and. Most of the time people think brand = brand awareness. and sadly CMO who is not clear enough about the business goal will make this misalignment mistake in the end.

Lemme make it easy for you 😄👇🏻 - Conflict arises from ambiguous or overlapping roles and responsibilities in brand management. 💯 - Lack of clarity on who is responsible for what in the brand management process can lead to disputes. - Examples include disputes over brand name decisions between the product team and branding agency. - Resolving conflicts requires defining and assigning clear roles and responsibilities for all involved parties. - Establishing transparent communication channels and feedback mechanisms ensures accountability and alignment among teams.💯

The more complex the organisation, especially in matrix teams, the more important it will be to have a clearly defined RACI for operational execution (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed). That said, you cannot have multiple owners of a brand. Not to be confused with the product. One of the first questions I always ask is "Who owns the brand?" You have a brand manager (per brand or senior marketing lead when it's a single-brand business) who should own e2e all brand and branding aspects. They will collaborate with various stakeholders and 3rd parties to define things like brand name, messaging, tonality and so on, but it is the brand manager who should own this. Not the branding agency, product, social media or PR teams.

This requires management knowledge, not only branding and marketing things. C-level or especially CEO only can overview this. Depends on business size, the roles and responsibilities can be defined differently. For start-up or early stage business, it should be defined by responsibility whatever role you own. But for big corp, it's different story. Clear the impact according to the plan first, then design SOW and PIC for each team and each person.

In the world of brand management, it’s vital to align resources and budgets with your brand’s goals. So, when considering your brand’s needs, remember, it’s not just about budget constraints; it’s about investing in what truly enhances your brand’s value and performance.

Your proposed resolution strategies, including realistic planning, resource allocation, prioritization, and justifying requests, are spot on. Effective resource and budget management are essential for ensuring that the brand can achieve its objectives and maintain a strong, consistent image in the long term. It's also important to align resource allocation with the brand's overall strategy and demonstrate how each resource investment contributes to enhancing brand value and performance. This alignment helps organizations make informed decisions about where to invest their limited resources for the most significant brand impact.

Picture a legacy luxury car brand. The marketing team wants a bold campaign for tech-savvy buyers, but traditional customers love the classic image. The brand manager can find a balance by creating a limited-edition model with modern technology, bridging tradition and innovation. The campaign showcases the classic design and advanced tech. This maintains core brand identity while tapping into creativity.

To resolve it, establish clear brand guidelines, promote cross-functional collaboration, appoint a brand custodian, pilot creative ideas, and gather customer feedback. Finding the right balance is an ongoing process for maintaining brand identity while embracing innovation.

For instance, the management team might be dissatisfied with ROI or market share, while the branding team believes they've succeeded. To resolve this conflict, gather and analyze feedback from diverse sources, and establish clear brand objectives and metrics for measurement. This approach ensures a comprehensive assessment of brand performance and helps in aligning perspectives and objectives.

While the five points covered all excellent starting points, there are some additional factors to consider: Personality clashes: Not everyone gels perfectly. Find ways to work around them. External pressures: Market changes, competitor activity, and stakeholder expectations. Address them proactively. Time constraints: Deadlines and tight schedules. Prioritize and communicate efficiently. Long-term impact: Unresolved conflict, including employee burnout, decreased morale, and damage to the brand itself. Seeking external help: Mediation or training can help bridge the gap and boost team dynamics. By acknowledging and addressing, you can develop a more comprehensive approach and foster a healthy, productive environment.

-Stakeholder Expectations: Different internal and external stakeholders have varied perceptions and expectations of the brand. -Cultural and Regional Nuances: Global brands need to tread carefully to avoid cultural missteps. The key is to ensure the brand remains globally consistent but locally relevant. -Data Interpretation Discrepancies: With data playing a pivotal role in decision-making, differences in data interpretation can lead to conflicts. It's crucial to set clear KPIs, use standardized tools, and foster a culture where data literacy is promoted. -Rapid Market Changes: The dynamic nature of markets can cause abrupt shifts in brand strategies. This can lead to internal dissonance.

Always promote open and honest communication within the team and in-between departments. Plus, try to implement conflict resolution workshops and tools to equip individuals with effective communication and negotiation skills. By actively addressing the stated sources of conflict and implementing effective resolution strategies, brand management teams can create a more productive and collaborative environment, which ultimately leads to a stronger brand equity and market success.