Avoiding Brand Sabotage

“Often it really is the little things that communicate the brand, and not necessarily the brand you want to have.”

This, according to Mark Rovner, president of integrated marketing and fundraising firm Sea Change Strategies, in a post on the company’s blog a few weeks ago in which he discussed the issue of brand authenticity.

Rovner described a recent stay he’d had at a Hyatt hotel. He was thirsty and so he reached for the unopened bottle of Dasani water on the dresser, but was shocked to find it was $6.

“I don’t remember whether the bed was comfortable, I don’t remember whether the wifi worked, I don’t remember if the shower was hot. All I remember is that Hyatt is the hotel of SIX DOLLAR WATER.”

Rather than shake your head and point your finger in disgust at the Hyatt, Rovner recommended taking some time to mine your organization for its own version of the $6 bottle of water.

“Do a quick audit of your direct mail, or your e-mail newsletter, or your boss’s stump speech. Check out what happens when you send a complaint e-mail or a change of address to your own organization. We all have six dollar bottles of water lurking to sabotage our brand. What are yours?”

— May 30, “Can You Be You?” http://seachangestrategies.com/blog