"Civic Engagement: The new branding model"

By Nancy Sims on Mar. 3, 2007

In a growing competitive business environment, marketers must seek unique and innovative ways to set their brands apart. Today, it’s not enough to tell customers they need a product — they must feel as if the brand is a perfect fit with their personal needs. This “personal touch” philosophy is simple, really — customers and clients consistently desire to do business with companies they like and respect.

For many years, businesses have segmented their marketing initiatives and their “relationship” development. There are marketing dollars set aside to build a company’s brand and then there is a certain amount of revenue dollars that companies reinvest in the communities they serve. However, the silos of groups who carry out these functions — marketing, public relations, community relations, governmental relations and professional development — are often working towards distinct objectives and fail to communicate. This weakens the position of the business in a competitive marketplace.

For example, your marketing division is developing opportunities to grow a brand, the public relations division is focused on enhancing the company reputation, while governmental affairs is working to strengthen relationships with elected officials. A good civic engagement plan can do all — increase revenues, enhance reputation and benefit the community all in one by blending the silos into a circle of cooperative corporate functions. Therefore, civic engagement recommends a circle that ties together marketing, sales, communications, charitable donations, professional development and all other corporate branding opportunities.

All companies should try to maximize corporate dollars to achieve better results. Strategic civic engagement plans are designed to do just this. Instead of simply writing a check to a charity, a strategic placement of dollars can serve to benefit both the company and non-profit organizations — resulting in better communities and better business.

Under this model, individual parts achieve synergy by directing their efforts toward the same activity that satisfies all of their needs.

For instance, imagine that marketing learns of an opportunity to sponsor a program that will allow maximum branding and naming rights for an event that reaches a key target market. It also happens that a predominant elected official chairs the event, which benefits the governmental relations team. The charitable group has also previously supported the sponsoring organization through the scholarship fund, so it has strong relationships with them. A member of the sales force is then willing to serve on the organization’s board so it may develop a personal relationship with one of their primary business targets. The event generates great press that will enhance the company’s reputation by associate and wah-lah! The civic engagement plan accomplishes all by putting the pieces together, getting the right people involved and making the right connections.

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