The Day the Music Died: Brand Change (Part 10)

The smoke is clearing but it is not the result that had been expected. In some cases even though everything is pointing to a sale, transition, or merger and you know it is about to be announced, all of a sudden…dead silence. Not every opportunity to create brand change is fully realized, and it is not necessarily a bad thing.

There are many reasons that a brand change initiative fails, both due to the parties involved and in some cases an outside force, whether regulatory or a related company. Success or failure are driven by control, urgency and need to accomplish the change. So if the initiative fails, why is it sometimes a good thing?

The beauty of the process of brand change is that we are forced to see our company as someone else sees us and realize the value they perceive. Through the due diligence and research processes, as well as queries and answers, everyone discovers, uncovers and renews information. This brings a perspective and new look at everything about the company that, by default, would have been covered up in current day-to-day business. In preparation for potential change, especially in the case of a sale, many elements of the company may have been restructured, eliminated or tabled to make sure that the penny was as shiny and the company as lean as possible. The company, in most cases is changed and will never be the same again.

It is impossible to simply turn the clock back as if nothing happened as there is new knowledge, awareness, potentially a change in the players and the actual infrastructure is different. In many cases, the leaner company has a greater opportunity to embrace opportunity if baggage that at one point seemed critical has been off-loaded. Most importantly, those who have been working on the change have themselves changed. They will never be content with the way things were and will have a hunger for what they had envisioned could be. Even those not directly working on the change are impacted by the rumors heard, thoughts of how change would apply to their future and the company that is their professional home.

There will be a flurry of emotions ranging from a sense of loss to euphoria that the change initiative did not happen. But the prospect of change is never erased. Each person and entity will treat it differently from starchy executives, “That’s just business”, to those who are nearly immobilized both in fear and loss of direction. Yes, the music being played today died and the dance has stopped, but the melody plays over and over and will give birth to new initiatives which, in many cases, make the company and or brand stronger, leaner and more proactive.

The Brand Change series of blogs ends with this post. We hope that we have done a little open mind surgery helping our readers really take a look at their individual and adopted brands, what each of us control and brand strategy. Our work includes expanded writings and tools related to brand change as well as consulting services. Please contact us for more information.