We manage our brands.

We are careful with the corporate identity, making sure we don’t use the wrong font or use the wrong PMS* color. We are diligent to ensure all our marketing pieces are “on brand”, using the same taglines and having the same look and feel.

How much difference does it make? Yes, I agree it is helpful. I give clients such advice myself. I just wonder whether it makes a difference when, after all the marketing has brought in customers, they experience the opposite.

The pristine images of a luxury car ad lead you to an encounter with a rude, smoke-in-your-face, let-me-ask-my-manager, what-will-it-take-for-you-to-drive-home-in-this-car salesperson.

The fun and quirky ads lead a teenager to experience the same drab decor, lousy customer service, and bland burger with cold fries.

So, how do you manage your brand?

Here are specific examples:

I had a third party get their noses out of joint on a co-branded marketing piece. We failed to spell out their name (i.e. 35th instead of Thirty-Fifth). I was happy to make sure it was corrected, but I was surprised they were so indignant.

A friend told me about an interaction he had with “customer service” about an unexplained fee for new members. He was told it was an administrative fee. “For typing in a name?” he asked. The representative’s answer was, “Yep.” Remember, this is for NEW members. Welcome to the club.

Here’s the problem:

We know which one of these gets fixed, the typo. Colors get fixed and names get corrected, but customers (and often employees) still get shafted by technicalities and policies.

I think we have this backwards. We are rigid with the flexible areas of our brand. Meanwhile, we bend the inflexible areas until something snaps… usually our customers.

Your indignation shouldn’t arise when the corporate ego is bruised. It should reveal itself when your customers and employees experience anything contrary to the ideals your brand represents.

*PMS = Pantone Matching System. Yes, it is an unfortunate acronym.