About The Brand Matrix book 

In this book, I embark on a journey through the Corporate Brand Identity Matrix and its practical application. The Matrix, in short, is a blueprint and toolbox for defining, redefining, and aligning a corporate brand’s identity as a stepping stone for management.

When I published my Harvard Business Review article “What Does Your Corporate Brand Stand For?” I understood from the response from board members, executives, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations around the world that I had to write a book. Plenty of leaders understand that they need to know the why, how, and what of their corporate brands, but few fully understand the importance of who. To trust, you need to know who you are trusting. I will explore the who aspect throughout the book. The identity Matrix shows why you are engaged in doing what you are doing; how you go about working; what your value proposition is; and – very importantly – who is generating that value proposition.

We successfully apply and use the Corporate Brand Matrix as a North Star to drive our brand and business.

Dr. Kerstin Lindell, Chairman of the Board and past President & CEO at Bona

Mats Urde’s book is an invaluable roadmap for how to ensure that employees, management, customers, and stakeholders have a common understanding and appreciation of the corporate brand.

David Nanto, Head of Corporate Branding US, NEC Corporation

This book is for all of you who see the business as the brand or want to make your brand your business. It takes a holistic view of branding. It recognizes that an organization must think of itself as a brand, communicate as a brand, live up to its promises as a brand, and change as a brand – all while maintaining continuity as a brand. I want to help you see that the corporate brand and the organization can never exist in isolation. They are inseparable. They need to be aligned. They are two dimensions of the same thing.

Corporate branding goes beyond mere logos and slogans – you know that, but do people around you? The brand’s identity is the essence of your organization – its purpose, values, and promise. Understanding and managing this identity is crucial in today’s competitive landscape.

Through real-world examples and practical insights, we’ll explore how a broad spectrum of organizations like IKEA, Trek Bikes, Volvo, Cargotec, and even the Nobel Foundation have leveraged brand-oriented leadership to drive growth and build trust. We’ll see executive teams facing problems and grasping opportunities, and we’ll see how they apply the Matrix to engage with stakeholders, protect core competencies, build trust through interactions, and ensure the distinctiveness of their brands’ styles and communications. I’ll uncover how the brand’s identity becomes the core of the organization and a North Star for your leadership.

So whether you’re on the corporate board, part of an executive team, engaged in a start-up, or simply curious about the power of corporate branding, this book offers a road map to success. Join me as I explain the Matrix and empower you to lead with purpose and clarity in corporate brand leadership.

Corporations used to hide behind their product brands, but more companies are now daring to put the corporate brand front and center in order to show their relevance, build credibility, and add value.

Michael Treschow, senior advisor to The Wallenberg Foundations, former chairman of Electrolux, Ericsson, and Unilever.

The book is also available in German and Spanish at Amazon, Apple Books (e-book) and Google Play Books (e-book).