The Tool
The Brand Matrix guide executive teams through a structured set of questions that examine aspects of identity related to the organization’s mission, culture, competences, values, and other defining characteristics.
There are nine elements in total arrayed in three layers; internally oriented elements on the bottom; externally focused elements on the top; and those that are both internal and external in the middle.
When a corporate identity is coherent, each of the other elements will inform and echo the identity core, resonating with the company’s values and what the brand stands for. The identity core, in turn, will shape the other eight elements.
Companies in a range of industries have used the Matrix to address a range of identity issues, such as clarifying “mother and daughter” brand relationships, retooling the corporate brand to support new businesses, and improving the company’s overall image.
Does your matrix measure up?
The following exercise is used to assess the coherence of your answers to the questions to the questions in the brand Matrix. As you fill in the boxes, you’ll create a narrative about your corporate brand’s identitiy.
THE FIRST DIAGONAL: STRATEGY
Do your mission and vision engage and inspire people in your own organization and, ideally, beyond it? Do they translate into a promise that the organization will fulfill? Is that promise manifest in the company’s positioning? Finally, does the logic also flow in the other direction: Does your positioning resonate with your promise and values, which align with the corporate mission and vision?
Our mission is …
Our vision is …
What we promise is …
Our core values are …
Our aspired position in the market is …
THE SECOND DIAGONAL: COMPETITION
Do the items in the list above fit well together? Do your current competences allow you to keep your promise and provide a solid basis for competitive and appealing value propositions?
Our competences are …
What we promise is …
Our core values are …
Our value proposition is …
THE VERTICAL PATH: INTERACTION
This section reveals how well your organizational values and culture resonate with and engage people inside and outside your company. Employees are your most important resource for ensuring the authenticity of the corporate brand. If they don’t embrace these elements of your corporate identity, then your outside relationships, whether with customers, partners, or other stakeholders, will suffer.
Our culture is …
What we promise is …
Our core values are …
The kinds of relationships we strive for are …
THE HORIZONTAL PATH: CHARACTER
The corporate personality underpins the company’s identity core and is expressed in myriad ways, from product design and the architecture of the headquarters to the corporate logo and marketing taglines. Assess how well that personality comes through in all communications, both internally and externally.
Our corporate personality traits are …
What we promise is …
Our core values are …
Our communication style is …
The Full Power of the Brand Matrix
The Matrix provides a lens for bringing an organization’s brand identity into focus. The diagonals clarify the role of identity in strategy and competition. The horizontal and vertical paths shed light on character and interaction. Building a corporate brand calls for defining and aligning the identity to communicate and position it, which fuels the building of a strong image and reputation. It’s about value creation, growth, and sharpening your business’s competitive edge. This is the territory of corporate brand leadership – your territory.
The nine panes help define
and align identity.
The communication and storytelling
layer activates and is guided by identity.
The reputation layer is the outcome:
a favourable image and clear position.
To keep a corporate brand relevant over time, you must be ready and able to redefine and align its established identity.