Make Brand Stewardship an Organizational Commitment
Kurt Allen, Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing and Communications for Notre Dame de Namur University, stresses that protecting a brand isn’t a one-team task.
“One of the biggest mistakes is treating the brand as marketing’s responsibility rather than an organizational commitment,” he says. “When teams interpret the brand independently, customers experience different messages, promises and behaviors depending on where they interact with the organization.”
Brand guidelines alone, Allen says, won’t solve that.
“Marketing leaders need to establish a shared brand framework that connects purpose, positioning, messaging and customer experience and ensure leaders across the organization understand their role in delivering it,” he says. “Regular cross-functional alignment, clear governance and shared measurement help reinforce consistency.”
For Allen, branding isn’t about creating a slick image; it’s about enhancing the customer’s experience and earning their trust.
“Ultimately, brand coherence isn’t achieved by making everything look the same,” he says. “It comes from ensuring every team understands and delivers the same promise.”