I’ve been working in marketing for the best part of two decades. For much of that time, I would tell you I knew best in regards to the look/feel and tone of those brands. When it came to it, I wrote the creative briefs, I brought in the designers, agencies, freelancers etc. For most things, I signed off everything that could affect a brand, before it got to a director, for final sign-off. I was the Brand Police.
I’d have signed off – or at least ensure sign off on what I wanted – on everything from the colours in the brand pallet, to the tone of voice of the copy, to the images we used in the advertising. I’d even do training with the sales team and customer services team to teach them how to speak in the brand’s unique character. And there’s nothing a sales team hates more than being told how to speak to a customer by a marketer, who never picks up a phone to speak to a customer! Around five years ago all that changed. It was around that time that I started to see myself as the Brand Guardian.
Read more
