“Made in America” may be making a strong comeback. Straight from the headlines of the New York Times (Dollar Falls to New Low Against the Euro – 9/21/07) and the Wall Street Journal (Dollar Lifts Exporters, Blunting Housing Bust – 10/1/07), we see that the dollar is getting weaker against the Euro and other currencies around the world, including Canada. This gives an edge to American manufacturers and has already helped lift exports by more than 11 percent in the first eight months of this year.

In addition to the help the value of the dollar is giving to help bridge the trade deficit, American manufacturers are still known for quality and innovation. American consumers are made aware by news reports of imported products with lead paint in Mattel toys, food that is contaminated, pharmaceutical drugs that are contaminated, labor abuses, and unregulated pollution in China and other countries. Not only will these factors help drive businesses globally for American made products, but American consumers will demand and be willing to pay a premium for higher quality domestically made products.

How do you take advantage of these recent developments?

If you make it in America, be sure to advertise “Made in America” in your advertisements, websites, direct mail, and collateral materials. Consider advertising in trade publications that are read in Canada, Europe, and other countries.

List your company on websites that promote US manufacturers such as:

• www.stillmadeinamerica.com
• www.madeinusa.com
• www.thomasnet.com (formerly Thomas Register of American Manufacturers)

Sample of international publications:

• ATA Journal (textile)
• Telecom Asia
• Lightwave Europe
• FibreSystems Europe
• European Power News
• Asian Plastic News
• Jane’s Navy International
• Industria Avicola (commercial poultry – Latin America)
• What’s New in Food Technology and Manufacturing
• Euro Photonics
• Electronic Products – China
• Network News – Italy
• Automotive News Europe

If you need help in developing your “Made in America” and export efforts, drop me an email at bob.grant@grantmarketing.com.

The most important asset of your company’s brand to your customers and prospects is your employees. The number one reason a person will change vendors is the interaction he/she has with the personnel of your company. If your employees are not strong advocates for what your company stands for, your company is in jeopardy of losing business.

Every company needs to strive to build a brand-based culture. The reasons to build a brand-based culture are the following:

• It provides a tangible reason for employees to believe in your company, which keeps them motivated and energized.
• It allows each employee to see how he or she fits into the grand scheme of delivering the brand vision and promise to its customers and the effect of these efforts on the business goals.
• It develops a level of pride tied to fulfilling the brand promise.
• It provides a great recruiting tactic as well as a powerful retention tool.
• It confirms that the customer and the brand are the things to focus on.

Whether your business sells to consumers or whether it is a B2B model, getting your employees to understand the company’s brand promise is an essential part of building a brand driven business that delivers sustainable, profitable growth.

Southwest Airlines is an excellent example of carrying its brand of friendly affordable air carrier service through its employees to its customers, which is clearly stated on the Southwest website:

“Our Culture is unique because of the SOUTHWEST SPIRIT of our Employees. Defining SOUTHWEST SPIRIT is difficult, but one of the important components is an altruistic nature that places others before self. Our Employees are famous for their warm hearts and giving nature, which is what makes Southwest a Company with a conscience. The Employees of Southwest are committed to ‘doing the right thing,’ which is why giving back to the communities we serve and contributing positively to our environment is simply the way we do business.”

How do C-level managers keep employees informed and engaged in the brand’s evolving story and what it means to them? Does there exist inside the company an internal marketing effort to increase employees understanding of the brand while eliminating any perceived barriers to embracing it?

We propose that a company needs to look inside itself and perform an internal assessment of how employees, including management and channel partners perceive the corporate brand and how it delivers its brand message to its customers. A coordinated internal understanding of the brand is just as important as a good external marketing initiative.

Business Week published its annual “Best Global Brands” list last week. The usual top brands are still on top, Coca Cola, IBM, and Microsoft. Some like Google have jumped from #20 to #10, and retailer H&M is on the list for the first time at #22.

“The 100 Best Global Brands are a reflection of the global economy – the current credit crisis in the U.S., the growth of emerging markets and the increased emphasis on sustainability are all key trends that resulted in brands rising or failing on the list,” said Jez Frampton, CEO of Interbrand. “The increasing complexities of the global economy reinforce the importance of protecting and growing a brand. It is a company’s most valuable asset – and a far less volatile asset than others during a time of economic uncertainty.”

With the economy heading for an official recession it raises the discussion about marketing in a down economy. Do you cut budgets? Do you keep them the same? Do you increase marketing budgets? Many companies have taken advantage of down economies in the past to increase their brand positions when there is less advertising/marketing noise. Take BMW for example, who in 1974 reintroduced itself as the “Ultimate Driving Machine,” a slogan that is still being used today. BMW not only rebranded itself from a manufacturer of sports sedans to a maker of SUV’s and luxury sedans, but even surpassed Mercedes in the luxury brand auto market.

With tight credit and diminishing sales, companies need to evaluate where to cut costs and increase cash flow, but they also need to re-evaluate their brands. According to Business Week, “When times get tough, people reexamine old habits and brand loyalties. Their tastes shift dramatically as they cut back.”

Maybe it’s time to reevaluate your company’s brand by:

• Internal research to see how employees, management, and channel partners understand your brand and how well it is communicated to customers.
• External brand research with customers to understand how well your brand is resonating with them.
• An internal review among company management and stake holders to refocus on unique selling points and unique positioning statements facilitated by a non-partisan third party.
• Touch Point analysis – Reevaluate where your brand comes in contact with your potential buyers. Has that changed? Are you spending too much money on one medium, when it would be more cost effective to market through another medium?
• Web analysis – On your website, is your core message to your clients and prospects clear.

Studies have shown that companies that strengthen their brands during a recession are 7 times more likely to come out of the recession stronger. This is because companies that rebrand successfully are positioned to reap the rewards of better consumer confidence during expansions. The lesson is simple — no matter what type of business you run, don’t put branding on the back burner during these hard times.