Marketing Weblog: SHOULD THE CEO BE A BRAND BUILDER? - Instituto de Empresa Business School

July 29, 2007

SHOULD THE CEO BE A BRAND BUILDER?

José Ignacio Gafo Gómez-Zamalloa

Let me start this blog with a question: Do you know the CEOs of these Companies?

• Procter & Gamble
• Apple
• Microsoft
• Bank of America
• Telefonica
• Virgin
• EON
• United Nations
• Renault

You will probably only know some of them, as long as many of them are not well-known. The question I raise is whether the CEO should be well-known and be a Brand Builder or not.

I will take two examples to show two different approaches and its results: Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin, and A.G. Laffley, CEO of Procter & Gamble.

Richard Branson is really well-known. He is a master of PR and is on the news all the time due to its unconventional comments and eccentric adventures. Whatever the case, he conveys a very consistent image of innovation, think different approach, friendliness and people care, that impacts directly into his Company and Brand Image. Because if you think about “Virgin” you will associate it with many of the attributes given to its CEO.

On the other hand we have A.G. Laffley which is more in accordance to what we can expect from a brilliant CEO. He is much more reserved than Mr Branson and sticks his comments and public appearances to formal comments and investor announcements. In this case, he is transmitting an image of seriousness and professionalism, without so many glamour.

So, should the CEO be a Brand Builder? And, if this is the case, how should he beahave?

My opinion is that no matter the role that the CEO takes, he IS INDEED A BRAND BUILDER. The CEO is the public image of the Company for his comments and behaviour are associated with the Company he is representing.

And with regard to the second question, I would say that it has to adapt to its company culture and specific environment. As usual in Marketing, there is not a response. What I would say is that the CEO should be extremely careful with what he does and says at wok and out of it, for he will contributing to its Company Brand Perception and Image.

Comments and thoughts are welcome.

Think Different!!!

Ignacio Gafo

Posted on 29 July 2007 in International Marketing, Branding

Comments

Tipically, "finance or management -oriented" CEOs are lesser brand builders than "business oriented" CEOs. The "finance oriented" CEOs speak more about figures, efficiency, management , mergers, etc.. than about products, solutions, technology, etc..., the opposite happens with the " business oriented " CEOs
Brand is built around great products or services that satisfy the needs of people and institutions, even in many cases deep needs which are not explicitely recognized as such at first.
Except in some exceptional case, "managers" don´t build brands.
Of course, the type of business is relevant to the CEO behaviour; but you can appreciate the difference between CEOs in the same business sector or even in the same company.

Posted by: Miguel Angel at July 30, 2007 09:13 AM

I do like the differentiation between Financed and Business Oriented CEOs.
From my point of view the Brand is a living being. It is remade every single day in its interaction with the customers and the CEO therefore has something to say in it. On the one hand, through the supervision done of the Brand Management in his company. On the other hadn, he wants it or not, through the image he is projecting with his speeches, announcements, etc.
Sure that it will depend on the case, but the CEO must have, directly or indirectly, an active role on its Brand Health.

Posted by: jose ignacio gafo at July 30, 2007 04:03 PM

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