What Is Internal Branding?

Below is an excerpt from John McKeown’s October 2016 Monthly IP Bulletin.

Brand strategy and its implementation is vitally important, but a brand owner must also consider the home front.

While the majority of the brand owner’s brand related activities are externally directed there is an internal component to brand management which has been described as internal branding. Internal branding is directed to ensuring that all organizational levels of the business and all employees carry out their corporate or employment obligations in a fashion which is consistent with the brand strategy.

Effectively carrying out the brand strategy requires co-ordinated planning and execution at all levels of the business. All employees must understand the brand “promise” and their part in delivering it. A written description of the essential elements of the brand strategy should be developed and made available to them. In this context a brand is built from the inside out.

Employees need to be motivated to engage in internal branding and committed to playing their part. Typically this should be reflected in HR policies and internal communications as well as making employees aware of the current strategy and its implementation. However, if this can be done there are significant benefits associated with higher customer satisfaction.

If a brand owner is going to invest in its brand on a long term basis through internal branding and otherwise, it must give adequate legal protection to the tangible attributes which make up the brand and vigorously enforce the rights it obtains to avoid any loss of brand equity. If the brand is offered in more than one country, protection must be obtained separately in all of the relevant countries.