Challenger Branding From The Inside

Build a culture. And brand it.

Four months ago, I stepped into the LOOMIS office for the first time when I interviewed for the position of Brand Manager. It’s an afternoon that will forever be etched into my memory.

Upon arriving at the agency, I was greeted by a sweet blonde named Bella in the lobby. Bella’s warm demeanor was infectious. Her smile calmed my nerves. And that shiny hair—I couldn’t help myself. As I petted the sweet Labrador before me, I noticed that the office’s chocolate-colored walls were adorned with images of other cute canines, each accompanied by quotes about underdogs.

In a minute’s time, I had three clear observations:

1)     They’re dog lovers.

2)     This is an agency that knows how to build effective branding—they did it for themselves.

3)     The agency itself represented its business purpose. LOOMIS: The Voice of the Underdog.

It was quite the first impression. And a good lesson on how internal branding leads to success.

Takeaways:

Create a workplace environment representative of your culture. Marketing begins at home. I instantly knew LOOMIS had a distinct culture, one I wanted to be a part of. And I knew what they stood for. “We are the voice of the underdog” is reflected not only in the work and the clients, but also in the agency’s atmosphere and physical space.

Hire people who fit your brand identity. Company culture is informed by business purpose, but it’s propagated by the people who run it. During my first afternoon at LOOMIS, I felt an instant connection to the work and people. (Judging by the series of personality tests I took as part of the hiring process, I can only assume my personality was culturally aligned.) To drive your business, you need employees who buy into its purpose and who identify with your associates and customers. That kind of personal identification can lead not only to great service, but big ideas and big success.

Think about your employees first. After all, they are the ones interacting with your customers on a daily basis. And employee attitude often factors into employee performance. Thus, happy employees lead to happy customers. If customers have a positive experience each time they engage with your business, that builds brand reputation. Fun, likeable, passionate about their work— future colleagues were the best and most authentic representation of the company brand—overall, they were LOOMIS’ best marketing tool. (Sorry Bella.)

Marissa Stabler is a Brand Manager at The Loomis Agency, the country’s leadingChallenger Brand advertising agency