Another hectic Marketing Forum saw a number of speakers identify lessons and challenges from the nature of their brands and the society they exist within.
Prying between the lines at the Marketing Forum 2008, the importance of culture was everywhere to be found. Not culture in the narrower sense of fine art or classical music, but rather the culture of organisations and societies, and how these traditions and expectations shape the way that brands operate, both internally and in the public eye.
 Mark Price, the managing director of Waitrose, alluded to the fascination with culture, and to its central role, in his opening keynote speech, saying: “Lots of people talk about culture and having that in business. I heard someone describe that as the ‘sediment of past transactions’, and I think that’s a brilliant way of putting it.”
Waitrose’s own culture is very distinctive. As part of the John Lewis Partnership, the company is co-owned by its employees; information is shared with them, and they have the power to influence what happens in the business. In contrast to publicly owned companies with shareholders to satisfy, said Price, this meant that Waitrose could afford to plan long term to build its business, without short term imperatives such as share dividends.
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“We only grow the business as quickly as we can grow the people in the business. If you put employees first you get better service, customers are more loyal and you therefore have a more profitable business,” he said.
“My first time and it was a very useful and enjoyable two days. It's a valuable opportunity to get new insights into the changing world of brands and communications.”
Stephen Pain, Aviva plc
“A fantastic event that surpassed expectations.”
David Jones, Fitness First
“Extremely productive way of meeting new suppliers who can offer something different to my business - organisations who simply would not be on my radar if I didn't take the time out.”
Sarah Howe, BUPA |
Engaging with staff in this way means that it is easier for a brand to hold on to a hard earned reputation for high quality, Price continued: “I want people to know that the quality is genuinely better at Waitrose than they can get anywhere else. That’s my goal. One of the great strengths of co-ownership is that we can put that point directly to people in the business. We can ask if employees would prefer to offer better service than have a 20% bonus, and they genuinely do. That’s the great strength of our model.”
 For Scott Garrett, marketing director for the Williams Formula 1 racing team, the concept of involvement for employees is crucial, and he equates it to empowerment. That Williams has a very different concept of its brand compared to most organisations can be seen in the fact that success for Williams is measured in champagne on the podium, said Garrett. It operates, of course, in a market where super-fast progress is literally the norm. But speed isn’t all; it needs to be married to agility. The business must be able to react quickly to changing competitive pressures. |