Part 2: Leadership Branding for the Franchise Model

I will take a few minutes to talk about renaming this blog. I call it 'Brand Tribes'. It is written for you and if you like what you read please share it (@LimLeong) amongst your own network . If you dislike this, hope you come visit again. Now why Brand Tribes?

A brand is a symbol, a name and logo that represents a product or service. A tribe is a rather 'ancient' word to describe a group of people who got together because an intent or idea they believed in. There is also a tribe leader who leads and manage the tribe or brand owner. Today, brand tribes are groups of consumers or people who follows an idea, cause or brand with a high degree of engagement. These groups are the ones who talks about your brand and in turn, makes them extremely rewarding to have. Both from profit point of view and brand building too. You want to have them. In fact, I believe that is the strongest way to define brand loyalty.

Brand Tribes is a movement to help brands form their own tribes. Brand Tribes intent is to get deeply connected tribe followers (consumers) who follow the brand that provides them with compelling experiences. At the same time, elevating the brand owner to be a successful tribal leader that leads and grow the brand. Read about Tribes by Seth Godin.

Back to the Leadership Branding for the Franchise Model; success factor for replication.

A franchise model works like this. Locate franchisee, build store, manage store and sell. Branding, I hope is not pass on like a manual. Does the franchisee really get it? I believe the brand owner bought into a 'yes' during the pitch. I sure hope its not just about the figures and a big smile.

Oftentimes a franchise model main challenge is controling replication. How does the brand owner ensures that the brand remains true to its brand foundation? How to really control the same standard of brand experience etc. Quoting one of the most successful brands out there that has tackled replication successfully; McDonald's. They applied brand leadership in their replication model (they bought back all their franchise).

The largest fast food chain McDonald's are a little different from country to country today yet having the same quality standards and taste. Realising the importance of cultural needs and their differences, the brand needs to evolve without losing its 'McDonad's brand experience'. Credit to their emphasis on staff training.

More importantly, a large contributing factor goes on to passing down their leadership qualities which ensure the success of the mother brand in different geographic regions. Ensuring proper brand steward training with these right qualities to create the same great level of customer experiences from Norway down to Australia.

Thanks for reading and for more insights on leadership. Read this blog by Enrico Varella who is a tribe leader on this topic. This concludes my 2 part Leadership Branding series.

Please leave your comments.

Part 1: Importance of leadership branding.

Why brand leadership and not the leader?

Time. A brand can outlive its leader. Its about brand legacy. A great brand may thrive through a set of leadership qualities and has higher chance of survival as a leader does not live forever.

"Leadership matters more because it is tied not to a person but to the process of building leaders." -Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood, LEADERSHIP BRAND. This pretty much sums it up nicely.

In another analogy, quoted by the book, it is not about branding a person (a particular great mum) but motherhood (her great leadership of love, care and values). What this mum is about to hand down has far greater positive effect than herself which has limited timeline. Yes, reality is that I only have 40 over years of shelf life, maybe shorter. A brand life span might be a few times longer, if the sucessor is a great leader of course.

Hence, for any given brand to sustain itself, great leaders must realise that they too must develop a process and system to sustain and permeate their brand leadership qualities. Oftentimes, you see the wise sage hand holding board meetings and making sure every detail ticks. It is pretty Asian in fact. It is the same with certain political parties.

In the business context, success replication of a brand like franchising should take on leadership branding rather than just 'photocopying the brand'. Thinking the brand experience can be applied anywhere. How wrong can that be! I will touch on this in Part 2: Leadership Branding for the Franchise Model.

Do leave your comments if you have any.