Preface

Since the first edition of this book managers and academics have become more attuned to the need not just to focus branding activity on customers, but rather to take a more balanced perspective – in particular paying more attention to staff as brand-builders. More is being spoken about internal brand-building, and a growing number of brand success stories are being attributed to the importance of the brand-ambassador role of staff. Organizations internationally, developing either products or services in consumer and business-to-business sectors, are increasingly perturbed by the way that technology is shortening the sustainability of any competitive advantage from brands’ functional advantages. Recognizing that brands are clusters of functional and emotional values resulting in promises about unique and welcomed experiences, interest is growing in the importance of sustainable emotional values and the associated brand experiences. More managers are now seeking to harmonize the way that the values from staff contribute to the brand experience, integrating this with clever use of customer communications.