A Time to Begin and a Time to Plan.

 

We’ve found that there are those that begin without a plan. We’ve also found those that understand they need a plan but require a guiding hand to get the planning underway. We have also found those that have a completed plan and the time to begin is ripe. In each case, time and effort is used and the outcome from either planning or not planning is revealed.

When planning to engage an agency to support the business of brand development or market outreach, scenarios unfold as follows:

Who is being invited to take part in the bidding for the clients project?

Knowing who is being asked to come to the table to discuss a project sets parameters about what the client is expecting from a collaborative standpoint and the nature of the customer journey that will ensue. Specifically, does the request include small design boutiques or large multi disciplinary firms? Across the continuum of companies who offer their expertise, distinct capabilities or strength and weakness become obvious. Often we find requests sent for bids go out in blanket form with not so much attention to tailoring the specific requirements to vendors who have the best tuned solutions to deliver on the request. This is obvious when organizations place freelancers next to multi-disciplinary enterprise. Clearly a price gap will make those operating with far less overhead more competitive. Those who are doing the buying know in advance the lowest bid has the highest probability of securing the engagement.  The time and resources spent chasing this situation in most cases will be written off from the larger enterprise that elects to pursue the business.

What is the requirement regarding design?

The challenge here is: design has been elevated as part of the lexicon among management and has found a coveted place within the executive suite driving innovation. In other cases, design has become a loose term for what is the general flow of noise that is ubiquitous in people's lives today. For those who have the task of planning a request for design capabilities and want to see specific value from those who offer such talent, priority on the definition of what is meant by design is crucial. Moreover, to support the bidding and to ensure an alignment is achieved and understood.

A large gap exists today due to the sheer noise within popular society. This situation presents a challenge to those in the design profession. Those that see design as ornate application or visual composition and interesting colour combinations, bring a vastly different set of criteria for their organization needs compared to the client that understands design literacy and the integral role design is performing as a construct embedded within their organization's culture.

 Should the request for proposal include asking for ideas?

Within the industry, we have tuned up over the years and we bring expertise to our clients based on the aggregate of the many client journeys we’ve enjoyed.

Does the notion of asking the bidders to give away their design thinking ideas cross some moral line and take the client organization into the realm of ethical issues?

I find that we need to be very agile in the industry and adapt quickly to understanding our client, organizations. For those agencies who have had the benefit of long-term anchor accounts clearly this is the basis for a huge advantage that exists and that goes to the clients, bottom line as value. Expressing empathy to the client within the context of the proposal is essential for the client making an informed ruling about who to hire.

Design thinking that gives context to the value you offer and puts forward in the proposal some modicum of excitement is clearly a winning formula.

In order to demonstrate a grasp of the client's requirement, offering an original idea or validating some current trends or strengths or weakness based on an assessment of the client's goals and objectives, is a clear indicator of how much passion exists for writing new business. Certainly this will appear as a bonus for the client when bidding against others that simply template their offer and bring little knowledge of the client's DNA or assessment of the organizations, present and future state. Often prospective clients will offer a small budget to make it  worth delivering some conceptual thinking. This cash outlay is a decent practice that generates a greater willingness for bidders to share expertise.

The question that is raised, based on the three different scenarios above, becomes important when contemplating how to effectively manage and express communications for market outreach within an organization today. 

This responsibility is not a simple task since the organization is complex and is comprised of many factors not limited to a wide range of personalities, leadership styles, governance rituals, experts in various disciplines and politics.

The management of communications and investment ultimately has to pass and get support through consideration to all these internal factors. The person in  charge of  beginning must have the support of those across the organization and demonstrate an acute ability to balance the range of issues that emerge to get the job done. Moreover, planning goes to the core of how precious dollars and investments are used and how dollars spent will go directly to the bottom line toward creating a highly tuned campaign that has impact.

A very simple challenge: Wait before throwing the switch to the online universe on content that is not emblematic of your best laid plans.

Make planning a priority.

Plastic Industry Brand Building

This video was produced and directed in conjunction with our great friend and expert Chris Mullington

Write and Record

"Write and Record" pronounced by Simon Dubnow an individual who as an elder met his fate at the hands of the Nazi's during the second world war in Latvia.

This individual's legacy is referred to within the book “Earth into Property” The book is authored by Anthony Hall. Anthony’s remarkable work of history has been my source of reference and insight for the last couple of months. 

The stories within the 800-page odyssey provide descriptions in the simplest of terms about crude edge policies and actions. The book poignantly chronicles the relationships over the ages among societies with an emphasis on Canadian Indigenous culture in perspective with First Nations internationally. Context about how nation states and their co-opted industrial partners have extended a myriad of unfortunate interventions upon people.  

Corporations aligned with governing bodies engaged in expansionist actions, they used a parade of remarkable invention and strategic thinking to the detriment of many people in their path.


The book covers the Columbian conquests onward to 9/11 and recent outcomes within the 21 century. Analysis about centuries of relations and disparities among nations, organizations and people. 


While reading the book pages in Cuba last month I found the details on, Castro and Che Guevara compelling and informative. The text includes much about that Nations history and international influence .

Thoughts on Social Media

This week I took part with a colleague from my organization at a local conference sponsored by a bank. The subject of the conference was Brand and Social Media. A representative from a large advertising agency conglomerate based in Toronto Canada took the floor for three hours to offer insight on brand. He also included for the audience in the Real Estate Development business a primer on social media.

The presentation also validated for me that many of the strategies and related brand tactics we’ve been offering our clients by extension their various stake holders, internal and external audiences are not unlike or different from what is being professed from the multinationals out of the big centres of commerce globally. The speaker validated to the letter in some cases much of what we’ve been sharing in our efforts with clients for the last decade. His talk was a parallel conversation to gordongroup's ideology and brand leadership models. This made the event worthwhile for me. 

My quest for learning continues, I was interested in hearing about the social media model being offered from the Toronto large agency perspective. It's exciting times on the internet after all and the potential for organizations to embrace, leverage and grow their online market share seems to me remains an uncharted phenomena. Again the speakers’ ability to introduce and engage the audience was intriguing and prompted some very relevant questions. Core ideas introduced contributed to my appreciation of ways to take advantage of this new opportunity.

Letting the ideas flow from followers either good or bad turns out contributes to an upside for the organization that remains transparent and responds in a humane and intelligent way rather then censoring or filtering negative commentary out. This is open to jury review on case by case from my perspective.

The opportunity has emerged today to gain competitive insight from young people who bring convictions and sensibilities about how their success and winning outcomes using different social media platforms have proven effective. This "staffing" trend offers organizations and management opportunity to introduce multi generational collaboration. 

1. Content remains king

Your investment in content, that is content constructs specifically to do with your unique personality within the vast sea of noise called social media. Content that “cuts through” the tremendous amount of information online is required today for social media campaigns. This is truly what separates the leaders from all the masses online. Good content like a good photograph, illustration, house or aircraft is not derived from testing things out. You will be judged on your weakest link, a fact of the design business. Once you launch your campaign ensure you can keep feeding the beast with the best possible content. This points to how you plan to sustain your brand online.

Great content comes from years of experience refining, measuring and continual improvement. For some, this may come naturally yet, with resources limited in most organizations specifically for market outreach, “content” is often the weak link. Management will have to invest in great content.

2. ABC company now does publishing

Social Media bottom line, to do this you have to operate a publishing unit. You may build homes, aircraft or buses but a function of the company has to begin publishing. In fact rather than social media, the name may be more representative if it were known as publishing media. Organizations small or medium sized may not have design units or writers on staff, yet “cut through” online will require a minimum level of craft and discipline to effectively compete with those who leverage these skills to drive their business. Keeping a vital and steady brand building program starts with management's commitment to ensure regular, smart, and meaningful communications remains constant for months and years ahead. A publishing unit that creates smart narrative that is sent to followers and others who have influence. Influencers or customers who will make a difference on your organizations bottom line.

Identify who within the administration will effectively run the publishing unit.

A brand conversation and forum with MBAs

One hour to define the complex world of brand is hardly adequate but that's what I was allotted yesterday evening among a group of University of Ottawa MBA students. 


Providing insight within a learning institution is a great way to assert and crystallize your thoughts while contributing to knowledge and understanding. 


University of Ottawa has invited us on numerous occasions to share our professional views and practical theories with their students. In each occasion we've benefitted from meeting very engaging and thoughtful individuals. 


Unfortunately I could not get to all those who raised their hands for questions but the students enthusiasm to ask questions provided me comfort that another hour could easily have been spent.  


The time together with the students was used to present our model for brand leadership. This is useful because the thinking is applied to many circumstances relating to an organizations market position and their tactics in support of building brand.  Deconstructing brand and understanding the component parts perhaps for some is a defensive strategy in our present age of information overload and brand democracy for the masses.ie:Facebook, Twitter. For those wanting to understand more about the techniques and methods used on audiences to persuade or "convert" people to action, having a primer about how this is mapped out is useful. Those looking at brand structure will be informed about how to process the strategies corporate organizations implement to disseminate content and sell product or other things. The model discussed may apply to an individual, organization or nation. Breaking brand down into clear and accessible parts removes much of the mystery inherent in this loaded subject area. 

Design and Filmmaking Teams

Starting out in early December with two teams underway working toward client design objectives. 

Two gordongroup teams have been underway all weekend carefully managing and navigating through critical paths for the days ahead.




Residential Design & Brand

One team includes our Creative Director and Senior Design lead. We’re engaged on real estate condominium brand and marketing. The second team with Senior Producer / Project Management support is embarking on a documentary filmmaking tour, celebrating the leadership among the James Bay Northern Quebec Crees.

Branding property development has been a tradition among our team for a number of years. We love having conversations with the Architect, Marketing Executives, Asset Managers, Owners of developments as well as other stakeholders who give us their perspective in order to define the essence of what makes properties outstanding within their unique community. Conversations about how the envisioned development can utilize design and timeless brand to create aspirational response from future residents who will call the location home. 

Clients who understand the value of design and how world-class design leverages their investments partner with our team. The collaborative effort is actually momentous to witness as conceptual notions and design thinking transforms into market outreach toward stabilizing the property. We witness the property come out of the ground as the team effort drives a surge in sales or eventual leaseholds ensuring the covenant is met. The result is a change in the city scape with new dwellings adding to the community.


We're currently engaged with a visionary developer here in Ottawa and the leading Real Estate marketing enterprise nation wide. The launch takes place later in the week, at what promises to be the first of many great Q West events to come.

Check into Facebook 

Our proprietary approach to developing identities by extension crafting stories and delivering marketing tools is sharpened from experience naming and branding real estate nationally. Another partner Bentall Investment Management of Vancouver engaged gordongroup during 2005/07. We developed identities and online brand solutions that contribute toward making their portfolio of homes in Canada unique.

"The denser we make our cities the more we can sustain ecosystems", 

Bruce Mau, Phaidon 2004

Preservation and Filmmaking History

Our second team comprised of Film Director and Crew depart this week to record stories and personalities on locations in James Bay Northern Quebec. We're filming individual’s who were trailblazers and exerted great influence during the 1970 and 80s. period. The Crees at that time built a foundation for growth for future generations. We’re preserving their memories for the future and for people interested in Canadian Northern Culture. The intent is to deliver empowering, educational and leading perspectives from interviews from people who witnessed  the transformation and impact of development in their lands. Unlike anything experienced in Canada’s north, perhaps unlike anything internationally the Crees asserted their Rights four decades ago and ensured governments upheld commitments. As a result today the Crees have extraordinary rein and leadership. They have protected their traditional way of life which is  largely unknown to most Canadians. The James Bay Crees are using innovation and digital recording to ensure their history is preserved and depicted authentically.

Doc. trailer on youtube

"Each of the four wind persons resides at one of the four points of the compass, and each has specific personal characteristics related to particular seasons, weather and animal patterns, hunting conditions, and success".

Harvey Feit, McCelland & Stewart 1995

Approach is a loaded word

As business grows the approach from the past may not be the best approach going forward. Interesting transitions take place weekly around delivery to clients. Clients set the stage for all the roles we perform, the clients set objectives that we act on in support of their mission. 

Approach is a loaded word since defining the approach requires rulings and judgment for selection of the best pathway ahead in the interest of achieving the greatest value or result in support of winning outcomes. 

So my post is about approach and some perspective about how design is an integral function today used to support positive business outcomes. I think back to the early days reading business management books and discovering metaphors that offered an understanding about the rules of business. One visual metaphor remains a core concept which is the idea of a tripod as it relates to the three legs of business function. 

-Marketing

-Production
-Finance

Marketing

The approach to marketing and all its definitions including online utilities, advertising and the myriad of other tools available to organizations form a clear leg on the business tripod. The organizations brand and all that is factored within building that into something robust and meaningful. Marketing of course is a central component of any business. This function is required to effectively grow the organization. Investment in marketing remains crucial for attracting new opportunity and growth. To ensure a stable support, the organization’s approach must leverage the designer’s thinking. Today we’re witness to a surge in visual communications driving information to audiences and building market share(communities) for organizations. The marketing function within the organization is at a disadvantage without the designer's skill set somewhere within reach to differentiate the offering. Ideally the designer may be resident inside or acquired through contingent support from the street.

The approach to marketing in all its forms combined with the other two tripod legs will certainly enhance and provide stability to the organization. Get the marketing leg started and invest in design. A remarkable outcome occurs on the marketing leg once you've pitched your idea or you offer your vision or concept to the prospect. The marketing interaction engages and jump starts response's from clients and prospects. Essentially you may be turned away or you may find your timing is spot on with new business opportunity. The minimum result I’ve witnessed in the consulting world on the positive front are incidental opportunities that result from trying. Often these incidentals situations end up as substantial engagements. Most incidentals happen outside my comfort zone when some level of risk is involved.

Production

The approach to production for the organization interested in stability and growth brings with it some unique challenges. The metaphor  “who do you want on the bus?” comes to mind. For those companies that foster leadership and excellence within their cadre a unique set of circumstances unfold about individual’s acting collectively driving the output to new levels generally resulting in building stronger relations with clients. Production validates everything. Did the social media campaign result in extending the brand? Are the clients aspirations to achieve specific sales quota’s exceeded? Has the event resulted in a sell out with people leaving feeling good about the value imparted? Does the analysis show effective growth in traffic to an online solution? Have your clients renewed their business dealings year after year? Design thinking as it relates to production today specifically in a multi disciplinary organization will bring a higher level of success to the program. Design in its many interpretations will support great production outcomes. The  time spent (designing) planning the clients assignment from the onset and subsequent execution along the value chain by outstanding talented individuals makes a difference because people who bring extraordinary passion are an unstoppable force for winning results. Production is a core leg of the business tripod.

I’ve felt in the last few weeks that I’ve been on the front of a locomotive train barreling at high speeds forward. The word production doesn’t adequately define the momentum and performance of the organization when you get it right and witness all systems firing in support of clients aspirations. 

Finance

Retrospect or pro forma evaluations ultimately determine the stability, vitality and results of the organization. Procurement and related activities place administrative demands ensuring fairness, transparency and equity among organization participants. A balanced approach to finance is an essential leg of the business tripod. Lots about this leg can scuttle growth. Recent trends point to heightened emphasis on design thinking as central to growth moving the bar away from reliability to a pragmatic and more risk tolerant and innovative model. This argument place’s greater emphasis on right brain creative thinkers leading forward into areas that may not be as familiar or traditional. Opportunities to reach a new audience through online conversations and experiences for example open new and expansive channels to many organizations who have yet to begin strategic exploring or reaching out. The cost of entering these channels needs to be understood, captured and controlled. Risk arguably is higher today for  those who haven’t embraced the online universe or who may be demonstrating lag in committing to properly building their brand in new media. Holding back and playing safe with investment in this space will reduce opportunity for growth.

The business tripod remains a simple metaphor for stability central to competitive advantage. What’s emerged is the central role design thinking plays on each leg and how adopting the practices that bring innovation and risk taking to these functions is a minimum requirement today for leadership. The rules have changed for organizations who have successful talented people that take risks and do not settle for the status quo.


Approach design thinking on each leg of the business tripod.