Why do people care about brands? And what role does PR play in building a brand’s value? According to Mynewsdesk’s PR and communications experts, Sofia Thorngren and Adam Karseland, the main drivers behind a strong brand presence are a shared mission and thought leadership. In a Mynewsdesk webinar, Sofia and Adam shared proven PR tactics for communicating a brand’s higher purpose to build a strong brand presence. Here are the main takeaways.
Curious to learn all the tactics? Watch the webinar here. If you prefer the summary, continue reading this blog post.
Using thought leadership to build your brand presence
All companies and organizations have a mission to make a change or a contribution to the world – their corporate cause, or their “why”. When a company’s corporate cause is strong and clear, people are likelier to discover the brand and support it to take a stance and be part of the change the company is driving.
The best way to make your brand’s corporate cause clear is to “walk the talk” by demonstrating your mission through thought leadership.
You do not have to be the biggest company within your field to be a thought leader. Thought leadership is about actively participating in conversations and offering valuable insights beyond common knowledge.
By doing so, you can shape and contribute to the conversation in your industry, demonstrating your company’s mission beyond just selling products.
Dare to take a stance
You can demonstrate thought leadership by sharing stories about how your organization has solved problems while fulfilling its mission, and share these stories on your company blog or LinkedIn page, for instance.
Another way to establish thought leadership is to participate in public conversations where your brand takes an official stance on a trending topic or comments on current happenings in your industry.
As long as you provide genuine value, people will recognize you as an expert in your field.
Case 1: How chocolate company Tony’s Chocolonely established a strong brand presence
Tony’s Chocolonely is a Dutch chocolate company established in response to the harsh working conditions in the cocoa industry brought to light by a Dutch journalist who did an investigative story.
As a company driven by a mission to change industry standards, Tony’s Chocolonely has built a strong brand presence by employing a set of PR tactics:
- Content: They created an annual FAIR report highlighting their impact, mission, and efforts toward ethical sourcing and fair labor practices. The report supported their campaign for an industry-wide change to better standards.
- Event: They hosted an event at Harvard Law School to discuss business and human rights. The event helped spread awareness about their mission among a wider audience.
- Partnership: They partnered with Ben & Jerry’s on a mission to end modern slavery and child labor in the chocolate industry. By doing so, they leveraged their brand and tapped into a wider customer base.
Case 2: How the Swedish pharmacy Apotek Hjärtat changed the skincare game
Sweden’s biggest pharmacy chain Apotek Hjärtat made a bold move to encourage responsible skincare use among young customers.
The company introduced an age limit on certain skincare products, taking a stance on the debate around younger people misusing skincare products with potent ingredients.
This move actively shaped the conversation about health and wellness in a way that went beyond selling products. Their focus on fostering a healthier future for younger people helped strengthen people’s trust in their brand.
Get started on building your brand presence through PR
To shape the public perception of your brand, you must first contribute to the debate. Here are four steps to help you get started:
- Define content types. Determine which of your content is thought leadership and which is commercial.
- Plan thought leadership themes. Identify knowledgeable colleagues in your organization who are comfortable with sharing their expertise. Look beyond the marketing and sales teams!
- Map your channels. Consider creating a channel or blog section dedicated to thought leadership. Another tip is to join an industry forum to participate in discussions.
- Dare to share. Encourage your colleagues to share the content on their feeds. Be sure to provide them with draft text and a list of which organizations or collaborators to tag.
And remember: It is not about the company size or budget. It is about authenticity and relevance.
