Octa Ramayana, MICM 09

MICM 2009-2010
LAST NAME FIRST NAME Group Student number Phone number E-mail address FT or PT student Module name Tutor Name Assignment number and title A 09081917 0624166670 octa.rama@gmail.com FT INTERNAL COMMUNICATION Amanda Coady 2 (WWF Internal Branding) Towards WWFs Brand Engagement: Think eGlobally, Act Locally Resit OCTA RAMAYANA

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3,009 28 April 2010

This report is my own work; it has not been written by others. When using text from other sources, I have referenced sources appropriately by stating the authors name behind their work (using the Harvard referencing method).

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Octa Ramayana, MICM 09 Towards WWFs Brand Engagement: Think e-Globally, Act Locally
Introduction This paper suggests an internal branding strategy for WWF that would allow the organization to have a brand with strong and credible reason that needs the whole organization to understand and believe in. Argenti (2009) mentioned that internal branding is important to building morale and creating a workplace where employees are engaged with their jobs. A great part of getting employees engaged, involves communicating the brand values such that employees understand, embrace, and weave them into their daily work ensuring that employees live the brand (Ind, 2007). Therefore, WWF needs to focus on bringing to life the brand values to all employees across the entire networks and offices globally. These values are: passionate and optimistic, inspiring and challenging, credible and accountable, preserving and delivering results (WWF, 2010)

To develop a strategy in internal branding for WWF, this paper will use the SOSTAC planning model which was developed by P. R. Smith (2005). The reason to use this model because it allows clarity and simplicity that goes systematically through the steps it has to build in a communication plan, and it helps to ensure that all relevant factors are considered.

1. Situation Analysis WWF is a well established organization that is dedicated to reduce the degradation of the planets natural environment (IMD, 2007). It also has a global network active in more than 100 countries throughout the world (WWF, 2010). However, there has been much confusion and complexity around the name. The corporate identity and the scope of activity that WWF undertook can be seen in the history of WWFs logo that kept on changing throughout the years (WWF, 2010). Therefore, analyzing the strengths and the weakness of WWFs element based on WWFs global brand (Beyaert, 2004) is essential to the development of the strategy: STRENGTHS Activities Strong commitment to save the nature and the people Internal Values Strong values for the environment, passion to seek new ways to overcome challenges, and result driven objectives. WEAKNESS Only perceived as a wildlife protection organization Widely diverse and differentiated by various level, speciality, region, and also culture, which creates different needs, and values which are not unified across all networks.

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External view Long established, ethical, serious, trusted, respected, and moderate organization. Network Structure Strong collaborative organization and supporters. Diversity, fragmentation and various degree of decision making from different offices Decisions generally made by consultation and consensus Image and Brand Identity Strong and recognizable (panda) symbol, which also has big impact in printing cost (WWF, Inconsistent identity. Corporate colour often differs from one country to another. Public confusion about image, message/audience, logo and names. Financial Resources Loyal trusted funding sources. Often more trusted than companies and government eCommunication Channel All network office are connected to the intranet Limited resource and access due to majority of employees is field based. Limited budget for communication activities and travel Passive, reactive, cuddly, oldfashioned, and media shy.

2010).

The analysis above reveals weaknesses that relate to misalignment on WWFs brand values both internally and externally. Internally the misalignment in values is due to the fragmented and autonomous network structure, which leads to various cultures developing within each office. Externally the misalignment is due to the lack of internal alignment on values. Internal alignment of values stimulates a strong external image (Ind, 2007). This implies that WWFs brand values should be communicated internally and be clearly understood so that in time, they can be displayed to external stakeholders to ensure the consistency. The lack of full access to technological communication channels, such the intranet, poses challenges when implementing the strategy. This implies that cost-effective options should be explored. The fragmentation of network offices indicates that a clear structure should be put in place in terms of cascading information to ensure that all employees receive information in a timely manner. 2. Objectives The main objective of this paper is to create a possible cost effective internal branding plan in order to obtain WWFs consistency in its identity and personality across the entire organizations in order to be globally recognized for their entire scope of activities. For a short term, it is hoped to accelerate the process of educating and motivating the employees to ensure they understand about new brand values through its activity by aligning, coordinating, and unifying the updated brand message within the entire WWF network members and employees. Moreover, the employees need to be able to speak the message with one voice and deliver it

Octa Ramayana, MICM 09

consistently to represent the brand globally. This will be made possible through a cost effective strategy that would lean heavily on the use of electronic digital media. The long term objective is to ensure that WWF employees live the brand and engage the brand values in their everyday work. This way, they will consistently deliver the brand promise to external stakeholders. 3. Strategy Identifying Target Audience The strategy for this paper is to use internal branding as a vehicle for WWFs brand consistency and to communicate the new brand promise to the internal stakeholders. Therefore, this paper will focus on the entire WWF network members and employees. The main target audience for the strategy is the individuals who have wide reach across functions (MacLaverty, 2007) within each WWF network office: general director, senior managers, HR managers, and communication managers. Therefore the focus is to equip them with all information on the new brand values and the benefits they have for the organizations effectiveness. It is also important to equip them with knowledge of the various leadership styles they can use they can use in order to effectively implement the new values within their networks: Participative, supportive, exploitive authoritative and benevolent authoritative (Coady, 2010). Based on their wide reach within WWF, these stakeholders will lead the change. The stakeholder that is targeted to receive information is all employees as they all need to be aligned on the new values. This paper also addresses another group of people who creates an affinity to the widely diverse, differentiated type of speciality workforce, subgroups, or subcultures within WWF through its channels of social networks. These people may not be heads of departments, but they have a critical linking role of creating communication channels between the individuals in organization, as described by Cross and Prusak (2002) as key role players. The key role players can be identified by mapping the individuals in the entire network and organization by face to face communication which will be elaborated in the tactic section. Engaging with these people will help solve the problem of miscommunication between individuals in cross culture or cross expertise areas in WWFs offices or networks. This target group plays an essential role and capability for connecting the people to different individuals within the organization either locally or globally. They know how to find the relevant information through their social network (Cross and Prusak, 2002). With an organization as big and diverse as WWF, it is quite difficult for the executive and HR managers alone to manage and co-ordinate the people within the network and organization that are spread in more than 40 countries that speak 15 different languages that creates potential miscommunications.

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Message Strategy The approach for the message strategy is to use the role of communication strategy for the internal communication which is to Differentiate, Reinforce, Inform, and Persuade (Fill, 2006). Differentiate: The WWF employees should be differentiated in regions, national culture, divisions, specialty/expertise, and seniority. It is important to understand in different ways how they will fit into the brand delivery. The main reason is that WWF employees also have different interest, influence, values, and role playing process (Fill, 2009). Moreover, because WWFs office and network are located worldwide, the communication process also should be differentiated by region with the similar time zone. For example WWF office in Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, Tokyo, and Thailand will hold web conference at the same time in order to create effectiveness and efficiency to the communication process. Reinforce: Communicating the desired brand itself is not enough. Ind (2007) stated that the brand needs to be repeated consistently. Therefore WWFs brand position should be reflected in the divisions and activity of WWF. It may take a form of reminding the employees about the benefits of behaving in a certain ways (Coady, 2010) to represent the brand and why consistency gives more value to what they do to save the planet and the people. Inform: Once the employees are differentiated, WWF needs to open the channels and regularly inform the employees consistently to keep them up to date by modifying the information to be relevant for WWFs new positioning. This can be achieved by using WWF tangible communication tools which will be elaborated in the tactics. Persuade: After the information is consistently sent out, WWF employees need to be approached to motivate their knowledge, attitude, and behavior towards the updated brand image. They need to be reminded about the importance of their contributions, and the role they play in delivering the values (Coady, 2010). This approach will help to communicate and influence the WWF employees and create a bridge between the strategy and execution (MacLaverty, et al., 2007). It enables to create brand consistency by reaching the widely diverse and differentiated WWF employees. Messages for all identified stakeholders will be frames such that they communicate the values of the organization: passionate and optimistic, inspiring and challenging, credible and accountable, preserving and delivering results. Why go Electronic? Due to the fact that many WWFs employees are field-based (WWF, 2010) and to reduce the cost of communication activities and travelling, electronic IT-based communication like the internet and intranet will be used to spread information around the world in a fast and cheap way to reach the large target audience. Using the technology also gives the opportunity to demonstrate and strengthen WWFs commitment to find the new solution to save the planet and people by reducing the use of paper. WWF has the technology to provide it as a communication channel to support the internal branding process. However, not everyone in the company has access to the necessary technology

Octa Ramayana, MICM 09

whether because of location or personal workload. Therefore, traditional information resource is still needed to support technology which will be elaborated in the tactics. 4. Tactics The next step is to develop the internal communication tools for the organization to implement the delivery of the brand promise.

Tools WWFs Executive and Managers Briefing

Detail Emphasize the importance of thorough understanding, support, and gain as well as demonstrating commitment and engagement to WWFs internal branding process. The engagement of executives is crucial for the success of the internal branding strategy, because they are the culture carriers and visionary (Argenti, 2009) within WWF.

Open Door System

Open channel for face to face communication between WWFs HR managers or senior managers to their employees that enables them to address their concern or support to the current situation in WWF. It is also gives an opportunity for leaders to find the key role players to get them on board and give direct support and motivation through the process to cascade the information to their peers. Leader would be the key driving change for the internal branding process (Ind, 2007).

Brand Kickoff*

To give awareness about WWFs image update and to reinforce and ensure the development of the desired brand proposition (Ellwood, 2002) by including entire WWF employees using internal publication announcement. It will give them awareness and information on what will go on in the next few weeks or months, to prepare their time for briefings, meetings, or trainings by the managers.

Internal Video Publication*

Video visualization of WWFs new brand positioning that is accessible through the intranet to reach the employees which is spread throughout the globe. The audio visual presents more information in a given amount of space and can simplify complex concepts (Wileman, 1993) which will give a good approach to the fact that many employees are field-based and to give them more exposure to the new positioning.

Brand Toolkit* / staff handbook

Internal publication that explains the WWFs brand architecture, colour palette, the story behind the panda logo and other organization artefacts, code of conducts, presentation template, and the instructions how to use the logo in daily basis to make consistency of the new positioning through visual appearance to be delivered to the external stakeholders.

Octa Ramayana, MICM 09

Staff Training and Brand Workshop

Training for the managers and employees by reinforcing and assuring them how they are involved as a part of the changing process and the benefits of representing WWFs new brand positioning. Using brand story and case study from an organization that successfully dealt with change management as one of the tools to leverage WWFs brand value and brand identity (Coady, 2010).

Internal electronic Newsletter or Notice Board* Brand Web Centres*

Updates on the project and activities to keep employees informed of WWFs brand positioning and the delivery of the brand promise that should be delivered periodically and differentiated by the employees role to keep it relevant. Provide the whole text (presentation, management announcement, newsletter, etc) and audio-video document information related to the WWFs brand positioning and its activity, and regularly keeping them up to date and relevant for the whole employee to access via intranet for optimal e-learning.

(*) digitally distributed 5. Action To develop and implement the internal branding strategy into an action, the tactics stated above will be briefly defined by the people who is in charge and their target audience:

Tools WWFs Executive and Managers Briefing

Position in Charge General director

Target Audience Senior managers HR manager Communication managers Managers Key role players Employees Managers Key role players employees Managers Key role players employees

Details Video conference to entire WWF network and offices differentiated by regions.

Open Door System

Senior managers HR Managers Comm. Managers Key role players

Face to face internal communication in each WWF network and office.

Brand Kickoff*

Senior managers Comm. Managers ICT and design team Communication managers Head of ICT and design team

Distributed globally throughout the entire WWF network and offices

Internal Video Publication*

Distributed globally throughout the entire WWF network and offices

Octa Ramayana, MICM 09

Brand Toolkit* / staff handbook

Communication managers Key role players Head of ICT and design team HR manager Trainee managers

Managers Key role players employees

Coordinated to develop a tailored toolkit to be relevant to the local language & culture in each WWF office

Staff Training and Brand Workshop

Managers Key role players employees

Coordinate to develop a tailored workshop to be relevant to the local language & culture in each WWF office Digital distribution tailored to be relevant to the local language & culture in each WWF office Globally

Internal electronic Newsletter or Notice Board*

Communication managers Head of ICT and design team

Managers Key role players employees Senior Managers HR managers Managers Key role players employees

Brand Web Centres* Communication managers Head of ICT and design team

6. Control The measurement of an internal branding strategy is crucial in order to ensure whether the employees understand, behave, and able to deliver the core brand value across the entire WWF network and organization. The control methods ensure that integration is working in practice, with necessary improvements being made in the light of experience (Smith, et al., 1999) Measurement Tool Detail WWF employees are asked about the elements of the brand promise and their values towards the new brand positioning in a confidential and anonymous manner to keep the objectivity of the response They are also asked about the use effectiveness of the brand web centre to develop further evaluation. It enables WWF to diagnose the bottlenecks or to create benchmark for the internal branding program (Fill, 2005) The survey is conducted by using the intranet due to the fact that many WWF employees are field-based. WWF managers from independent and non-independent offices communicate the reports from the internal branding process and the feedbacks. Web conference will enable different WWF office to send their reports in a fast and efficient way.

Regular Staff Survey

Management Web Conference

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Supervisor Shadow Training and Brand Workshop

Supervisors from each local office observe how trainee deliver the material from the brand toolkit/guide to the staff and volunteers to reassure its delivered in a desired ways. After the training session, participants (staff and volunteers) will be asked to fill a sheet of quick survey on how they accept the new brand positioning delivery to evaluate the effectiveness of communication process of WWFs brand. It can provide immediate coaching to reinforce appropriate behaviour (MacLaverty, 2007). Annual performance evaluation to give feedback, and enable managers to recognize the employees level of understanding Ind (2007) argued that this process enable organization to allocate reward for the desired behaviour

Performance Appraisal

Conclusion Creating an internal communication strategy for internal branding in an NGO as big and diverse as WWF is challenging. The complexity within its network and organization requires an involvement from all WWFs internal stakeholder with a strong commitment in order to have a clear and consistent brand positioning, clear communication channel, and clear strategy. The role of leadership and key role player helps WWF to overcome the barriers in the diversity by reinforcing and differentiating the information through its communication channel. The communication channels and commitment creates a clear path for the delivery of the information and inspires the employees to live the brand and represent the brand consistently to the external stakeholders. Strategy in this paper should be evaluated and updated regularly to create a consistent and ongoing WWF brand delivery that could also be used as a clear solid base for recruiting employee that will able to deliver the same WWFs value in every part of the globe.

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Reference Books Argenti, P. A. (2009). Corporate Communication (5 ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Bergstorm, A.; Blumenthal, A. & Crothers, S. (2002): Why internal branding matters: the case of SAAB. Corporate reputation review 5(2-3): 133-142. Cross, R. & Prusak, L. (2002). The people who make organizations go or stop. Harvard Business Review. Elwood, I. (2002). The Essential Brand Book: Over 100 Techniques to Increase Brand Value. London: Kogan Page. Fill, C. (2005). Marketing Communications: Engagements, Strategies and Practice. Essex: Pearson. Ind, N. (2007). Living the brand. London: Kogan Page MacLaverty, N., McQuillan, P., & Oddie, H. (2007). Internal Branding Best Practices Study. Canadian Marketing Association. Smith, P., Berry, C., & Pulford, A. (1999). Strategic Marketing Communications: New Ways to Build and Integrate Communications. Kogan Page Publisher. Smith, P. R., & Chaffey, D. (2005). eMarketing Excellence: the Heart of eBusiness. Oxford: Elsevier. Wileman, R. E. (1993). Visual Communicating. New Jersey: Educational Technology. Website Beyaert, K. (2004). The Global WWF Brand Available at: http://www.unep.fr/scp/compact/dialogue/2004/pdf/WWF.pdf IMD - WWF, the Global Conservation Organization, benefits from IMD's Leading at the Top Program Available. Available at: http://www.imd.ch/news/WWF-the-Global-Conservation-Organization.cfm WWF. (2010) FAQ: What is the Story Behind the Panda Logo of WWF? Available at: http://www.panda.org/about_our_earth/faq/response.cfm?hdnQuestionId=26920021711544 [Accessed 22 March 2010] WWF. (2010). Annual Report 2009. Available at: http://assets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_int_ar_a4_di10_low_res.pdf [Accessed 23 April 2010] Others Coady, A. (2010). Internal Branding Lecture 2010. MICM: The Hague University [Power Point Presentation]
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