Brand Management
Expertise/
Differentiation, Loyalty and Trust
The brand of an organization acts as its mirror, reflecting its values, culture, and objectives to the world. It's not just a logo or a name but the entire experience stakeholders have with the company. A strong brand differentiates an organization in the market, builds customer loyalty, and establishes trust.
Importance of a brand strategy?
Brand strategy development directly influences consumer perception and loyalty, which are key drivers of revenue and market share. A well-developed brand can better differentiate products or services in a crowded market, and foster customer loyalty, leading to repeat business and referrals. Additionally, strong brands can attract better partnerships, investment opportunities, and talent. Investing in brand development is therefore not just a marketing expense but a strategic investment in the company's financial health and long-term growth.
My experience with brand development?
Throughout my career, I have been involved in numerous complex brand development and transformation initiatives. Beginning as a graphic designer focused on developing brand identities, I advanced to managerial roles where I spearheaded end-to-end brand development projects. Notably, I launched the Coldwell Banker brand in Lebanon and led the Brand and Design unit at the Commercial Bank of Qatar during a brand evolution that garnered international acclaim. At Hamad Bin Khalifa University, I led the development of the brand strategy for the university and its 15 entities, elevating it to a recognized national brand and the 4th ranked university in the Arab World. Currently, I am consulting various clients on a project basis and working with the Community College of Qatar, the largest university college in Qatar, on developing their brand strategy and marketing communication strategy. Additionally, I am co-founding and setting up the brand for Whysdome.com, an innovative platform aimed at connecting real people with authentic stories with the younger generation.
Approach
My approach to brand development, while adaptable to the brand's stage and organizational type, is usually structured into a four-phase process. This ensures a comprehensive and strategic foundation for brand growth and engagement, aligning closely with organizational goals and market demands. Each phase—Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Experience, and Activation—serves a unique purpose in the brand journey, ensuring a cohesive and impactful brand identity and experience.
Research
The first phase of brand development is foundational, involving a thorough analysis to understand the organization, its competition, and stakeholder needs. This encompasses comprehensive research to uncover key insights and gather actionable data that informs and guides the strategic direction of the brand strategy.
Strategy
Building on insights and data from the research phase, this stage focuses on developing the brand’s core positioning, personality, architecture, values, and messaging framework. It involves crafting a cohesive strategy that aligns the brand with its market positioning and stakeholder expectations.
Experience
This phase involves bringing the brand to life by developing its visual identity, visual language, tone of voice, and marketing communications. It includes creating a framework for how the brand communicates across all stakeholders, driving engagement through targeted marketing efforts, and ensuring consistency across all touchpoints.
Activation
This is the activation phase that launches the brand across all channels, measuring its performance against set KPIs, and gathering feedback from stakeholders. It’s an ongoing process of refining and evolving the brand strategy and experience based on real-world interactions and market dynamics. This ensures the brand remains relevant and effective.
Aligning Marketing Framework with Brand Model
Correctly establishing brand architecture in alignment with the business model is essential, as it underpins all marketing communication activities and is fundamental to the brand's development. This strategic framework is particularly crucial for medium to large organizations with multiple entities, products, or services. An overly complex or inappropriate model can jeopardize the entire brand, dilute its messaging, and lead to unnecessary operational costs, emphasizing the need for a well-thought-out brand architecture strategy.
“I had the pleasure of working with Houssam on various projects. His dedication, proactive approach, and professionalism greatly contributed to our team's success. Houssam's expertise in communication and marketing is evident in the exceptional results he consistently delivered. His commitment and active engagement were truly commendable”
Dr. Dena Al Thani, FRSA
Academic | Research & Innovation Advisor