Brand Management and brand guidelines - the real world

Brand Management

Does using brand management software for the total control of brands and guidelines offer real world benefits for business performance? Sony Ericsson had set their sights on pushing into the top three worldwide providers of handsets. In 2006, Sony Ericsson developed a new branding and marketing strategy which positioned their handsets first and foremost as lifestyle products. They approached Brandworkz to provide brand management software that would help manage and distribute these new brand messages.

How brand guidelines set the tone for a global marketing voice

Brandworkz was commissioned to establish a unified branding and marketing platform through which Sony Ericsson could maintain brand guidelines and project a globally consistent voice.

Sony Ericsson's old brand guidelines system and separate brand asset system were amalgamated into Brandworkz, allowing their marketing departments to share files and ideas globally via a single, easy-to-use and intuitive system.

Brand Management - easy access to shared information

The completed system provides a single resource for Sony Ericsson's marketing and brand collateral, including brand guidelines, logos and images. Using Brandworkz Brand Asset Management, it's easy to search and amend images so that they can be downloaded in compatible formats. Sony Ericsson's employees can effortlessly access and share marketing information throughout the company.

This essential tool also provides:

• An approval process for all artwork - a key feature to attaining marketing continuity across the brand.
• A 'best practice' area allowing marketing departments to share files and ideas which is also accessible to external parties, including branding, marketing, advertising, and PR agencies.
• A brand consistent interface - Brandworkz was able to deliver the interface in keeping with Sony Ericsson's brand identity.

With over 1,500 users, and rising, the system is always in sync with Sony Ericsson's requirements - with Brandworkz applying the Scrum project management methodology to achieve fast, iterative business benefits.

A Global Brand Management System

In close collaboration with Sony Ericsson both in Sweden and in the UK, as well as with the company's branding partner, Wolff Olins, Brandworkz was able to deliver exactly what the customer ordered - on time and on budget. All Sony Ericsson had to do was to apply their marketing know-how.

So did the new marketing strategy help Sony Ericsson achieve their top three ambition?

With Brandworkz on their side - yes.

Which begs the question: Why stop at 'only' being top three?