Holistic Branding, Part 1: Of Gaps and Coherence

In our conversations with companies and clients, a consistent pattern has emerged: senior leadership — whether it be the CEO, CMO or CHRO — has a clear understanding of the strategy, its ambitions, goals and implications. Despite their best efforts, however, they are unable to communicate that strategy effectively.

The transition from paper and slide decks to the hearts and hands of employees stalls. Behavioural patterns and team processes remain unchanged, and urgent operational demands take precedence over the strategic initiative. Initial enthusiasm fades, momentum is lost, and what began with optimism becomes a chore — something that has to be done. Or, as one often hears, «Nothing ever changes anyway.»

A friend of mine with a PhD in Education recently shared the technical term for this over lunch: «loose coupling» (Karl E. Weick). Weick uses this term to describe what happens in organisations when formal structures and lived practice are only weakly connected.
 

Mind the gap!

This loose coupling is not just an abstract organisational problem. In everyday work, it manifests as a discrepancy between strategy and execution. Many people have written about this, including Marty Neumeier, who refers to it as the «brand gap» in his book of the same name (2006). Others describe it as the «strategy gap», «strategy implementation gap» or «execution gap». Whatever the label, they all point to the same void: the space between a sound, well-considered corporate strategy and its implementation by different stakeholders.
 

The Role of Branding

We prefer the term «brand gap», of course — if only because it contains the word «brand». Above all, however, it reflects our view of the decisive role of branding. Strategies are analytical, logical, linear and concrete. In contrast, people — both those responsible for implementing a strategy and those affected by it — act intuitively and emotionally. A necessary translation process lies between the two, and every strategy must undergo this process before it can truly take effect.

How to Bridge the Gap

Neumeier describes creativity and branding as potential means of establishing an emotional connection and creating differentiation and symbolism. Unlike this article, however, his focus is primarily on the market perspective. From our point of view, effective strategy implementation must start from within, with the internal perspective taking precedence.

Here are a few tips for bridging the gap:$

1. Clarity and substance

I remember having a conversation with a client who said, «I want my employees to be able to explain our new strategy to their children in just a few sentences.» That's exactly the point. No buzzwords, no vague intentions, no MBA-style «bullshit bingo», no ambiguity. Instead, it's about using clear, simple and precise language. Achieving this level of clarity, precision and focus takes courage.
 

2. People and emotions

People are key to successfully executing a strategy. Before a team can adopt a strategy, its members must know, understand and accept it. Strategic initiatives will inevitably encounter individual expectations, hopes, doubts and resistance. For these to be addressed, information must be cascaded meaningfully, stories must create emotional resonance, and participation must be genuinely encouraged — provided that the organisation's values and corporate culture are already firmly established.
 

3. Coherence and long-term thinking

Corporate strategies are often subject to clear time horizons and political cycles. This is at odds with our core topic of branding, which we approach with a long-term mindset that often spans generations. The important thing here is to put things into perspective. Not every new strategy constitutes a transformation. And a strategy is never just a campaign. Rather than a one-off action, it is a consistent evolution or deliberate change in direction that must be reflected in the day-to-day work of brand management.
 

4. Rhythm and Anchoring

Strategy, strategy communication and strategy implementation are all part of day-to-day business. It makes sense to integrate these processes into existing structures and make them measurable. Consistent repetition, clear messaging and simple visual cues create a sense of permanence.

By the way, our friends at Tijkko have published an insightful white paper on this topic with practical recommendations: (https://www.tjikko.io/kontakt).

That concludes our discussion on strategy for now. The impact of a strategy is not determined by the concepts alone, but by how they are implemented. This is where the role of branding truly begins. We will cover this in more detail in Part 2 of the series.