This is why internal branding or ‘living the brand’ is emerging as more than the new brand jargon. Management and marketers are recognising the importance of ensuring that everyone inside a company or organisation has a clear understanding of what the brand represents and how it should be delivered through a practical, workable experience that can be embraced by everyone involved in the process of delivering it.

In the absence of underlying clarity, the management process becomes more difficult. Internal ‘issues’ arise such as silos developing, confusion of direction, mixed messages and a lack of focus which, if unmanaged, can lead to tensions and ultimately relationship breakdowns. At worst, this can end in a public brawl, dividing opinion, damaging reputations and bringing the brand integrity into question.

All companies can be vulnerable, but the arts especially so. We expect the arts to push barriers, to challenge our senses and sometimes our sensibilities. How can this be achieved within a more prescriptive ‘brand experience’? How can talented and necessarily passionate performers be empowered to develop their distinctive contribution without overstepping the corporate line?

When it comes to branding, the basic principles are no different for the arts than for other organisations. The key to building successful brands is developing strong, sustainable relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, based upon shared beliefs and trust. External communication on its own does not create the brand. Key messages are not potent unless they make a genuine human connection. The process of engaging with a brand must begin from within. It is the people on the inside, the leaders, management and staff who are the most important ambassadors for the brand, through consistently ‘walking the talk’. If the internal alignment isn’t there then the task of delivering a consistent brand experience to customers is more difficult.

Distinctive brands are also driven by passion and the courage to be individual, to set a stake in the ground rather than adopt a ‘me too’ approach. In my experience of auditing and reviewing brands, a look at their history inevitably reveals one impassioned individual who was committed to a vision of doing things differently. Steve Jobs and Richard Branson are great examples of pioneers in their field, committed to breaking the mould and bringing the customer a fresh experience. But while they are prepared to take risks, they are also rigorous in ensuring that the core brand integrity is not threatened.

Developing an internal brand strategy for ‘living the brand’ is not rocket science but it does need committed leaders, inspirational management, a believable and deliverable proposition and empowered staff. The easy bit is putting out motherhood statements. The hard bit is aligning these messages, working out how they translate into a responsibility for everyone from the CEO to the office cleaner.

Collaboration is essential, otherwise there won’t be sufficient buy-in throughout an organisation, so the process must be inclusive and transparent from the start. Management and staff should be encouraged to talk openly about their understanding and expectations of the organisation and their experience in working for it, contributing their creativity as well as any doubts and fears.

This information can be gathered in various ways; the most effective is through informal, face to face communication. From my perspective, companies that have the best aligned internal brands are those where management is truly open, accessible and in close touch with what is going on at the coalface. It’s not always possible for top management to take the time to ‘wander the business’, listening, communicating and continually absorbing feedback but the ethos can be instilled in all managers as part of the corporate culture. There can also be formal programs for auditing the internal brand culture, confidential one-on-one discussions, focus groups, brainstorming sessions. The key is to prioritise the task of listening and learning about what people believe and how they behave through the business, day by day.

Some of the most motivating internal brand strategies are created around very simple concepts, little things that are memorable and make the human connection. Internal branding should be made easy for managers to understand and deliver and for staff to embrace. While there may need to be substantial planning of an implementation strategy, the end delivery to staff should be integral to their ongoing roles.

While there are considerable benefits to be gained from investing in internal branding, such as attracting and keeping the best people and creating a positive, harmonious and productive workforce where everyone is singing from the same songbook, it’s unrealistic to expect any organisation to get it right all the time. If brands are to be ‘living’ entities, kept alive by committed and passionate people, then the management of this human element can never be subject to a single formula. This is particularly relevant for the arts. The adrenalin and passion inherent in talented and artistic people committed to a personal vision will always create tensions. Controversy cannot always be avoided in the quest for creative expression, and an element of it is healthy. The fine line is the balance between empowering the individuals who can deliver the brand vision and still understanding the limits of protecting the long term brand integrity of the institution.