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During M&A: Unifying brand narratives
After finding a partner, the focus shifts from standing out to working on brand identities, building a solid foundation for the new brand—or updating each if they remain separate.
Gathering feedback from stakeholders, employees, and customers through brand-led interactions helps ensure that the new brand identity resonates widely, setting the stage for deeper alignment post-M&A.
Gathering feedback from stakeholders, employees, and customers through brand-led interactions helps ensure that the new brand identity resonates widely, setting the stage for deeper alignment post-M&A.
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The Challenge
Align a number of divergent brand narratives and visual identities into a unified brand story that speaks to all stakeholders
Navigate the cultural and potentially emotional complexities affecting employees, customers and investors
Maintain objectivity and clarity in decision-making amidst inherent biases towards legacy brands.
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The Solution
DataArt provides a validated framework for integrating stakeholder perspectives and prototyping combined brand elements during an M&A. This can initiate more fact-based thinking, and establish a brand identity that resonates with the existing and new stakeholders, maintaining its core values and market appeal.
Synchronise with stakeholders
M&A processes mark a period of uncertainty that can evoke strong emotions, and affect the perception & engagement of groups that are integral to the success and continuity of a brand.
Understanding and addressing the emotional and psychological impacts of M&A on stakeholders is paramount. Empathy maps and personas become invaluable tools in this process, helping to visualise and anticipate the concerns, needs, and expectations of employees, customers, and investors.
Understanding and addressing the emotional and psychological impacts of M&A on stakeholders is paramount. Empathy maps and personas become invaluable tools in this process, helping to visualise and anticipate the concerns, needs, and expectations of employees, customers, and investors.
Why is this important?
Having an empathetic approach lays the foundation for developing a new brand identity post-merger that is crafted with consideration for stakeholder sentiments that are more likely to resonate. This empathetic groundwork is essential for developing a brand identity that fosters trust, loyalty, and acceptance.
How to get started?
Create detailed personas for key stakeholder groups.
Expand with empathy maps to better understand stakeholder perspectives.
Define a new brand strategy
An M&A presents a unique opportunity to redefine the brand's narrative, intertwining the core values and missions of all entities, signaling a new chapter that stakeholders can rally behind.
Crafting this story requires a delicate balance of creativity and strategic foresight, ensuring the new narrative is both authentic and forward-looking.
Crafting this story requires a delicate balance of creativity and strategic foresight, ensuring the new narrative is both authentic and forward-looking.
Why is this important?
The redefinition of a brand’s narrative during an M&A helps create a unified story that shapes external and internal perceptions. An authentic and forward-looking brand story positions the new brand for growth, communicating a clear, compelling vision that aligns internal cultures, resonates with existing stakeholders and attracts new ones.
How to get started?
Identify and align the core values and missions of all brands
Explore and visualise the combined brand strategy
Ideation and Visualisation
In the ideation phase, the focus shifts to creative exploration, seeking innovative ways to blend visual elements, messaging, and values. This stage is about pushing boundaries and challenging conventional wisdom to forge a brand identity that is both novel and respectful of each brand's heritage.
Why is this important?
This stage has the ability to harness creativity and strategic thinking to develop a brand identity that is distinctive, respects the past, engages stakeholders, addresses market needs and unifies diverse brand elements. This is foundational for building a strong brand capable of navigating post-merger challenges and seizing new opportunities.
How to get started?
Identify which legacy elements to retain, adapt, or retire.
Generate ideas and visual metaphors that encapsulate the essence of the combined brand.
Create Key Brand Assets
Testing
Testing with internal and external stakeholders provides critical feedback on the proposed brand identity, ensuring it aligns with audience expectations and the strategic objectives of the merged entity. This feedback loop is instrumental in refining the brand identity, guaranteeing that the final iteration is both compelling and coherent.
Why is this important?
Testing with stakeholders during an M&A is crucial because it ensures the new brand identity resonates with audience expectations and aligns with the merged entity's strategic goals. This feedback is key to refining the brand, ensuring its relevance, appeal, and strategic coherence.
How to get started?
Conduct focus groups and surveys to gather stakeholder feedback.
Evaluate the resonance and clarity of the brand prototypes.
Adjust the brand identity based on stakeholder insights.
Implementing the merged brand
The culmination of the M&A branding process is the strategic rollout of the new brand identity. This final step involves meticulous planning and execution to ensure a consistent and impactful introduction of the brand to the market. Clear, coordinated communication across all channels is vital for building recognition and affinity for the new brand.
Why is this important?
This phase's importance lies in its ability to ensure that the newly formed brand is introduced consistently and effectively, securing market recognition and fostering a connection with the audience. Coordinated communication across all platforms is crucial for aligning perceptions and building a solid foundation for the brand's future growth and success.
How to get started?
Create a Roadmap for launch campaign.
Update all marketing materials to reflect the new brand identity.
Ensure consistency in the application of the visual identity across all touchpoints.
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Toolkit
Our toolkits are designed for CMOs and senior brand/marketing strategists to enhance your strategic planning with actionable insights and concrete methodologies.
