There are tons of books about corporate culture. And there are dozens of best practice examples, too.
Google has the Google-O-Meter to gauge the popularity of employee suggestions.
Apple has the “we-are-the-nonconformists”-attitude every employee inhales as he or she enters the lobby for the first time.

However, most companies fail to implement a corporate culture that truly builds up team spirit and a shared aim everybody strives for.
And when it comes to communication matters, things are even worse.

Let´s have a closer look.

Big brands are oozing consistency. They are not trying to re-invent themselves every fortnight.
On the other hand, some brands definitely need to change. But even those who do a seemingly proper job often fail in the long run.
Why? Because they don´t communicate to their staff, to the heart of their brand. And we all know where heart insufficiency leads to.

If a brand changes, so does the corporate culture. And only if that change is communicated adequately to the staff, will it lead to something good and promising
instead of fear and distrust amongst the people working with you.

Change is too important to be heard at the water cooler.  Chinese whispers lead to misunderstanding. Communicate change in an open and involving way.

After all, how can you conquer the hearts of thousands of people out there if you don´t even manage to conquer the one of the guy sitting 5 metres behind you?

It´s about what they hear. Not what you say.

We are currently updating our website. Removing some old work, adding some new stuff.
When we briefed the creatives, we asked ourselves a very simple question:
how often do companies, people or institutions update their website with current informations?
And when was the last time you did it? Been a while, right?

Okay, now think about search engines. Most of us use them daily, if not hourly.
We´ve inhaled the importance and relevance of search engines as our main information provider.
But that importance has rapidly vanished during the last five years. Especially when it comes to consumer engagement.
If people have something to say, show or communicate, they say it via Twitter, facebook, Pinterest, tumblr, Instagram.
And search engines are hardly indexing anything of what is said via the big social networks.

Don´t get us wrong – search engines are still extremely important as kind of a “business wikipedia”, providing us with relevant informations about companies and products.
But looking at the ever faster turning wheel of communication and being up-to-date in any respect, they are lagging as far behind as a snail trying to catch Usain Bolt.

And especially when it comes to interacting with your consumers and trying to make them become part of your brand,
recency is mandatory. How can a brand be ourageously in when the message it delivers or the topic it brings up is insanely out?

Today, I definitely use twitter and even Pinterest a lot when it comes to being in the loop on events, news and – first and foremost -
on what people are currently up to or moved by.

Or – in a nutshell: for rational information gathering, there´s search engines. For the latest emotionally involving news and topics, there´s social networks.

“Real time” searches may not carry as much commercial intent compared to search engines.
But we shouldn´t underestimate the additional value of an information that doesn´t only contain the information but also
the reaction to it. After all, communication is no one-way street. Even though many brands and companies still consider
the consumer a passive recipient of their marketing sermon. Of their OLD sermon, that is.

So don´t waive search engines when you have the time to look for some solid informations and data.
But if you and your brand are looking for the talk of global town, go social.

The customer is king. He is the centre of the marketing universe, the Golden Calf
every brand is bowing down to. Consumer insights are psalms – and in their entirety
they are the holy bible for about 99,9% of all brands.

A holy bible that has to be re-written quaterly.

“We need to give the customer what they want!”
“Only those who understand the customer needs will survive.”
“We are on the wrong track. The latest consumer insights show that…”

Sounds familiar to you? Well, if it does, you are on your way to effectively demolish your brand.
Or your partner´s brand.

The truth is: many brands let their customers lead.
But customers defintely do not want to lead. They wanna be led.
Today more than ever.

Why? Because their work & living environment is undergoing a constant change -
and so is the global marketplace. It´s easy to get lost. Which is why they are looking for lighthouses
to guide them and lead them their way.

What they definitely DON`T want is a brand that emposes another confusing burden on them.
Religion & family used to be the guiding lights for mankind over the centuries.

But today, brands are in charge of leading. Sadly, only few brands truly do.

Social media & digital applications are delivering the perfect excuse for brands to shirk responsibilty.
User generated content is great. Interactive brand experiences are nice.
But only as long as they are not a pathetic way of leaving the customer holding the baby.

Leading brands lead. Always. Constantly. Unflinchingly.

Take BMW, for example. BMW owns driving pleasure.

Had they listened to some stupid consumer insights that indicated
a growing need for loading space that pays tribute to the upper middle class
familys desire for spontaineous recreational activities and had they bulit
cars with huge luggage compartments, they would have diluted their core brand values.

But BMW resisted the trappings of consumer insights and truly led their customers to buying
a brand with an outstanding & distinctive profile.

Ignore miniscule consumer insights. Listen to higher-ranking, fundamental societal changes.

What BMW DID listen to, was the growing indications for a dramatically changing definition of mobility
and the societal requirements connoted with it. Sustainability, eco-friendliness, flexibility.
They took those requirements and transformed them into SHEER DRIVING PLEASURE, resulting
in the new BMW i-series. Ahead of it´s time. And far ahead of all brands that still have the consumer insight
as their song of songs.

Here´s your “to do”-list for the next few decades:

Don´t act like a politician shifting convictions every fortnight.

Hold tight to your beliefs.