A recent study of global CMOs by IBM pointed to three key marketing challenges that seemed universal:

  1. Delivering value to empowered customers
  2. Fostering lasting connections
  3. Capturing value and measuring the results of their efforts

Sound familiar?

IBM’s main focus was on data mining, analysis and intelligence, which makes sense, since they are the kings of Business Intelligence. The part of the study that got me most excited was a focus on “corporate character.” IBM describes it this way (I’ve edited for brevity):

Corporate character is:

  • Differentiating attributes that make one organization a distinct enterprise from another organization
  • Not simply a product of a mission statement, logo or advertising
  • The sum of everything an organization’s management and employees say and do
  • The beliefs they hold, values they profess and ways they behave, visible for all to see

Interestingly, this chart from the IBM study indicates that companies are not always doing a great job in having their corporate character understood in the marketplace.

I love the idea of corporate character. And, of course, I believe that the way you demonstrate your corporate character is through the brand stories that you share — and the way you live them as well.

What do you think?