Insights | Where better brands are built

Interview with Françoise Bertrand*
In the spring of 2019, BrandBourg sat down with more than a dozen specialists to discuss the role of the brand in corporate strategic planning. That conversation served as the basis for our thinkpiece Five branding principles for effective governance. To pursue the matter further, BrandBourg called upon Françoise Bertrand, an experienced business director who participated in our panel of expert. The interview was conducted by Christian Pichette, president at Brandbourg, [...]

Branding: the landing gear of strategic planning
“A company's dashboard is like that of an aircraft: it has several screens that help you pilot the aircraft well. It’s imperative to have a screen – i.e., KPI's – dedicated to the brand.” - Michel Lanctôt, Executive Director, Groupe Médicus and member of various boards of directors Branding is often a neglected element of strategic planning exercises. Yet it is an essential tool in an organization’s efforts [...]

Premier Tech
The fruits of a collaborative effort
Premier Tech is a Quebec multinational corporation based in Rivière-du-Loup. It is active in three main areas: horticulture and agriculture, industrial equipment, and environmental technologies. The company has experienced remarkable growth since it was founded in 1923 and currently operates in 27 countries with a team of 4,500 employees. This stellar growth, which stemmed from a series of acquisitions and innovations in a rapidly changing marketplace, prompted Premier Tech to [...]

Bon Matin
Here is a good illustration of the essential role played by brand story, strategy, and research in developing a strong brand. The health bread category is an ultra-competitive space, one that’s dominated by a handful of brands, among which Bimbo Canada, with its flagship Bon Matin line, is the undisputed leader. A health segment pioneer in the 70s, Bimbo has maintained a strong market presence ever since, in an environment where new brands are constantly vying to take their place [...]

The employer brand
The icing does not make the cake.
by Pierre Léonard, Senior Partner There is no ready-made recipe for making your organization desirable. In the age of Glassdoor and transparency, creating and building an employer brand requires a well-thought-out approach which involves the organization’s senior executives and its human resources, marketing and communications officers. An approach that is informed by an accurate assessment of the field, i.e., the employees themselves. Four key [...]

The brand book
AN ESSENTIAL DIGITAL TOOL
Anyone who has had the opportunity to take part in the creation or repositioning of a brand knows how gratifying and demanding this experience can be, and how much this initiative can impact the future of an organization. This highly strategic endeavour also represents a significant investment, and must therefore bear its fruits. This is why it is so important to develop a rigorous implementation plan and the right tools to put the brand back on track. Upon its launch, the new brand [...]

Merger and Acquisition
THE IMPORTANCE OF MANAGING ITS BRAND AND ITS CORPORATE CULTURE
When two companies merge, or when a company buys out another, both parties work hard at implementing the best deal possible, thereby ensuring new peaks in performance for the newly formed organization. Legal, financial and tax consultants are gathered. Products and services are put forward, along with client lists and territories. Management styles and equipment are compared. Everything and anything that's quantifiable and forecastable is carefully covered. However, [...]