Michael D. Moberly, Principal, Founder, kpstrat

Prudent branding due diligence is practiced in advance of launch by describing, objectively distinguishing and assessing risks relevant to…

• key – mission essential intangible (brand) assets in play,
• present day reputations risks – adversities,
• which a branding initiative – launch would likely, perhaps inevitably encounter.
  • and importantly, can be asymmetrically deployed, @ the will and timing of others @ keystroke speed.

To frame the relevance of branding due diligence otherwise, well…

For this intangible asset strategist, there appear to be several central, perhaps conventional, perspectives and/or strategies, from which to set about to brand – describe particular products and/or services…

• which businesses, institutions, and entrepreneurial initiatives rely, to exploit same, often expeditiously.

Similarly, investments in – resources devoted to branding, appear opportunistically expeditious, i.e., appropriately intended to rapidly draw favorable attention to designated products – services.

Branding – brands by design, convey (portray, highlight, and/or distinguish) particular-tangible – intangible features (aspects, ingredients, etc.) of designated products – services, etc., which brand holders’ aspiration-ally prefer audiences favorably associate, e.g.,

• various embeds of intellectual, structural, relationship, cultural, social, ethical, and experiential capital,
• collectively – individually represent relevant – worthy – desirable underliers and foundations to a product or service.

Experientially (not cynically), numerous observations overtime (as an intangible asset strategist and reputation risk mitigation practitioner) lead me to conclude that some branding strategy and management…

• while they are obliged to align with investment, resources, and launch timing, etc., may be optimistically anticipatory, and
• may be less attentive to probabilities – inevitabilities of oppositional, competitive, intentional risk,
• which asymmetrically materialize @ keystroke speeds via orchestrated and opinionated social media messaging, etc.,
  • which can unceremoniously inject dimensions of favorability and/or un-favorability
  • depending on ‘source resonance and reach’ with less regard for factuality

Not infrequently, by intent, the outcome is to unceremoniously undermine or derail (sometimes same is deserved and warranted) a brand’s capability to sustain an envisioned – already commenced momentum.

Whether these ‘brand – reputation risk characterizations’ resonate and reflect branding practice and management strategy; readers will render perspective via blog post comment…

If – when (brand – reputation) risks materialize, they are obliged, perhaps fiduciarily, to be recognized as commencing with a propensity to cascade asymmetrically – uncontrollably – unforgivingly throughout an enterprise.

Not so arguable, a brand’s vulnerability – probability to risk, and criticality of risk will likely elevate, absent prudent – rapid infusions of capital and knowhow, pragmaticallyapplied to…

• mitigate materialization – exacerbation and counter adverse voices and sources.

All-of-which brand holders, developers, and investors are (similarly – fiduciarily) obliged to have recognized, considered, and prudently put-in-place (in advance) of (brand, reputation) risk circumstances which are

• routinely described at Business Intangible Asset Blog as nearing inevitability, not mere probability.

Brand – branding strategies which may have (initially) been conceived and executed optimistically – exuberantly, but now…

• when immersed in cascading brand – reputation risks and threats, for some, it quickly becomes clear that,
• branding due diligence and reputation risk (oversight – mitigation) are, as well, (fiduciarily) obliged to be experientially objective and forth in orientation and projections.

Resources necessary to slow, or try to mediate or reverse same (ex post facto) will be comparatively costly insofar as re-building and competitive – lucrative recovery.

• brand holders are also obliged to suspect proposals for achieving ‘wishful thinking’ favorable outcomes
• absent factoring same throughout product – service supply – delivery value chain regionally, nationally, globally.
• It is respectfully recognized here, that, some brand holders – risk influencers’ i.e., for…against allocating capital to undertake branding due diligence…
  • may be experientially cautious with respect to projecting assessment and mitigation costs beyond near-term needs. Duly noted.

Readers are respectfully invited to explore other posts, books, and papers available for review at https://kpstrat.com