INTHEBLACK August 2022 - Magazine - Page 21
MEET THE
EXPERTS
MICHAEL HUGHES
03
02
BRIDIE COMMERFORD
Michael Hughes is a strategy
director and managing
partner at brand strategy and
design agency Truly Deeply.
He is passionate about
helping visionary leaders
solve challenges and create
distinctive brands that direct
and inspire business growth.
Hughes has more than
two decades of brand and
communication experience,
and has worked with leading
brands across diverse sectors
in Australia and overseas.
TIM RICHES
C H I E F M A R K E T I N G A N D D I G I TA L O F F I C E R ,
A AT K I N G S G R O U P A N D A D V E N T U R E W O R L D
T R AV E L
G R O U P S T R AT E G Y D I R E C T O R ,
P R I N C I PA L S
The role COVID-19 played was less about our
decision to refresh our brand and more about the
direction we took. The pandemic certainly led to
a marked increase in consumer interest in the
outdoors, less populated regions and nature. This
was keenly aligned with our product and informed
our thinking.
We believed there was an opportunity to celebrate
AAT Kings iconic tourism brand and to tell its story
better by highlighting its unique offerings: First
Nations experiences, the chance to go off the beaten
track to meet local characters and experiencing the
wilderness and remote regions of Australia and New
Zealand.
Our “Wild Awaits” positioning connects our
brands’ adventurous past (Bill King’s Outback
Safaris) with our present – exploring remarkable
places across the Antipodes.
I see three main components to a successful brand
refresh. Firstly, listen. Marketers need to hear, feel
and immerse themselves in the brand history and
company story in order to ground the brand in truth.
Secondly, support bravery. We had moments
where we could have taken a path that felt a more
obvious next step. Our chairman was very supportive
of pushing the boundaries.
Thirdly, longevity. Our last refresh was in 2012.
Resonating with consumer trends that have
longevity is critical to ensuring the brand direction
is embedded well across all its distribution channels
and also to ensure any investment in changing the
brand elements – from capex on our assets to
advertising – is amortised over a longer period. After
the past two years in tourism, any investments we
make have to stand the test of time.
Doing brand work well can be quite challenging.
It’s really important to align brand strategy with
business strategy and to build a sound evidence base
around what matters to stakeholders, to ensure that
the brand addresses significant needs and motivations.
As brand value is created not just in the
communication of the promise the organisation makes,
but also in the delivery of that promise in products,
services and experiences, you need to get the
organisation aligned. Different functions need to see
how the brand drives value for them and know what’s
required from them to really deliver to the customer.
The best brands respond to what’s going on in the
world, create clarity, foster a sense of community for
the people associated with them and are a force for
positive change within organisations.
Brands may change for practical reasons. For
example, a brand’s visual identity may not work
well in today’s digital communications channels,
undermining marketing ROI because communications
aren’t accurately attributed to the brand.
There can also be strategic reasons. The
competitive landscape has changed. Customer
and stakeholder expectations have changed. The
business strategy has shifted – and there’s a need
to shift perceptions so that your brand accelerates
rather than holds back change.
When these practical problems or strategic shifts
are significant, it can be appropriate to signal the
organisation’s response with a brand change.
Sending such a visible signal is a powerful way
that organisations can use brand to prompt
stakeholders to reappraise what they think about
the organisation in a period of change.
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Firstly, listen. Marketers need to hear, feel and
immerse themselves in the brand history and
company story in order to ground the brand in
truth.
The best brands respond to what’s going on
in the world, create clarity, foster a sense of
community for the people associated with
them and are a force for positive change
within organisations.
BRIDIE COMMERFORD
Bridie Commerford leads
the global marketing,
digital marketing, web,
communications and design
functions for travel companies
AAT Kings Group (AAT Kings,
Inspiring Journeys, SEIT
Outback Australia, Down Under
Tours) and Adventure World
Travel. Her experience spans
industries including FMCG,
hospitality and advertising in
the Pacific and the UK. She
has previous experience with
blue chip public and private
organisations, including
ACCOR, Treasury Wine
Estates and Unilever.
TIM RICHES
Tim Riches is a director of
Principals, one of Australia’s
leading brand consulting
firms. He has worked for
25 years in brand, research
and communications with
clients including BHP,
AGL, Transurban, Tourism
Australia, RACGP, Costa
Group, Westpac, Beyond
Blue and Australian Red
Cross Lifeblood. Riches has
provided expert evidence in
litigation over brands and
trademarks and is a judge of
the Good Design Awards in
categories including social
impact, service design and
communications.
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au August 2022 21