Case Studies

Goals

• TR Moore & Company, a then 22-year-old Houston-based certified public accounting (CPA) and advisory firm, wanted to ensure a successful launch of its new brand in 2007. The company retained Ward Creative Communications to create and communicate the brand internally to employees before launching the new brand externally to strengthen its niche market of mid-tier businesses in the Houston area.


• If the client wanted its brand to communicate its breadth of services, differentiating it from traditional CPA firms within the marketplace, it would first need to ensure its employees would live the brand promise.


• The goals of the internal launch were to educate employees on the definition of a brand and brand promise, create an understanding of TR Moore’s unique brand promise, set brand performance expectations for every employee; and make the brand systemic in daily operations.

Strategy

• Ward Creative Communications recommended and executed a comprehensive, integrated internal plan that provided employees with the confidence and tools needed to successfully deliver a set of specific brand promises in every interaction with client and prospects.


• Prior to developing the plan, the agency worked with the firm’s management team to ensure alignment with firm’s positioning in the marketplace. The agency developed a tagline that communicated that positioning and key differentiator and tested concepts through a baseline survey with employees to validate management’s assumptions.


• All internal communications, recruitment and training programs were modified to focus on the brand delivery, including performance evaluations for brand-consistent performance.


• The agency sought to empower employees as “Brand Ambassadors,” positioning them at the forefront in driving the brand internally through proactive brand leadership. Brand screen savers, desk displays and all manner of training, including brown bag training sessions, characterized the program.

Results

• The new brand generated excitement among employees about the future of the firm and opportunities for individuals on the team.
  
  
• Each employee signed a commitment to being accountable for the brand’s success in the marketplace, and the firm’s partners saw active participation in the internal brand events.
  
  
• The company’s founder reported, “They’re (employees are) excited about it (the brand), and more importantly, I’m witnessing very real changes in the client service approaches by our people at every level of the firm.  We’re driving the business in the direction I wanted to see it go, and I’m confident about our ability to live up to the brand when we launch externally.”