Successful CEOs as brand ambassadors

BRAND CONGRESS Authenticity and credibility are basic requirements for strong brands. In addition, passion must be displayed in order to arouse emotions in customers. This is the conclusion of the speakers at the Swiss Brand Congress.

The rapper Stress stands for «authenticity and credibility.».More than 400 executives and brand decision-makers gathered at the Swiss Brand Congress on June 18, 2015, in the exclusive setting of «The Dolder Grand» above Zurich. Pierin Vincenz (CEO of the Raiffeisen Group), Anton Affentranger (CEO of Implenia), Urs Riedener (CEO of Emmi), and Carsten Maschmeyer presented their philosophies on successful brand management in a highly entertaining manner.For Carsten Maschmeyer, the key factor for success in brand management is not innovation, but communication. Maschmeyer’s credo is: «Marketing and communication are so important that I handle them myself.» Branding is a top priority. Anton Affentranger (CEO of Implenia) shares this view. The reason for this is the significance of the brand: it is «a reflection of the corporate culture.» Nevertheless, it is not just Affentranger himself, but every employee who serves as a brand ambassador. These employees are a company’s most valuable asset and give it a soul.Marketing decisions "from the gut"For Pierin Vincenz (CEO of the Raiffeisen Group), a CEO’s identification with his or her own company is essential. That is why his successor next year will certainly come from within the Raiffeisen family. Spontaneity is important to the Raiffeisen CEO: 80% of Vincenz’s marketing decisions were gut decisions.Stress "does what it wants"Rapper Stress, too—together with his manager Reto Lazzaretto—decides «on a gut level» which partnerships to enter into. The Stress brand stands for «authenticity and credibility.» «We do what we want. We’re real.» Lazzaretto is convinced that companies approaching Stress are looking to raise their profile. Potential brand partners must share the same values. Stress, as a brand ambassador, can identify with Volkswagen, which aims to demonstrate sustainability through its «Road to Blue» campaign. He contributed to the script concept for the latest commercial.With authenticity to successIf brands are perceived as authentic, it has a positive influence on consumers, as they become emotionally attached to the brand. Prof. Dr. Felicitas Morhart (University of Lausanne) distinguishes between four dimensions of brand authenticity: consistency, sincerity, integrity and symbolism. Companies must be transparent and remain true to themselves. The decisive factor for customers is whether a company's actions are morally impeccable.