by Manda Salls
From the Harvard Business School's online resource, Working Knowledge for Business Leaders
abstracts prepared by Hugh Fisher

In this interview with John Quelch and Nathalie Laidler-Kylander, authors of a book on branding by international nonprofit agencies (such as the Red Cross and Amnesty International), Salls examines how those groups have built a strong brand identity and maintained it through careful promotions and clear delivery of a message. Such agencies must establish a very careful relationship with donors by staying truthful and steering clear of moves that might harm a charity's reputation.

This interview highlights the ways that nonprofits have carefully cultivated images that today are as widespread as those of major commercial companies - and with a much higher level of trust. "Aligning the mission and brand is critical," Quelch and Laidler-Kylander write. "When the mission and brand image (as perceived in the market) are no longer in synch, a re-branding process or revitalization may be needed." The same strategies that have worked for charitable organizations with millions of dollars in assets can also be applied to your growing business venture.

http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item.jhtml?id=4686&t=marketing