Branding

Everybody talks about branding to enhance the corporate and product image. Without a clear image, it is hard to compete with your competitors and at time be marginalised by the others. For the past one week, few occasions i attended, the question of branding was touched. MBPJ is talking about the identity associated to PJ. What people look at PJ and how best to describe PJ? My professional institute, MIP is talking about the planning profession is the eye of general public and other stakeholders.

To me, brand is associated closely to the image that an organisation projected to the general public. It can be positive or negative depending on how you projected yourselves. In order to project an image that an organisation envisions to have, comprehensive marketing and PR campaign, and of course follow through actions on what you say is critically important. For example, the vision for PJ as a healthy and dynamic city for all shall be translated into visible actions and strategies. Similarly the pledge of having a world class service delivery system should be communicated with the community so that every stakeholders are agreeable to the standard and indicators set or else it will remain as a PR gimmick. Some time it is good to response proactively on issues brought up so that the wrong perceptions, if any onto the organisation can be diminished. For instance, responding immediately to the public out cry on landslide, traffic congestion, crime and safety, city local plan, non public consultation for proposed development projects etc will help in projecting the image of planners as the social guardian for a sustainable living environment. This should also be done consistently.

Some time we have been so busy to "fire-fighting" the piece meal and petty issues rather than looking things in macro perspective and comprehensively. This becomes the main constraint for a good branding exercise. We need to be forceful and thoughtful, and importantly passionate and patience enough to see changes, gradually or over night.