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Neil Gaught says Kiwi food manufacturers need to understand that branding and reputation are two different beasts Nothing is more important to New Zealand food manufacturers than reputation. Branding is necessary, of course, but merely a tool that wins over those you are wishing to influence. Without reputation, branding is almost useless. You might as well be spitting into the wind, in a world of complete global connectedness where something small can be turned into something huge in a heartbeat. Reputation and branding go together, as we know, but are very different and must be understood fully. Brand is managed, controlled and monitored, whilst reputation is an outtake - a conclusion that is reached by the recipient of brand communication. Brands are a carefully crafted mix of logic and magic, and are important and highly valuable. Their role is to tell compelling stories, but they are also fickle and can expose your weaknesses easily. They are a promise you are making to your audience. Nothing more. Reputation relates to what you actually do. It’s not a promise, but a reality. Your food product might be fantastic and your branding awe- 54 www.foodtechnology.co.nz inspiring, but if you don’t deliver on time, fail to understand your customers and consumers, or aren’t totally honest and transparent, one little incident or bad review could see that ‘worldshattering’ new product of yours on the scrapheap. Smart companies build trust and create positive reputations that ensure their brands are not damaged. They understand relationship-building and the right representative staff for the right market. They also know that slick advertising, marketing spin and the antiquated crisis management plan of ‘deny/delay/destruct’ do not suffice anymore. Losing your reputation is generally catastrophic and hard to recover from, as pivotal food manufacturers like Fonterra know. It’s important that Kiwi food manufacturing companies are clear in what their motivations and expectations are in exporting around the world, so that their reputations are robust enough to make the grade. It’s vitally important that they are passionate about their product. I advise them to ask themselves… do they have something that the world desperately needs? Are they wanting to make a quick buck or in it for the long haul? Will the world be a better place because of what they provide? I see plenty of young companies wanting to enter lucrative European markets to be immediately financially successful. That may be possible in fast-moving sectors like food technology, but for most, exporting is an investment and it’s usually a long-time thing. Like Apple, New Zealand’s brand and reputation are usually considered in a positive light. Apple – the world’s most successful company – isn’t the highest-achieving corporate citizen, but the promises it makes, it keeps. Its success is built on difference and being different from anyone else. New Zealand shares some of the same alchemy that makes difference a key ingredient of success. Kiwis don’t shout out their achievements anywhere near enough, but the ‘sanctuary status’ and humanity of New Zealand is endearing to the world. I believe New Zealand offers the promise of an alternative and better way. It’s a promise that exporters would do well to capitalise on. But bear in mind, a brand promise is one thing. In this joined-up world, reputation is everything. Neil Gaught is a Beachhead Adviser for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise based in London, and specialises in defining and developing reputationbuilding positioning strategies for exporters around the world. He lived in New Zealand for six years until 2009, working with some of the country’s top corporate and public-sector bodies. Next month: How to establish your export markets. Neilgaught.com • Make your brand a compelling proposition that fires the imagination…but make sure it is a promise you can deliver and live up to. Remember, reputation is everything. • Be crystal-clear about the benefit or value of your product to your customers and consumers. • Keep it simple – clear internal communication and engagement is key, and the market will respond to that. L A S T W O R D REPUTATION & BRANDING


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