06 May 2002

Beware of Empty Promises

How can employees -- your company's best marketing ambassadors -- "live" the brand promise if they don't know what it is?

by William J. McEwen
Author of Married to the Brand (Gallup Press, 2005) and coauthor of the Harvard Business Review article "Inside the Mind of the Chinese Consumer"
Companies invest considerable time, money, and brainpower searching for a brand promise that will differentiate them from the competition. But what good can come of this if employees can't translate the results into their customer interactions? How can companies expect employees to be brand ambassadors, if the vast majority of them don't understand what the promise is -- or what living that promise actually means?
William J. McEwen, Ph.D., is Global Practice Leader for Gallup's Brand Management practice. He is the author of Married to the Brand (Gallup Press, 2005) and coauthor of the Harvard Business Review article "Inside the Mind of the Chinese Consumer."

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Gallup Retail Forum 2010: From Spenders to Savers

There is a "new normal" in consumer behavior, and the shift from spending to saving may be permanent. Whether retailers prevail or fail will depend on their ability to capture a larger share of the consumer's shrinking wallet.

At the Gallup Retail Forum 2010: From Spenders to Savers event, leaders will discuss the changing retail landscape and generate ideas on how their organizations can serve the new consumer.

The event will take place on April 14, 2010, at the Gallup Irvine office. To learn more or to register, visit the Gallup Retail Forum 2010 page on the Gallup Consulting Web site, or contact Mary Penner-Lovci (212.548.2940) or Krista Volzke (402.938.6001).

For a complete schedule of learning opportunities, visit the Gallup Learning Events page.