TNT Corporate Governance
January 22, 2009
Some companies fully embrace good Corporate Governance and show it clearly on the website; and that, of course, is what we’re interested in.
One such company is Amsterdam based TNT.
TNT aims to be a trustworthy, values-based company with a reputation for integrity, transparency and compliance. To enhance that vision TNT has developed and implemented the TNT Integrity Programme and the TNT Business Principles and related policies and procedures.
TNT doesn’t just state this lofty statement, they implement it in daily practices, integrating these principles in strategic and operational practices. TNT uses an integrity due diligence process in merger and acquisitions, and also require employees to fully understand their Business Principles.
In its Our Business section, TNT displays a clear and transparent description of its business and strategic intent.
Note the comprehensive menu to navigate to more details about TNT’s business. Click on Strategy and you get an extended menu –
This information is crucial for existing and prospective investors.
Next navigate the Corporate Governance section and see a well designed display of relevant information. Noteworthy is the list of Acquisitions and Divestments. This is rarely seen on Corporate Governance websites.
Finally TNT indicates their commitment to Integrity: it seems they are serious about this – they have a Group Director Integrity executive position.
TNT stands out as a company that realizes the importance of effective Corporate Governance.
Toyota Looks to the Next Generation Brand Champion
January 21, 2009
On Tuesday, Toyota made a move to leverage the power of a brand champion by naming Akio Toyoda, the grandson of the company’s founder, as the company’s new president. Brand champions such as Hugh Hefner for Playboy and Steve Jobs for Apple can play a powerful role in developing and promoting a brand image and promise. Brand champions become living embodiments of the brands they advocate and protect, and often become celebrities for no other reason by their role as the face of those brands.
For Toyota, which posted its first loss in 2008 since the company was started in 1937, naming Toyoda as the new president could provide a perceived sense of security to consumers and stockholders who associate the brand champion’s last name with the company’s success. Of course, Toyota doesn’t operate based on the word of its president. Instead, it’s very much a consensus organization, but nevertheless, Toyoda brings a sense of heritage that harkens back to a time when the company could do no wrong. Read more
Funny Business
January 20, 2009
There’s actually a good story about how I came upon today’s topic, but I’m going to save it for another post. (Just remember “Company A.”) For now, I want to zip right on to the silly stuff!
Or let’s put it this way: Given the proposition that recruiting should express a company’s personality—how do you deal with a corporate image that’s quirky, or even downright comical? Should you embrace the humor, play it straight, or go somewhere in between?
(And in case you’re thinking “if only that were my problem,” don’t stop reading. There are some lessons here for seriously dull businesses as well.)
Let’s start by looking at two companies that put a lot of money into making people laugh at their brands. Ask most people for one word about Jack in the Box commercials, and the answer will be “funny.” Same thing for Geico. When job-seekers go to those company sites, they take the humor association right along with them—and it may be a bit of a turn-off if they find an impersonal, unfunny page.
But neither company is recruiting for comic talent, and job-hunting is not by nature a humorous topic. So the key would be to bring the brand together with the mission. Enough Jack, but not too much. Just a touch of Gecko. And the balance needs to fit the business.
For the sake of full disclosure I’d better report at this point that I’m in the tank for Jack. If he’s on TV, I stop to watch, and I never get tired of analyzing the really great Jack moments. (Hint: It’s all about the mouth.) So I’m happy to report that Jack hits the mark on recruiting, with a site that perfectly captures “his” personality through conversational text and iconic illustrations.
Three things to notice: First, attention to detail. For example . . . in some browsers, when you hover on a navigation tab, a Jack antenna-topper pops up above the tab and starts turning his head back and forth. Yes, really! (All across JITB messaging, details sustain the illusion that Jack’s world is an actual place, which is a large part of what makes it all so funny.)
Second, appropriate balance. The “Why Jack” page is LOL funny–I’ve read it about five times now—but it also delivers some solid points. The trick is skillful comic writing that combines tongue-in-cheek delivery (“This is the big time.”) with substantive messaging (“from the first breakfast sandwich to the first portable salad to the most innovative food safety advancements in the industry”).
The “FAQ,” “Benefits,” and “Roles at Jack” pages are written in a crisp, direct style that signals serious business, but each one has a Jack photo, so everything fits together. And notice that every photo on the site neatly fits its page, to reinforce the key message. So Jack’s a high-flying executive on the “Roles” page (read: road to success), but on the “Benefits” page, he’s fly-fishing (read: quality of life).
Finally, the third thing. As they say in show biz, if you want to get around an inconvenient or unlikely plot point, “hang a lantern on it.” So JITB gives the Careers section a special header: Jobs. This is where Jack in the Box gets serious. And that neatly resolves the dissonance problem.
All right—now what about the Gecko? Over at Geico, they have a different set of constraints than JITB, since you just can’t be as playful about car insurance as you can about fast food. So the site itself is stick-straight. But on the landing page—exactly in the very center—there he is. And wouldn’t you have been disappointed otherwise?
Some takeaways for the rest of us:
- Be true to your brand personality.
- Be consistent across pages, but don’t be boring. Use appropriate variety.
- Remember these famous last words, even though no one can remember who said them: “Dying is easy. Comedy–that’s hard.” It may be okay to add a touch of humor to your site, but make sure it works!
Mitsui Sumitomo And Web-Based Corporate Governance
January 19, 2009
Some companies have embraced the Internet for communicating their Corporate Governance practices. A benchmark company is Japan based Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group (MSIG). For example when you navigate to their Corporate Information page you view what just might be the most complete display of navigation to corporate information.
This reminds me of United Technologies ad slogan “You can see everything from here”. This provides visitors and stakeholders to easily navigate to information they need. In addition, note the inclusion of links to Corporate Responsibility and Investor Relations. MSIG understands how effective use of the Internet adds to stakeholder communications and is an important component of Transparency.
When you navigate to Corporate Governance and click on Basic Policies on Corporate Governance there is a clear description including a useful graphic that enhances communication of the company’s practices.
Next go to Medium-term Management Plan. The company clearly describes their strategy and shows high level goal projections.
This information is useful to existing and prospective investors since the company shows what it wants to achieve regarding financial results.
Finally, navigate to Charter on Professional Conduct.
We, at the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group, aspire to be a company that enjoys the trust of all members of society and inspires pride among its employees.
To this end, acting in the best interests of the insurance and financial services community, we:
- Accept, as life’s mission, the provision of superior solutions to social concerns and risks
- Place top priority on fair, impartial, and ethical conduct; and
- Constantly work to ensure adequate transparency through internal and external communication and extensive disclosure of information.
We, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group, as the corporation’s social responsibility, pledge to fulfill the 7 Responsibilities below.
Visit this site to view other features and examples of how to use the Internet as a disclosure and communication medium. Well done Mitsui.
Are Your Sub-brands Embarrassing Your Primary Brand?
January 19, 2009
On Saturday morning, I opened the Yahoo! home page and saw a featured article about celebrity children who tarnish their parents’ names. I had to take a look and see who the writer tagged as the biggest embarrassments to big name musicians. I couldn’t help myself. As I looked through the list of less-talented offspring, I started to think about how the same thing could happen to corporate brands.
Are your sub-brands embarrassing your primary brand?
Of course, the first rule of branding is consistency, but sometimes a well-known company brand can support a wide variety of sub-brands successfully. However, what if a sub-brand fails to perform well? And what if that sub-brand draws a lot of unflattering publicity? The answer is clear if that sub-brand is not bringing in the revenue the company needs, but what if that sub-brand is driving huge profits? Does the company protect its main brand and let go of the sub-brand, or does the company keep the sub-brand and let the chips fall where they may? Read more
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