Unifying Decentralized Marketing Teams and Managing Brand Crises

Building a United Marketing Team in a Decentralized Business

In the world of branding and marketing, we all know how crucial it is to share knowledge and information among colleagues and teams. It is no accident that we often work in open-plan offices—an environment that supports the sharing of ideas, teamwork, and collective creativity.

Encourage a 'One Team' Ethos

Psychology plays a vital role in any team activity. The key lies in developing a "one team" ethos that values every member, regardless of their location.

• Share news of successes and applaud the collective results of team endeavor and hard work.
• If people perceive themselves as valued members of the team, positive connections—even cross-border friendships—and a boost in collective morale will follow.

Celebrate Team Achievements

Celebrating achievements encourages marketers to:

• Think globally and share their ideas confidently.
• Ensure news of local successes is properly communicated across the organization.

Ditch Top-Down Marketing Team Management

Adopt a unifying approach to marketing team management. Empower team members by:

• Providing tools for creativity within clear brand confines.
• Making it clear that identifying new ideas and advancing the brand is everyone's job, not just central Marketing's responsibility.

Create an Online Community

Building the concept of an online community into your brand management system is essential. This channel allows marketing team members to:

• Share knowledge from their own markets.
• Showcase current projects, promoting best practices.
• Interact easily with colleagues around the world.

The Basics of Crisis Management in Marketing

When something goes wrong with a marketing campaign, you must take fast, decisive action. Unfortunately, many marketing disasters have been compounded by mismanagement and panic. Crises originate from various sources, and they are often worsened when brands fail to listen to their audience.

Knowing the Risks

In the age of social media, most marketing campaigns function as conversations between the brand and its audience. When a mistake is made, news travels fast, requiring teams to be prepared to enter into reasonable dialogue.

While the cause of the problem may differ, the core risks remain consistent:

• Damage to the brand reputation.
• Negative public relations (PR).
• A significant amount of overtime for the social media response team.