ANOTHER BRANDING IRON WITH NO COW
KPMG Consulting, as many of you know, changed its name to BearingPoint. I don't know what it means but they seem to think it more completely expresses their place in the marketplace.

They've even got a video with their CMO explaining the reasons why. Here's a quote from it:

"We are assuming a brand leadership position. We have begun this process by redefining the category of consulting as we and our clients know it"

Folks, you don't "assume" a leadership position--you're given a leadership position by the marketplace. According to Kennedy Information Systems, KMPG International (from which Bearing Point spun off) is number 6. That's not leadership and no matter how much they say they're assuming that position, they don't have it and they won't until they are number one.

Ah, but you read the next sentence and it becomes clearer, and even less credible. They are doing this by redefining the category of consulting. Well, that's a neat trick isn't it? Consulting no longer means, well, consulting--it means something else. I might try that as well--redefine my service category in such a way that I am the leader. Take it from me, no company "redefines" the meaning of their product category. Again, the marketplace does that.

But let's pretend that such a thing can really happen. So how do they redefine it? Let's listen:

[Bearing Point offers] more than just consulting, we empower business to effectively align their business and systems

Does anyone know what that means? I sure don't. Is the effective alignment of business and systems something new? I don't think so, whatever it is. Is it something that Accenture or CGEY or any of the others don't do? I don't think so. Honestly it looks like the same old thing with a new logo to me.

But maybe I don't understand the payoff to the customer. Maybe there's a unique sales proposition lurking behind all this that will accomplish their goal. Want to find out?

That will allow our clients the best people in the industry, the best solutions, the best knowledge.

O my. That is something new isn't it. I know I'm going to start scrambling to do that, and I'm sure Accenture is too. (You can hear them now slamming their palms on their desks saying "now why didn't we think of that?)

OK. I'm being rough and sarcastic. But for a point.

When you stake out your territory in the marketplace, make it meaningful. You can't fool them with branding campaigns, insupportable claims, and vague assertions of redefining the marketplace. Don't sit in the conference room and say "hey let's be this kind of company." The "nothing true but wishing makes it so" approach to marketing, branding, positioning and the rest just doesn't cut it. It may not hurt you (I don't think this is going to haunt Bearing Point), and then again it may.

Rather, be brutally honest with, first and foremost, yourself. When you go to reposition or rebrand yourself--or take any strategic step within your marketplace, don't load yourself up with the usual bunch of marketalk--the empty hooey that makes you look foolish in the face of your marketplace.

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