Balanced Brand: How to Balance the Stakeholder Forces That Can Make Or Break Your Business

Companies usually assume if their sales are good, then their brand and reputation must be strong. But all too often, they don't have a clear understanding of the values that drive brand and reputation and actually sustain long-term profitability and growth. This leaves companies vulnerable to dangerous backlash between corporate values, and those of their stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders, media, government, and community. Even well-known and seemingly successful brands and reputations have suffered from this backlash (e.g. Nike and overseas sweatshops, Wal-Mart and unfair employment practices, McDonald's and obesity issues.) Every stakeholder applies their personal and professional values to judge the performance of a company. Branding expert John Foley has developed the BalancedBrand System, which helps companies assess corporate values, identify potential flashpoints, and align values to build a stronger brand and reputation. BalancedBrand identifies and helps manage the forces that will change the way business does business. Foley and co-author Julie Kendrick have created new tools that build and protect brands and reputations.

John Foley is the founder of the brand agency The Foley Group. His agency has been providing strategic brand planning, advertising, and public relations since 1986 for organizations including Ameriprise Financial, Cargill, Caterpillar, Coca-Cola USA, Hazelden, Lawson, 3M, Tiffany & Co., United Healthcare, and the University of Minnesota.
In addition, he is Chief Executive Officer of BALANCEDBRAND LLC, which provides values-based brand and reputation consultation in the United States and the United Kingdom. Foley is currently on the boards of the Carlson Brand Enterprise at the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota chapter of American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Design Institute, and the Reputation Institute.

Julie Kendrick is a business writer with expertise in the area of motivation and performance improvement. Her client list includes Fortune 100 companies in the areas of automotive manufacturing, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, and telecommunications.