Georgia-Pacific Cultural Relevance Playbook: Laura Knebusch’s Guide
Maintaining Brand Relevance for a Century
Table of Contents
Georgia-Pacific‘s SVP of CPG marketing and CX, Laura Knebusch, outlines strategies for keeping legacy brands like Brawny, angel Soft, and Dixie relevant in today’s rapidly changing market, emphasizing adaptability and agility as crucial for continued success.
Refreshing Iconic Brands
Successfully evolving a century-old brand requires a delicate balance between innovation and preserving core brand equity. Knebusch highlights the importance of refreshing iconic brand characters while maintaining the elements that resonate with loyal consumers. This involves understanding the emotional connection consumers have with the brand and building upon that foundation, rather than wholly overhauling it.
For example, Brawny, known for its “Strong Man” character, has evolved its messaging to reflect modern family dynamics and inclusivity, while still embodying strength and reliability – core attributes of the brand for decades.
Organizational Alignment with Brand Values
Knebusch stresses that “living your brand” isn’t solely a marketing function, but an organizational imperative. This means that every department within a company must understand and embody the brand’s values and promise. A cohesive brand experience across all touchpoints builds trust and reinforces brand loyalty.
She explains that at Georgia-Pacific,this is achieved through cross-functional collaboration and a shared understanding of the brand’s purpose,ensuring consistency in messaging and actions across the entire organization.
Measuring Marketing Impact on Business Outcomes
Georgia-Pacific utilizes a measurement system that directly connects marketing investment to tangible business outcomes. This goes beyond conventional metrics like impressions and clicks, focusing rather on how marketing initiatives contribute to sales, market share, and profitability.
Knebusch notes that this approach allows for a clear demonstration of marketing’s ROI and informs future investment decisions. The company focuses on identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with overall business objectives, providing a data-driven approach to marketing strategy.
Capitalizing on Cultural Moments Authentically
Brands can capitalize on viral moments and cultural momentum, but authenticity is paramount. Knebusch cautions against forcing a connection where it doesn’t naturally exist, as this can damage brand credibility.Instead, brands should identify opportunities to genuinely participate in relevant conversations and contribute to the cultural landscape.
She points to instances where brands have successfully leveraged cultural moments by aligning their messaging with shared values and demonstrating a genuine understanding of the cultural context. However,she also emphasizes the importance of being prepared to respond quickly and thoughtfully to avoid missteps.
Sustainability Messaging and Brand Positioning
While consumer interest in sustainability is growing, Knebusch advises against making it the sole driver of brand positioning. She argues that sustainability should be integrated into a brand’s overall values and practices, rather than being used as a marketing tactic.
She explains that consumers are increasingly discerning and can detect inauthenticity. A brand’s sustainability efforts should be genuine and demonstrable, and should align with its core purpose and values. Georgia-Pacific, for example, focuses on responsible forestry practices and reducing its environmental footprint as integral parts of its business operations, rather than solely as marketing messages.
Building a Modern Marketing Organization
architecting a modern marketing organization requires balancing internal capabilities with external partnerships. Knebusch advocates for a hybrid approach, leveraging the expertise of in-house teams while collaborating with agencies and technology providers to access specialized skills and resources.
She emphasizes the importance of building a flexible and agile organization that can adapt quickly to changing market conditions and consumer needs. This includes investing in data analytics,marketing automation,and other technologies that enable marketers to personalize experiences and optimize campaigns.