“Boards Beyond Governance: Owning Brand and Marketing Strategy”

 


Traditionally, branding and marketing were rarely discussed in the boardrooms.  Directors focused on compliance, financials, and risk, often seeing Branding as the purely marketing team’s domain. But the world has changed. Today, Brand isn't just a logo, tagline, or ad campaign. It's the aggregate of all impressions about an organization by customers, employees, investors, regulators, partners, and communities. It has a direct impact on reputation, valuation, and resilience.

Why Should Boards Care?

·       Brand = Risk & Opportunity: A strong brand is a valuable asset that can command pricing power, foster customer loyalty, and inspire investor confidence. A damaged brand can tank shareholder value overnight. Think data breaches, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) failures, or social missteps — these quickly evolve into board-level crises.

·       Brand Drives Strategy: Brand positioning influences key market choices, product strategy, and alliance decisions.  It influences capital allocation, M&A decisions, and long-term vision. Directors who ignore brand strategy miss a powerful lens to evaluate business moves.

·       Stakeholder Capitalism: Boards these days must navigate expectations from multiple stakeholders, not just shareholders. Brand is the language through which companies build trust, attract talent, and gain the license to operate.

How Directors Can Engage with Brand & Marketing Strategy

. Ask the Right Questions

·       What is our brand famous for — and is that still true?

·       How are we differentiating ourselves in a crowded market?

·       What are we communicating to customers, talent, and regulators?

·       How is marketing ROI traced and tied back to long-term value?

Embed Brand into Risk Discussions: Brand risk should be incorporated into the priorities of financial decisions, operational, and cyber risks. Boards should ensure that crisis management protocols explicitly address brand reputation, protection, and response.

Encourage Brand Investment with Discipline: Great brands don’t emerge from cutting marketing budgets in tough times. But boards must also ensure marketing spend is purposeful and fact-based. Balance creativity with accountability.

Stay Close to External Trends: Generational shifts, AI, sustainability, and social media — all reshape how brands are built and judged. Directors should stay informed to guide strategy wisely.

As someone who engages with boards and leaders, I’ve noticed that directors who truly influence outcomes are those who see brand not as “fluff,” but as strategic currency. They connect dots across marketing, risk, finance, and corporate purpose. Board influence isn’t only about cash flow. It’s about shaping how the business looks to the world. The modern director is a brand guardian as much as a governance watchdog.

Are you serving on a board or advising one? How involved is your board in discussions about brand and marketing? Do you think boards should be actively involved in brand strategy?  I would love to hear your thoughts. 

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