What Team Do You Need to Build Your Brand Strategy?

What Team Do You Need to Build Your Brand Strategy: Complete Overview with Examples and Case Study

Building a successful brand requires more than just a marketing department’s efforts; it demands a company-wide approach. Our State of Brand Ownership Report found that 69% of respondents—including teams from marketing, design, user experience, and front-end development—want to be more involved in shaping their company’s brand. This shows that branding is no longer the sole responsibility of marketers; it’s a collective endeavor that requires contributions from different departments to ensure a cohesive and authentic brand image.

Why Shared Ownership Matters

When branding is limited to one department, it becomes nearly impossible to maintain consistency. Instead of being a reflection of shared values, the brand ends up shaped by one team’s perspective. Involving various teams ensures that everyone across the organization is aligned, and it gives each employee a sense of shared ownership. This approach leads to a stronger, more unified brand.

For example, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), one of India’s largest IT services companies, encourages collaboration across teams—ranging from sales to design—to ensure that their brand resonates with diverse customer touchpoints. This has helped them maintain a strong, trustworthy brand image in the global market.

CEO: The Brand Strategist and Storyteller

CEOs are pivotal in defining the brand strategy. 70% of consumers feel more connected to brands when the CEO has an active presence on social media, according to Sprout Social. This connection creates a human element that consumers find authentic.

Take Anand Mahindra, CEO of Mahindra Group. His active presence on Twitter, where he often shares insights about the company’s values and customer stories, has helped humanize the Mahindra brand. By engaging directly with customers, Mahindra has built trust and solidified its reputation as a brand that cares.

The Team You Need to Build Brand Strategy

1. Brand Manager: The Earliest Champions

Role: The Brand Manager is the captain of the ship. This person oversees the development and execution of the brand strategy, ensuring that all elements align with the overall business goals and values. Responsibilities:

Defining the brand’s vision, mission, and values.
Leading market research to understand customer needs and competition.
Developing long-term brand strategies and positioning.

Example: A leading FMCG company like Hindustan Unilever relies heavily on its brand managers to oversee and maintain the strength of brands like Dove and Lifebuoy. These brand managers focus on product development, communication strategies, and ensuring the brand stays relevant.

2. Market Research Analyst

Role: This individual is responsible for gathering and analyzing data about the market, customers, and competitors. They provide insights that shape the brand strategy, ensuring that the brand is built on a deep understanding of customer preferences and market trends. Responsibilities:

Conducting surveys, focus groups, and analyzing market data.
Identifying target audiences and their needs.
Assessing competitive brands and positioning.
Predicting market trends to keep the brand strategy future-proof.

Case Study: When Swiggy entered the Indian food delivery market, they conducted in-depth market research to identify customer pain points with food delivery, such as delivery times and reliability. By analyzing this data, they positioned their brand to focus on speedy delivery and customer convenience, a strategy that helped them grow rapidly in a highly competitive market.

3. Creative Team (Graphic Designers, Copywriters and Content Creators)

Role: The creative team brings the brand to life visually and verbally. This team ensures that the brand’s messaging and imagery are engaging, consistent, and aligned with the brand’s core values. Responsibilities:

Creating visual assets such as logos, packaging, and promotional materials.
Crafting compelling copy for advertisements, websites, and social media.

Example: The creative team behind Nike focuses on storytelling that emphasizes empowerment and athleticism. Their “Just Do It” slogan, along with powerful imagery, resonates emotionally with their audience and has positioned Nike as one of the top brands in the world.

4. Marketing Strategist

Role: The marketing strategist is responsible for developing and implementing marketing campaigns that support the brand strategy. This individual ensures that the brand’s message reaches the right audience through the right channels. Responsibilities:

Developing multi-channel marketing plans (digital, social media, traditional).
Managing advertising and promotional budgets.

Case Study: In 2016, Zomato launched a quirky, humor-filled social media campaign that went viral. Their marketing strategists identified that humor resonated well with their target audience—millennials and Gen Z. This helped the brand gain massive traction and led to a spike in user engagement.

5. Digital Marketing Team

Role: In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for building a brand. The digital marketing team focuses on online channels such as SEO, social media, content marketing, email marketing, and paid advertising. Responsibilities:

Optimizing the brand’s website for search engines (SEO).
Managing social media accounts and engaging with followers.
Creating content such as blogs, videos, and infographics that align with the brand strategy.

Example: CRED, an Indian fintech brand, built a strong digital presence through their unique, eye-catching advertising campaigns. Their digital marketing team created highly engaging video ads featuring celebrities like Rahul Dravid in a humorous light, which instantly went viral. This boosted their brand visibility and user base significantly.

6. Public Relations (PR) Team

Role: The PR team is responsible for managing the brand’s image in the public eye. They ensure that the brand gets positive media coverage and handles any crises that could damage the brand’s reputation. Responsibilities:

Managing the relations with the media’s and pitching stories revolving around your brand to journalists.
Organizing events and product launches.
Managing crisis communication if needed.

Case Study: When Johnson & Johnson faced a major crisis over their baby powder product in India, their PR team quickly responded by issuing clarifications, handling media inquiries, and working on restoring customer trust. This quick action helped contain the damage to their brand reputation.

7. Product Development Team: Bringing Brand to Life in the Product

Role: The product development team ensures that the product or service offered by the brand matches the brand’s promise. They work closely with the brand manager to develop and refine products that meet customer needs and align with the brand identity. Responsibilities:

Innovating and refining products based on customer feedback.
Collaborating with the marketing and sales teams to ensure products align with the brand message.
Monitoring product performance in the market.

Example: Tata Motors worked with their product development team to launch the Tata Nexon, a car that was not only affordable but also boasted advanced safety features. This aligned with the Tata brand’s promise of quality and reliability, which helped the Nexon become one of India’s top-selling cars in its category.

8. Sales Team: The Storytellers

Role: While the brand strategy aims to build long-term customer relationships, the sales team is crucial for driving revenue and converting brand awareness into actual sales. Responsibilities:

Engaging directly with customers and promoting products or services.
Providing feedback to the brand team based on customer interactions.
Aligning sales tactics with the brand’s positioning and messaging.

Example: Apple’s sales team is trained not just to sell products but to educate customers on how those products can improve their lives. This aligns with Apple’s brand image of innovation and premium quality, contributing to their strong customer loyalty.

9. Customer Service Team: Brand Guardians

Role: Customer support plays a critical role in maintaining brand reputation. A positive customer experience can enhance brand loyalty, while poor customer service can severely damage it. Responsibilities:

Handling customer inquiries, complaints, and feedback.
Ensuring customer satisfaction and retention.

Case Study: Amazon India is known for its efficient customer support. Their quick responses to customer issues, including easy returns and refunds, have built a reputation for reliability and customer-centric service, reinforcing their brand promise of convenience and trust.

10. Customers: Brand Builders from the Outside

Customers today are not passive observers; they actively shape your brand through user-generated content (UGC). 90% of consumers trust UGC, and more than half prefer it over branded content, making it a powerful tool for building authenticity.

Swiggy, India’s leading food delivery service, uses UGC to amplify its brand. By encouraging customers to share their delivery experiences and tag the company on social media, Swiggy not only engages its audience but also creates a sense of community. Their social media campaigns, such as the popular #WhatsInAName, have gone viral, helping Swiggy reinforce its brand image while fostering a deeper connection with users.

Additional Team Members to Strengthen Your Brand Strategy

To further enhance your brand strategy, consider adding specialized roles that can provide deeper insights, optimize engagement, and ensure the brand remains compliant and aligned with overall business goals.

1. Brand Strategist (Specialized Role)

The Brand Strategist focuses on defining the brand’s core identity, positioning, and long-term direction. Responsibilities:

Developing in-depth brand guidelines.
Conducting brand audits and overseeing brand evolution.

Example: When Patagonia shifted its brand strategy to focus heavily on environmental activism, their specialized brand strategist played a key role in crafting messaging and initiatives that aligned with their values of sustainability.

2. Social Media Manager Role

The Social Media Manager handles the brand’s online presence, ensuring consistent and engaging content across all platforms. Responsibilities:

Creating social media content calendars.
Engaging with online communities and monitoring analytics.

Case Study: Zomato’s social media manager was instrumental in building a witty and humorous online presence, which not only entertained but also engaged users, helping the brand stand out in a competitive market.

3. Influencer Marketing Specialist Role

This person works with influencers to expand the brand’s reach and enhance its credibility. Responsibilities:

Identifying relevant influencers and negotiating partnerships.
Measuring the effectiveness of influencer campaigns.

Example: Mamaearth, a fast-growing Indian beauty brand, used influencer marketing on Instagram to tap into its target audience of young mothers. This helped the brand grow rapidly by building credibility through trusted influencers.

4. Web Developer Role

The Web Developer ensures the brand’s website is functional, user-friendly, and optimized for search engines, all while maintaining the brand’s visual identity. Responsibilities:

Developing and maintaining the website.
Optimizing for SEO and integrating digital marketing channels.

Case Study: BigBasket revamped their website to be more user-friendly and mobile-optimized, leading to a smoother shopping experience and an increase in online orders during the pandemic.

5. Customer Experience (CX) Specialist Role

The CX Specialist focuses on enhancing the customer journey by analyzing feedback and improving interactions. Responsibilities:

Developing customer journey maps and identifying pain points.
Implementing initiatives to improve customer satisfaction.

Example: Flipkart has a dedicated customer experience team that continuously improves the customer journey, from browsing products to final delivery, ensuring a seamless experience.

6. Data Analyst Role

Data Analysts provide insights into customer behavior, market trends, and campaign performance, helping to make data-driven decisions. Responsibilities:

Analyzing campaign metrics, customer data, and market trends.
Identifying opportunities for optimization.

Example: Netflix uses data analysts to study user behavior and preferences, which helps them create personalized recommendations and targeted marketing campaigns, leading to higher customer retention.

7. Legal Counsel Role

The Legal Counsel ensures the brand is protected legally, reviewing marketing materials, handling intellectual property issues, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Responsibilities:

Reviewing contracts and partnerships.
Managing intellectual property and ensuring compliance with advertising laws.

Example: Tata uses in-house legal counsel to review brand communications and ensure compliance with advertising standards, protecting their brand from legal issues.

8. Brand Ambassador Role

Brand Ambassadors represent the brand both internally and externally, embodying its values and engaging directly with the community. Responsibilities:

promoting the brand’s message to the customers.
Providing feedback from real customer interactions.

Example: Tata Tea’s “Jaago Re” campaign employed brand ambassadors across India to promote the idea of “social awakening,” helping the brand connect emotionally with its audience.

Tips for a Strong Brand Strategy Team

Building a successful brand strategy isn’t just about having the right roles in place; it’s about how these roles work together. Cross-functional collaboration, continuous learning, leveraging external expertise, and aligning with business goals are crucial factors that ensure your team remains effective and adaptive to changing market dynamics. Here’s a detailed look at these important components, with real-world examples and case studies.

1. Cross-Functional Collaboration

What it means: Cross-functional collaboration refers to different departments or team members working together, sharing knowledge, and coordinating efforts. This ensures that the entire brand strategy is aligned and everyone is moving in the same direction.

Why it’s important: In a brand strategy, there are many moving parts—design, marketing, sales, product development, customer service, and more. These departments need to work together to create a cohesive brand experience. Collaboration ensures that the brand’s core values and messages are consistently communicated across all touchpoints.

Example: Apple is a great example of cross-functional collaboration. Their brand experience—from product design to customer support—is seamless. When they launch a new product, the design, marketing, and retail teams work together to deliver a consistent message of innovation, simplicity, and premium quality. Apple’s iconic product launches are not just about marketing but also about integrating technology, design, and customer experience in a way that strengthens their brand.

Case Study: Nestlé India successfully leveraged cross-functional collaboration during the relaunch of its popular product, Maggi, after a temporary ban. The marketing, PR, legal, and product development teams worked closely together to address safety concerns, rebuild trust with customers, and relaunch the product with improved ingredients and a strong communication strategy. Their collaboration helped Nestlé regain market share and rebuild consumer trust.

2. Continuous Learning

What it means: Continuous learning refers to the constant updating of skills, knowledge, and understanding of market trends, consumer behavior, and technology.

Why it’s important: The marketing landscape is always evolving—new trends emerge, consumer preferences shift, and technologies like artificial intelligence and automation reshape the way businesses operate. For a brand strategy team to remain relevant and effective, it’s critical that members regularly update their skills and knowledge. This ensures that the brand remains competitive and can quickly adapt to changes in the market.

Example: Amazon is a prime example of a company that emphasizes continuous learning. The company constantly tests new ways to enhance customer experiences through innovations like personalized product recommendations, fast delivery, and voice-activated shopping via Alexa. By staying ahead of technological trends and focusing on learning, Amazon continues to dominate the e-commerce market.

Data Point: According to a LinkedIn Learning Report, 94% of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development. This shows how essential continuous learning is for both individual growth and organizational success.

3. External Expertise

What it means: External expertise refers to hiring outside consultants or agencies with specialized skills to provide insights or complete tasks that the internal team may not have the resources or experience to handle.

Why it’s important: No matter how skilled or knowledgeable your team is, there are times when an external perspective can provide fresh insights or access to new technologies and tools. Whether it’s for market research, influencer marketing, or brand audits, external experts can bring a level of expertise that accelerates brand growth and strengthens strategy.

Example: Coca-Cola regularly works with external agencies for their marketing campaigns. For example, they hired advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy to create their famous “Open Happiness” campaign, which became one of the most successful branding efforts in their history. External experts brought creative ideas that aligned with Coca-Cola’s brand values, resulting in global success.

Case Study: When Tata Motors wanted to reposition its image from being a budget-friendly brand to a more premium one, they brought in external brand consultants to help redefine their brand strategy. The result was the launch of vehicles like the Tata Nexon and Tata Harrier, which shifted consumer perception and improved the company’s market position.

4. Alignment with Business Goals

What it means: The brand strategy must always be aligned with the company’s overarching business goals, whether those goals are increasing revenue, expanding market share, launching new products, or entering new markets.

Why it’s important: A brand strategy isn’t just about how customers perceive your brand—it’s also a tool for achieving your business objectives. When your brand strategy is aligned with business goals, it becomes a powerful driver of success. For instance, if a company’s goal is to expand into a new geographic market, the brand strategy should focus on localization, new customer engagement strategies, and adapting the brand message to resonate with local consumers.

Example: Swiggy initially started as a food delivery service focusing on metro cities in India. As their business goals expanded to cover smaller towns and cities, Swiggy’s brand strategy evolved. They adapted their messaging to highlight accessibility and affordability, two key factors for consumers in smaller cities. This alignment between brand strategy and business goals enabled them to dominate not only the metro areas but also tier-2 and tier-3 cities across India.

Data Point: A survey by Deloitte revealed that 87% of executives say aligning brand and business strategy is key to long-term success. When brand strategy supports business objectives, it creates a unified direction that drives growth and sustainability.

Case Study: Mahindra & Mahindra, an Indian automobile company, aligned its brand strategy with its business goals when it launched the Mahindra Scorpio. Their goal was to enter the premium SUV market, and they crafted a brand strategy focusing on ruggedness, power, and reliability—traits that resonated with their target audience. The result was a huge success, with Scorpio becoming a household name in India.

Conclusion: What Team Do You Need to Build Your Brand Strategy

Brand-building isn’t just the responsibility of marketers—it’s a company-wide effort. By involving teams across departments and encouraging customers to participate, you create a more authentic and consistent brand experience. From product designers ensuring seamless brand experiences to CEOs embodying the brand’s values on social media, every team member plays a role.

Companies like TCS, Zomato, Byju’s, and Swiggy showcase how involving different departments—and customers—in branding can lead to stronger, more resilient brands. To achieve success, your brand must reflect the shared vision of your entire organization, both inside and out

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