Leader as Brand

Abstract

“Brands must deliver solutions not just benefits. They must be more than trademarks; they must be trustmarks.” These thoughts about the power of branding were expressed by A. G. Lafley, chairman and chief executive officer of Procter & Gamble (P&G), to Michael J. Graham, S. J., president of Xavier University, and a room full of Xavier vice presidents, deans, and directors during a strategy-planning session the Xavier leadership was conducting. Lafley knew that the message he was about to deliver concerning the power of a brand and the importance of trust must be heard and embraced deep into an organization. Lafley freely shared his expertise and the renowned marketing knowledge of P&G as the first of important emerging themes began to surface. He keyed in on certain realities about branding: it impacts the way others think about us; it provides an empowering way to align actions, behaviors, and choices; and inspirationally, it reflects who we are today and who we want to be in the future. Branding brings to life our unique combination of attributes for the people who find them important and compelling.