A critical perspective on branding, concerned with issues in practical Essay

A critical perspective on branding, concerned with issues in practical application of branding practices - Essay Example Lury (2004) also adds that employees form a core part of brand promotion in any company; large businesses use employees as mediums to promote their brands not only to external potential customers but also to the existing and potential internal customers. A reflective analysis on the impact of branding on employees and organizations has been undertaken in the present context. Working with a large and influential brand is usually regarded as an example of prestige and privilege. One such brand is the HSBC bank that will be studied for its efforts to enhance brand image in this analysis. Drawing points from Dr. Brannan’s teachings from the theme titled, ‘Branding: Being 'you' inside and outside the organisation,’ likeliness of impact of branding on employees will be assessed against literature propositions. This analysis will specifically focus on Warhurst and Nickson’s (2009) perspective of employees’ position in branding efforts, which is a mere objec t of brand personification in order to please customers and stakeholders. In this process, an attempt will be made to understand how branding impacts employees’ place and meaning in organizations by relating to personal experiences. Important findings from literature will be evaluated along with identification of some critical reviews of management specialists. These evaluations will be helpful in explaining practical positions held by individuals in organizations with respect to brand promotions based on personal experiences. Important conclusions will be subsequently highlighted. 2. Working at HSBC: About HSBC: HSBC Bank is multinational bank setup in more than 80 countries and has over 7200 offices with more than 287,000 employees. HSBC bank provides the widest range of financial services to over 89 million customers across the globe. Its services are in retail banking, personal financial services, commercial banking and markets, and global private banking (HSBC history, n .d). Working as a back-office executive at HSBC bank is perceived as a prestigious position owing to its brand value besides its size and strength. This brand is considered as one of the greatest success stories in modern marketing, according to the bank’s website. HSBC was ranked number one financial services in 2011 in one of the surveys and its brand value is estimated to be worth $ 27.1 (Advertising, 2012). The HSBC brand: Globally, all HSBC offices and businesses follow certain common practices, which, they believe, reinforce their brand. One such practice that reinforces brand image and corporate reputation through certain regulations is its ‘core standards of behaviour,’ based on integrity, trust and excellent customer service; these standards facilitate building HSBC’s reputation, keeping different units united, in making them unique and earning them the competitive edge in the market. These core standards define certain behavioural components for all employees towards active listening, understanding, freedom to deliver, integrity, straightforwardness, forward thinking, and teamwork (Employee Handbook, 2008). Like many other far-fledged businesses and corporate sector firms, HSBC’s brand image is emphasized in almost every aspect that is visible to its internal and external customers. Its brand image also reflects in its choice of aesthetics in terms of interiors, logo design and color as well as in its rules for employee etiquettes. For instance, its slogan, ‘The World’s Local Bank,’ actually depicts HSBC’s mission of making its presence felt in every country and region by offering diverse and customized