You are on page 1of 35

GREGORY UNRUH

INNOVATE. SUSTAIN. GROW

Table of Content Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 6 Market Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 6 Sustainability Introduction .................................................................................................... 6 Trends in Sustainability .......................................................................................................... 7 PESTE Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 7 Consumer Overview.................................................................................................................. 8 Competitive Analysis ................................................................................................................ 8 Brand Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 10 Marketing Mix .......................................................................................................................... 10 SWOT Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 11 Brand Essence .......................................................................................................................... 12 Landor Visual Brand Driver: Overview ............................................................................ 13 Managerial Perspective VBD ............................................................................................... 13 Customer Perspective VBD ................................................................................................... 13 Recommended Brand Strategy.......................................................................................... 14 Brand Essence Recommendations ..................................................................................... 14 Segmenting ............................................................................................................................... 15 Targeting ................................................................................................................................... 15 Positioning ................................................................................................................................ 16 Tactical Recommendations ................................................................................................ 17 2

The Differentiator: Biosphere imitation as the key to sustainably profitable business ...................................................................................................................................................... 18 License Unruhs Expertise..................................................................................................... 19 Venture Consulting ................................................................................................................. 19 Extensive Product-ization..................................................................................................... 20 Website Recommendations .................................................................................................. 20 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 21 Exhibits ...................................................................................................................................... 22 Exhibit 1: Gregory Unruh Biography................................................................................. 22 Exhibit 2: Current Trends ..................................................................................................... 24 Exhibit 3: PESTE Analysis of Sustainability market ..................................................... 26 Exhibit 4: Thought Leaders .................................................................................................. 27 Business Management Thought Leaders:........................................................................ 27 Biosphere Applications to Sustainability Thought Leaders: ..................................... 27 Exhibit 5: Linguistic Analysis of Thought Leaders ........................................................ 28 Exhibit 6: Thought Leader Survey ...................................................................................... 28 Exhibit 7: Current Brand Portfolio..................................................................................... 29 Exhibit 8: SWOT Analysis ...................................................................................................... 29 Exhibit 9: Managerial Perspective Visual Brand Driver ............................................. 30 Exhibit 10: Customer Perspective Visual Brand Driver ............................................... 31 Exhibit 11: Brand Naming Tools......................................................................................... 32 Exhibit 12: Social Media Analysis ....................................................................................... 35

Executive Summary The ultimate goal here is to embed sustainability and make it a standard business practiceyou create cost reduction and profitability opportunities that then provide the momentum you need to move forward. -Gregory Unruh A thought leader is a person whose views on a subject influence opinions and steer conversations throughout a field of expertise because that person is regarded as the foremost authority on the subject. Our client, Gregory Unruh, would like to augment his personal brand for his professional endeavors, and begin to strategically optimize a career arch towards thought leadership in the field of sustainability. Gregory Unruh is a doctorate of international technology and environmental management, who has dedicated his career to creating greater sustainable business practices. A frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review and other notable publications, author of several influential books, and a current professor at George Mason University, Dr. Unruh is highly regarded as a writer, speaker and educator in the areas of corporate social responsibility, environmental management, and innovation management. The goal of this paper is to present a clear and compelling brand strategy for Dr. Unruh to market his content across various traditional and digital platforms so he is perceived as an influential and prominent figure in his field of expertise. This report will begin by describing the rapidly expanding industry of environmental management and social responsibility, as well as detailing the intricacies of branding for thought leaders in several fields. Followed by a complete analysis of Dr. Unruhs brand, we will conclude with potential strategical and tactical recommendations to assist our client in becoming recognized as one of the preeminent authorities in the field of sustainability. By combining a holistic analysis of image management in an intellectual capacity with a complete brand audit of Dr. Unruhs current value proposition, our team has been able to find insightful and logically sound recommendations for our client to obtain his desired brand positioning and subsequent professional influence.

Introduction Dr. Gregory Unruh is the author of several influential books, a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review and other notable publications, and a current professor at George Mason University. A doctorate of international technology and environment management, Unruh is highly regarded as a writer, speaker and educator in the areas of corporate social responsibility, environmental management, and innovation management (See Exhibit 1). He has dedicated his career to creating greater sustainable business practices and has become a notable figure in the field of sustainability. Although Unruh has achieved some remarkable success in his profession, he is concerned about branding issues affecting thought leaders because of shifts in the publishing paradigm. With the relative ease and speed authors can publish material digitally, the market has become saturated with less qualified opinions that lack institutional backing. This hinders Unruhs ability to reach interested audiences, and diminishes interest for more traditional publications that take months to publish and are not normally free. The purpose of this project is to locate and leverage shares of value within Unruhs brand, in the hopes of furthering the target audiences perception of him as a thought leader.

Market Analysis Sustainability Introduction As the 21st century unfolds, the utilization of sustainable business practices is no longer a means of differentiation, but a requisite for competing at the highest level. Consumers are demanding more corporate responsibility and increasing energy and material costs compound the necessity for innovative growth. If a business wishes to profit in todays complex world, sustainable business practices are an absolute imperative. It is in this environment that thought leaders in the field of sustainability are in greater demand than ever before. On the corporate, academic, and consumer level, information is power and the thought

leaders who are able to best articulate their ideas will ultimately have the greatest influence in this growing field. Trends in Sustainability The current trend among successful thought leaders is to maximize presence by sharing their voice on multiple platforms,1 including publications (articles, white paper and books), social media, webinars, coaching on specialized forums, public speeches and presence on television. In addition to sharing personal content and relevant concepts, being seen as a resource and continually making connections with other thought leaders helps the individual gain popularity and peer recognition. Furthermore, being endorsed by various target market audiences helps build credibility and fortify reputation. According to one report by Ernst & Young *(E&Y), trends suggest that sustainability efforts are now being well-integrated into the corporate fabric of a growing number of large and midsized companies.2 The influence of thought leaders on this new integration remains questionable, however. This is due to the lack of measures to effectively track a thought leaders sustainability impact and provide enough data to further refine their work and/or actions. This also brings to attention the need for higher levels of management to be actively involved in the decision making process, while making it an important part of the corporate mission. In addition, the involvement of both the internal and external environment is key, which includes employees, consumers, governments, and the general audience (see exhibit 2). PESTE Analysis The overall future market benefit of growth within sustainability-related industries is substantial. Despite instances of political/corporate gridlock that frequently stymie the progression toward consumersupported sustainable regulations, the benefits of sustainability on the external market remain clear, and
1 2

http://smallbiztrends.com/2013/07/secret-strategies-thought-leaders-use.html http://www.ey.com/US/en/Services/Specialty-Services/Climate-Change-and-Sustainability-Services/Six-growing-trends-in-corporate-sustainability_overview

popular consensus is widely in favor of sustainable and renewable technologies (see exhibit 3). Consumer Overview The audiences interested in sustainability range from businesses, academia, government, and civil societies, to everyday citizens interested in exploring new ways to improve our world. The relationship between consumers and providers of sustainability thought leadership is a complex one: significant portions of consumers base their purchasing rationale on a brands perceived utilization of sustainable practices. Yet for a large segment, this is not a criterion that influences everyday purchasing decisions. In order for sustainability-influenced companies to rise to the top, the benefits of the goods and services they provide must outweigh those of competing firms. People will be resistant to change brands without compensating benefits - an additional value beyond the ethical or moral assets a sustainable brand presents. Effectively translating this value to both companies and customers is the role of a thought leader. It is important to form an emotional connection with consumers in order to make sustainability a core priority and garner stickiness. It has to be promoted as a personal and professional lifestyle rather than as the latest trend or gimmick. Competitive Analysis A thought leader is one whose views on a subject influence opinions and steer conversations. It is their guidance and promise to the market place and how much buy-in the market place affords. Prince and Rogers define a thought leader as an individual or firm that prospects, clients, referrals, sources, intermediaries and even competitors recognize as one of the foremost authorities in selected areas of specialization, resulting in its being the go-to individual or organization for set expertise.3 In addition to being a recognized expert, thought leaders have a vision for the future and drive active participation within

3http://www.forbes.com/sites/russprince/2012/03/16/what-is-a-thought-leader/2/

their respective fields, creating shifts in the business landscape by ultimately aiming to build prosperous economies, healthy ecosystems and strong communities. In the broader category of business management thought leadership, there are myriad of compelling authors and speakers who have stimulating ideas in their respective fields. Thought leaders whose concepts revolve around mimicry of earths biosphere rules as business concepts for sustainability, occupy a unique niche within the thought leadership sphere. We divided Unruhs competitors into two groups- those within the broader category of business management thought leadership and those within the specific bio-niche that Unruh himself occupies to some extent. From within these two groups, we examined the most prestigious thought leaders currently in practice and the business concepts that have made them influential (see exhibit 4). There were many common themes that emerged after extensive analysis of the competitive landscape. In general, thought leaders have been able to gain power amongst their peers through successful practical application of their theories. This has been achieved through various methods, but nearly all involve a strong intellectual presence in networks of influencers throughout their industries. We also found that their reputation and credibility are the backbone of their brand identities, often coming before their intellectual work. In short, their brand is precedes their content because their reputation aids more in the new material gaining acceptance than does the quality of the content. Each thought leader had a story of their journey to their current role that resonated with customers on a level far deeper than simply the intellectual content they present. Many of these writers are also described as having an authoritative voice that connects with the reader, while also being uncompromising in the commitment to their ideals (see exhibit 5). Most of these themes would not change for a thought leader in Sustainability, however experience in the non-profit and environment conservationism spheres also lend credibility to a sustainability thought leader.

Brand Analysis In his own words, Unruhs value proposition is: Try to provide the best, most rigorous, actionable advice for business people on how to invest sustainability in their organization and capture business value. Unruh is without question a leading figure in sustainability but in order for his brand communication objectives to be fulfilled, he has to now step into a bigger pond where outstanding intellectual thought alone will not suffice in competition with other prominent thought leaders. Our team conducted a survey amongst people who claim to be interested in sustainability either personally or professionally, and asked each respondent to assess the perceived qualities of Unruh, as well as other thought leaders (see exhibit 6). The respondents generally viewed Unruh positively, and similar to many other prominent thought leaders in the business world. However, the main difference between our client and the other options is a perceived lack of industry recognition. Unruh is currently positioned as an expert in many different sustainability capacities, a designation that has lent itself to many applications as the definition of the industry has evolved. Although in-depth knowledge of previous information and general knowledge of current trends is considered essential to the profession, being branded as a general expert can cause the brands value proposition to become unclear to consumers. This can negatively affect perceived reputation, as it may diminish credibility and hinder differentiation from other experts. Marketing Mix Product: His current product offerings include books, articles, speaking engagements and online videos. In addition, he is currently working on future products such as The Sustainably Frontier to serve as a sustainability academy, targeting medium-to-small businesses and corporations seeking to become and maintain environmentally friendly businesses.

10

Place: Unruh is communicating his intellectual content through his website, traditional publications, books, blog posts on other prominent websites (such as Huffington Post), speaker sessions, and videos on various online platforms. The use of these platforms allows Unruh to shape his social and professional interactions with his clients, however the use of these several platforms has led to brand dilution. Currently there are 8 brands under the control of Unruh, and his marketing efforts have been unsuccessful at differentiating a single brand (see exhibit 7). Promotion: Unruh is working on developing a self-marketing strategy in order to determine his position as a thought leader, building on his personal brand around his core knowledge and experience dealing with sustainability to help institutions and corporations become eco-friendly in order to sustain growth and maximize shareholder profits. Unruh is leveraging his reputation to add value to his knowledge and gain trust and access to a wider audience in businesses looking to be sustainable. Unruhs content marketing strategy is in leading and generating sales conversion through social media and his website. It is therefore important that he implement search engine optimizers in order to build his online presence and generate traffic to his website. SWOT Analysis Unruhs greatest strengths lie within his ability to connect with others using his original viewpoints and theories. He is a fantastic writer with a motivating voice, as well as a talented public speaker who is clearly passionate about corporate social responsibility. Additionally, Unruhs experience and credibility within respected academic and non-profit institutions provide him with credibility and a traditional platform to reach potential customers with content. His brands greatest weakness has been an inability to rise above other actors in his field and gain greater share of influence within his industry. This may be related to the disjointed customer outreach strategy currently present in his brand portfolio, but may also be related to a perceived lack of business sponsorship in his technical expertise, a key ingredient in building credibility.

11

The largest opportunity for Unruh is related to the growing importance of his field of expertise and the need for trusted advisers in corporations that wish to become more socially conscious. The target audience for Unruh is growing, and practical consultancy may become the best new source of business for his professional interests. However, this is also introduces Unruhs greatest threat: other sustainability experts. Sustainability is growing very rapidly because it can be applied to every industry, which has encouraged other actors to become involved in this practice as well. Market saturation could potentially cause work from established contributors to be lost in the static of overwhelming content from less qualified pundits (see exhibit 8). Brand Essence According to Interbrand, a brands essence is a simple and clear value proposition that the brand intends to deliver to customers4 This statement should encompass how the brand emotionally connects with customers while evocatively motivating them to act. To gain an understanding of the ideal aspirational identity of Gregory Unruhs brand essence, the sole proprietor was interviewed and asked to define what he believes that would be. Unruh has a clear understanding of the direction he wishes to take to increase his standing as a sustainability thought leader, however succinctly verbalizing it in an evocative manner was challenging for him. The articulation of the brands value differentiator was stymied by the abundance of vague platitudes that surround the content and messages currently being used to market his services. Unruhs wide range of expertise complicates the task of presenting a simple and clear value proposition as well, although some would consider an overreaching knowledge of the subject to be a pre-requisite of a thought leader. The duality inherent in this dilemma between practical application and intangible branding may be the source of

http://www.brandchannel.com/education_glossary.asp

12

a potentially muddled brand essence for a service provider, especially considering he is participating in a developing industry that is beholden to emerging trends. Landor Visual Brand Driver: Overview Our team used Landors Visual Brand Driver (VDB) to assist in conceptualizing several key attributes of Gregory Unruhs desired brand competencies, as well as potential customers desired characteristics of a thought leader in Sustainability. The VDB tool is commonly used as a method to express a brand in images, with each graphic representing different aspects of the brands personality. Managerial Perspective VBD The Managerial Perspective VBD was established after speaking with Unruh and inquiring into his beliefs on the subject matter. His responses were combined with analysis of secondary research relating to qualities inherent in thought leaders from different focus areas, to create a visual representation of the ideal managerial brand attributes (see exhibit 9). The themes portrayed by the images most commonly found in the Managerial Perspective VBD are intellectual, empathetic, insightful, hopeful, conservational, practical and relevant. Unruh firmly believes that a thought leader in the Sustainability field needs to be intelligent, innovative and in front of the curve. This is established through content that provides realistic ideas that connect with audiences, empowering and enabling them to positively impact their stakeholders. Gregory Unruh wishes to deliver insightful but attainable solutions for those looking to improve on traditional business practices and conduct themselves in the best methods they possibly can. Customer Perspective VBD The Customer Perspective VBD was developed through several methods, the first being individual interviews of members of Thunderbirds local chapter of Net Impact, a national organization dedicated to

13

creating positive social and environmental changes in the workplace and the world. 5 Our team also conducted a focus group of professionals above 30 years of age with a strong professional or personal interest in sustainability and environmental conservation. The Customer Perspective VBD was created based on common emotional representations of responses from the interview subjects. The themes portrayed by the images most commonly found in the Customer Perspective VBD are Intelligence, Inspirational, Compassionate, Ambitious, Logical, and Adventurous (see exhibit 10). The respondents unanimously agreed that a sustainability thought leader needs to be smart, inspiring and sympathetic towards others problems. Respondents felt that the brand should also reflect a youthful energy to show that the thought leader is willing to take risks with enthusiastic and ambitious new solutions to existing problems.

Recommended Brand Strategy Brand Essence Recommendations Considering the results of VBDs, there are several elements of Gregory Unruhs current brand essence that may enhanced to align with customers desired position. The position of a thought leader depends in many aspects on the quality of the content being offered, however the tone and voice of the author also play a role in the effectiveness of the communications. Both perspectives strongly agree that the brand should connote intellectualism and empathy. However the customer perspective strongly stresses an emotional connection intended to enhance the users belief that ambitious solutions for complex issues facing the world today are attainable, and not an overwhelmingly impossible feat. These qualities allude to the desire for a thought leader to be smart enough to grasp the breadth and difficulties of complex issues, but also determined and bold enough to suggest that he/she may have the answers.

https://netimpact.org/

14

Customers also value practicality and relevance in a thought leader, which may be reflected in a desire to see functional examples of the though leaders successes. This provides credibility to the author, and aids in acceptance of new ideas amongst other trendsetters in the industry. To summarize, we recommend that Gregory Unruhs brand essence be intellectual and inspirational above all other potential brand attributes. However, we also suggest attempting to evoke an image of a personality that is empathetic, optimistic, and ambitious to create a greater emotional connection with the target audience. Putting the recommended brand essence into the simplest terms, it may be epitomized as; Gregory Unruh is inspiring solutions. Segmenting Unruhs current consumers mostly spread across businesses and academia. He engages with businesses to help them create sustainable strategies that positively impact their bottom-line and efficiently optimize resources. His experience across a variety of industries allows him to distinctly understand the varying needs of customers. Unruh currently uses a segmentation approach for his varied consumer base, as compared to the mass-market, one-size fits all approach adopted by most thought leaders. Due to this segmentation, the range of sustainability issues covered by Unruh is vast, attracting various sets of audiences. In addition, his experience of teaching within global universities and constantly interacting with international students allows him to approach sustainability in a holistic manner; namely, understanding worldwide dynamics covering innovation, scalability, geography, size and culture through constant interaction with a variety of cultures. Targeting In the past, Unruh has targeted customers through his personal brand and his various brand extensions. Our team would suggest minimizing the amount of brand extensions Unruh uses to connect with customers, and focusing on a single brand extension to transmit all marketing communications

15

through. This will assist Unruh with brand recognition and recall for the platform that will become his primary source of customer outreach. Our team conducted an analysis of all Unruhs current brand extensions based on the IGOR Brand Naming Tool. Our findings indicated that Unruh should use his full name, Gregory Unruh, to brand himself because it lends the most credibility to his work and allows him to be perceived as much more authentic than the other potential brand names (see exhibit 11). Positioning Our primary goal is to position the Gregory Unruh brand in such a way that the greatest value is created for both him (through growth in credibility, overall market reach and financial benefits) and his customers (through innovative ideas, information and actionable steps delivered concisely). All target segments of Gregory Unruhs audience are interrelated, and growth in each linked segment is critical to success. The fractional nature of Unruhs approach, however, lends difficulty to the process of developing a universal, all encompassing brand - one thats easily identifiable and equally powerful regardless of the platform on which it is presented. This report proposes that Unruh should continue to position his brand as the go-to source for sustainability issues, however we would recommend exemplifying a particular focus of Unruhs to position himself as the foremost expert on a subject that is relevant and pertinent to businesses and consumers. Simply branding someone an expert in such a diverse field could lead to brand dilution because the perceived brand image is too closely tied with a movement that is indistinctly defined to some potential customers. Focusing Unruhs brand position will aid in differentiating his services from others who also suffer from brand dilution due to industry trends, while also providing increased credibility and trustworthiness to his perceived reputation because of his past experience and successes in that capacity. It is also important for a thought leader in this field to be up to date with current trends and recent findings, so this is not recommending that Unruh should no longer concern himself with having an overreaching knowledge of the subject. We believe this may be tied to customers desire for a thought

16

leader with youthful passion for the subject because, in many ways, consumers are searching for a thought leader that is unafraid to propose courageous but logical new solutions to existing problems. Lastly, we would also recommend for Unruh to position his brand as sympathetic to the plights of others who are being affected by poor corporate social responsibility. This can be accomplished through his work and marketing communications outreach, but can be acutely assisted by developing a back-story (or a raison dtre) that sincerely connects with potential customers. Many business and customers are consumed with impacting the lives of stakeholders positively, and showing his passion on a particular subject may be the greatest method for authors in this field to emotionally connect with audiences. Additionally, the people most likely to read Unruhs content, outside of his peers, are those most affected by the problems he is addressing. By sympathizing with the affected stakeholders plight and branding himself as an expert who truly cares about others, his position will more closely resemble the customers desired characteristics in a sustainability thought leader.

Tactical Recommendations As a thought leader Unruh is in need of a strong personal brand that effectively conveys the attributes, characteristics, purpose, value, passion, competencies, uniqueness, specialization and specialized knowledge his brand represents. To improve delivery upon these objectives the potential consumer base must be able to easily find the brand. The history, passion, knowledge, and experience of Unruh is the foundation upon which he can build the brand. There is a great deal of content supporting Unruh as a thought leader. Therefore Gregory Unruh, the person, must be the focus across all marketing communications and applicable channels. For each article or book published, the title of each assumes its own brand, (i.e. Earth, inc., Carbon Lock-Up. This has the unfortunate result of the Gregory Unruh brand becoming diluted; not only by the published work itself, but also by the publisher, journal or sponsoring institution. The actual tactics behind branding a 17

thought leader such as Unruh remain formulaic, as it is their knowledge, experience, content and expertise that ultimately drive their value. There is a great deal however, that can be done to augment that value and really capitalize on that knowledge, experience, content and expertise Unruh already possesses, so that it reaches and captures the largest target audience possible while differentiating itself from competitors. The most important outlet for the Gregory Unruh brand is the Internet. The Internet is categorically divisible into several sub-sections that are the basis of our tactical brand recommendations. There is the actual website, the search-ability (search engine optimization, i.e. how easily found) of Unruh and of his expertise, the connectivity (how integrated Unruh is in regards to partner websites and authorship), the influence of his brand (social media) and how his content integrates with his exposure. Consolidation of the brand and the expertise it exudes must be consistent across all channels. Because the focus of our recommendations is limited to the Internet, this consolidation and consistency should be applied at minimum to all online initiatives. However, it is recommended they also be extended into all other activities (publications, speeches, etc.) as well. That is to say, the content online (name, bio, recommendations) should be disseminated and included in future publications, with brand solidarity throughout. The Differentiator: Biosphere imitation as the key to sustainably profitable business This highly specialized field of sustainability thought leadership is Unruhs bread and butter. His intimate knowledge of the subject and multiple writings providing actionable solutions are differentiating factors. We recommend Gregory Unruh put this strain of thought leadership at the center of his brand. The breadth of the subject encompasses a variety of fields such as design, architecture, biology, even historyreaching far beyond the scope of sustainable business management strategy. Focusing on the rules of the biosphere in sustainable business practice will introduce entirely new sections of consumers to Unruhs work. We recommend he begin writing for websites that are beyond the traditional academic and business scope such as HBR and the Economist, and consider websites such as Greenbiz.com and the Huffington 18

Post; sites with a more diverse readership base, yet ones still inclined to embrace his thought provoking ideas. Despite groundbreaking work in a variety of other sustainability fields, the risk of consumer confusion regarding the Gregory Unruh is eminent. We believe Gregory Unruh can still give credibility and meaningful insight into a variety of sustainability fields, but ONE field must be his universal identifier. In our opinion, the intersection of Biosphere Rules and Sustainable Business is the perfect ID badge for the Unruh brand. There are eight different brands represented on his website that take precedence over his own; each representing a published work or venture. There should be but one to precede them all: Gregory Unruh himself, spearheaded by one sustainable concept. License Unruhs Expertise Based on the wealth of knowledge Unruh provides, from his thorough analysis of current environmental trends to actionable steps businesses can take to profit sustainably, we recommend the following steps that will allow Unruh to capitalize on his value contributions to sustainable thought. Unruh might consider licensing his most potent concepts (such as his 5 Rules of the Value Cycle for Business Sustainability) to other thought leaders or organizations, thereby receiving royalties or per -usage fees for when his concepts are applied. This would allow for a continued revenue stream, as well as increased time for Unruh to focus on new content creation. Venture Consulting Instead of accepting a flat fee for the consulting services he provides to firms, Unruh might consider requesting a stake or percentage in the company he consults with. This might be especially effective with smaller companies with limited cash flow, yet potential for growth; particularly if they are sustainability-centric.

19

Extensive Product-ization Unruh should consider new forms of reaching consumers, including webinars, DVD sets and most notably podcasts. Podcasts are growing in popularity at an alarming rate and have been the primary vehicle for many thought leaders to communicate their ideas. Sponsors for each podcast provide a steady stream of income, the podcasts themselves are inexpensive and easy to produce and the content is easily accessible to an array of consumers both inside and outside the sustainability sphere. In addition to providing a revenue stream, podcasts can serve as a platform for the very best in thought leadership. Website Recommendations Speaking Page: The un-linkable, un-qualifiable list of speaking engagements are overwhelming to users; we recommend having one or two that are linkable for download via podcast, along with a list of the top 10 locations where Unruh has been invited to speak. Listing UN, Bently College, Thunderbird, Green Build, etc is more impactful than titles, dates and locations. The truncated speaking engagements timeline could confuse the casual observer into thinking that Unruh only started speaking in 2009; we recommend that all speaking engagements be included. A change in layout would avoid users having to scroll longer than one page down. Finally, we recommend that Unruh use direct quotes regarding his expertise, as indirect quotes are deteriorating in value by their discomfort with ownership over their recommendation. Landing Page: A landing page with all of the logos HBR, Forbes, Huffington Post, etc - would be more impactful and deliver the brand promise better than an exhaustive list. If the brand itself is about delivering simple, approachable, organized processes, then every channel must deliver upon that promise. So the website needs as much organization, logic and simplicity as the thought leader himself. Adding a search widget would mitigate the need to list out all of the articles while increasing search engine optimization.

20

Expertise Page: This page should not link to books, but to topics. Our recommendation is to move away from creating the silos amongst the various articles and look to consolidate all into a comprehensive package. This is currently doing more to promote HBR than Unruh and his ideas. Social Media: We recommend that Unruh continue and improve his utilization of social media to improve reputation, credibility and traffic to his website (see exhibit 12).

Conclusion Gregory Unruh has established a name for himself in the field of sustainability through his many contributions to the subject matter. However, with the ongoing trends of online publications and rapid content release, he will have to do more than publish books to become one of the top thought leaders in sustainability. Through our recommendations, we have strived to provide Unruh with a plan to elevate his brand, increase his credibility among potential customers and establish a clear path towards thought leadership.

21

Exhibits Exhibit 1: Gregory Unruh Biography Gregory Unruh is a thought leader dedicated to sustainability innovation for business and the world. An Associate Professor of Sustainability at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, he is a noted writer, speaker and educator in the areas of corporate social responsibility, environmental management and innovation management. An outspoken advocate of environmental sustainability, ethics and corporate social responsibility, Dr. Unruh co-founded the Center for Eco-Intelligent Management with the renowned green designer William McDonough and also has served as a technical reviewer for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the group that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore. In addition, he has contributed to the development b of the United Nati ons Principles for Responsible Management Education which he presented to UN Secretary General Bon Ki Moon in 2007 at the UN Palais des Nations in Geneva. Before Thunderbird, Dr. Unruh was the IE Alumni Professor of Corporate Sustainability at the top ranked IE Business School in Madrid. He also served on the faculty of Columbia University through Jeffrey Sachs Earth Institute and at Tufts Universitys Fletcher School, where he was interim director of the Center for International Environment and Resource Policy. Prior to his academic career, he spent eight years as an environmental consultant in California and northern Mexico. Dr. Unruh is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review including his recent articles The Biosphere Rules, Growing Green: Three Smart Paths to Developing Sustainable Products and Winning in the Green Frenzy. He is the author of two books including the Amazon best-selling Earth, Inc.: Using Natures Rules to Build Sustainable Profits and Being Global: How to Think, Act, a nd Lead in a

22

Transformed World a work endorsed by President Bill Clinton. Professor Unruh also publishes extensively in academic journals including Energy Policy, Journal of Business Strategy and the Environment, Journal of Economic Issues, Ecological Economics, and Journal of Environment and Development Economics. Dr. Unruh is a blogger for both Forbes magazine and the Huffington Post and is often sought out for interviews in popular media outlets such as BusinessWeek, the BBC, Financial Times, the Boston Globe and the Spanish-language dailies Expansion, Diaro, ABC (Spain) and El Mercurio (Chile). Dr. Unruh earned his Ph.D. in international technology and environmental management from the Fletcher School at Tufts University; his MA in international affairs and business from Schiller International University in Madrid and Paris; and his BS in the earth sciences from the University of California.6

6 http://gregoryunruh.com/about/

23

Exhibit 2: Current Trends Five prominent trends affecting sustainability: 1) Managing Consumption7 The amount of consumption in the world is on a rise and increasingly resulting in repentant consumers living off overflowing landfills, closest and credit card balances. Buying behavior is affected as a result and the focus is shifting towards thrift stores or used product stores. Such actions are affecting business now engaging in take back programs in order to optimize on shifting consumer trends. The concept of reduce, reuse and recycle is growing. Consumer engagement with social and environmental issues are not growing and taking a backseat due to competing priorities therefore giving scope to explore this arena. 2) Consumer engagement8 Consumer engagement is helping organizations create sustainability programs, generate feedback and engage employees in this process too. For example, feedback allows for research into better packaging or labeling. In short, helps for better investments that will drive both engagement and bottom line. Consumers needs are changing allowing organizations to create an emotional connect by appropriately tapping into these wants. Such connections are both long lasting and impact. Sustainability has become less salient and pressing and thus an increase in urgency is required to re-energize consumers9. Therefore getting consumers fired up enough to care through sustainable practices or offerings is the key forward. 3) Intersection of technology and sustainability10 - Technology is now adapted and used across several industries to both make operations smoother and more efficient over time. Infact continuous monitoring and updates are made in this regard which impacts vital characteristics such as costs or resources. In recent times, technology is being used to drive sustainability in purchasing practices and real time data on issues

http://sustainablebusinessforum.com/meridith-bridge/100556/seven-sustainability-trends-watch-2013 http://sustainablebusinessforum.com/meridith-bridge/100556/seven-sustainability-trends-watch-2013 9 http://thefuturescompany.com/business-categories/sustainability-posts/admap/ 10 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/01/10/top-corporate-sustainability-trends-in-2013/


7 8

24

is being used to make immediate actionable recommendations with instant impacts. The aim is to gather information that can create both short and long-term wins that can be implemented and is tangible. 4) Growing interest in supply chain and product sourcing from consumers11 consumers today are both curious and attentive to detail. While purchasing they want to know more information about the entire value chain, right from where the raw materials were sources, who made them, the working conditions of those people, the environmental impacts to the final pricing. Therefore the private sector will soon have to address related to the supply chain more sternly as it impacts purchasing behavior and be more transparent about it to increase customer engagement. 5) Impacting People Sustainability is not only about benefitting the planet but also impacts people involved in the process. Everyone from employees, partners, consumers, local communities and governments are affected by the way businesses are conducted. Involving all stakeholders to create a collaborative partnership that helps achieve common goals steers real change. It creates ownership and a sense of responsibility thus moving together to create shared benefits. Sharing a common goal often leads to new and groundbreaking methods to achieve these, which cannot be done as a single entity. It also allows to steer dialogues that helps foster relationships.

11

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/01/10/top-corporate-sustainability-trends-in-2013/

25

Exhibit 3: PESTE Analysis of Sustainability market P.E.S.T.E. ANALYSIS OF SUSTAINABILITY MARKET Political Globally, sustainability no longer a politically dividing issue, particularly in Western Europe. Asia, South America slow to catch on. In U.S., sustainability still a dividing issue, as its often viewed as mutually exclusive from ROI for majority of firms. However, laws passed each year with sustainability as centerpiece (i.e. pollution controls to reduce environmental damage). Neutral. Sustainable technologies are a large potential market. Growing consumer and business interest, coupled with laws requiring stricter environmental controls and taxes to compensate for damage. Consumer demands for corporate social responsibility increasing exponentially each year. Positive. Growing cultural interest in going green. Media personalities, authoritative figures advocating its usage. Protection of earths resources no longer viewed as the responsibility of future generations. Positive.

Economic

Social

Technological

New Innovations in sustainable technology, business strategy, created and proliferated every year. Globalization enables faster speed to market. Schools on several continents dedicated strictly to sustainability technological advancement. Positive.

Environmental

One of Sustainabilitys main tenets is environmental preservation, reduction waste, less dependency on fossil fuels. Hugely beneficial to all environmental causes. Positive.

26

Exhibit 4: Thought Leaders Business Management Thought Leaders: Clayton Christensen is a thought leader and theorist best known for his bestselling book The Innovators Dilemma which detailed his theory on Disruptive Innovation. Christensen has both professional experience and academic credentials centered around innovative business strategies. Ram Charan is a consultant, speaker, and writer whose work focuses around the attributes leaders must possess in order to manage effectively. In a partnership with Kevin Cope and Steven M.R. Covey, Charan formed Acumen Learning, an alliance that allows for the licensing of Charans concepts. Fortune magazine has called Charan the most influential consultant alive.12 Biosphere Applications to Sustainability Thought Leaders: Asheen Phansey is a sustainability leader for Dassault Systmes, a worldwide leader in product lifecycle management solutions; including design tools to aid businesses produce sustainable solutions. A speaker at the 2013 Net Impact Conference in San Jose, CA, Phanseys groundbreaking work in bio-mimicry have received accolades from businesses and consumers alike. William (Bill) McDonough is an American designer, adviser, and thought leader in the field of sustainable design. As a professional McDonoughs first exposure to sustainable business practice came with his first building design commission, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) headquarters. His focus is on sustainably-designed buildings with improved efficiency, air quality and reduced carbon footprint. Bill says, the goal is to frame design as a beneficial, regenerative source- one that seeks to create ecological footprints to delight in, not lament.13 Knut Haanaes is a partner at the Boston Consulting Group, where he heads the firms sustainability Strategy division. Receiving his PhD in Strategy from the Copenhagen Business School, Haanaes was a visiting scholar at Stanford University where he conducted extensive research into how current business practices could be improved under the lens of sustainability. Haanaes says, The research suggests that business model innovation, top management support, collaboration with customers, and having a business case are all critical to creating economic value through sustainability activities and decisions.14

Charan wiki page PDF Jump Up. Design Approach. William McDonough & Partners. 1984. 14 HRcarbon.com, February 15th, 2003
12 13

27

Exhibit 5: Linguistic Analysis of Thought Leaders


35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Ram Charan Clayton Christensen Phillip Kotler Gregory Unruh William McDonough

Exhibit 6: Thought Leader Survey Based on a 1-7 Scale, higher the number, higher the characteristic Clay Christiensen Trustworthy 4.92 Practical 4.67 Approachable 4.83 Knowledgeable 5.83 Ram Charan Trustworthy 4.62 Practical 4.62 Approachable 4.15 Knowledgeable 5.38 Gregory Unruh Trustworthy 4.08 Practical 4.46 Approachable 4.15 Knowledgeable 5.08 William Mcdonough Trustworthy 4.00 Practical 4.46 Approachable 3.93 Knowledgeable 5.00 Industry Rec Overall Avrg Average Rank 5.00 4.48 3.08 Industry Rec Overall Avrg Average Rank 4.31 4.42 2.50 Industry Rec Overall Avrg Average Rank 5.46 4.85 2.41 Industry Rec Overall Avrg Average Rank 5.50 5.15 2.00

28

Exhibit 7: Current Brand Portfolio 1) Gregory Unruh 2) Sustainable Frontier 3) Sustainable Brands 4) Sustainability Insurgents 5) Leadership for Sustainability 6) Being Global 7) Earth Inc. 8) Carbon Lock-In

Exhibit 8: SWOT Analysis


Strong conceptual framwork Association with Greorge Mason University Established presence in inndustry Multiple published works Lack of corporate experience Incorrect use of social media Improper Content Management Poor Brand Differentiation

Strengths

Weaknesses

Oppotunities
Proper Brand Development Developing Coprorate Business Partnering with other thougth leaders and players

Threats

Highly saturated market Mutlitple well established competitors Competitors have more industry experience

29

Exhibit 9: Managerial Perspective Visual Brand Driver

Vehicle: Electric Car - innovative, environmentally conscious, intelligent Activity: University intelligence, knowledge sharing, expertise Animal: Race Horse - focused, goal-oriented, smart Beverage: Tea - authentic, ubiquitous, heritage Furniture: Ottoman helpful, practical, improve existing practices Architecture: Windmill - eco-friendly, sustainable, improving existing ideas Personality: Benjamin Franklin - intelligent, inquisitive, outspoken, pioneer Color: Green - nature, eco-movement, optimistic Object: Book scholarly knowledge, authoritative voice, credible Desired Beliefs: Belief 1: Intelligent Belief 2: Innovative Belief 3: Authentic Belief 4: Practical Belief 5: Optimistic

30

Exhibit 10: Customer Perspective Visual Brand Driver

Vehicle: Tesla - innovative, environmentally conscious, intelligent Activity: Sailing naturally powered, long heritage, exploration, navigation skills Animal: Bee smart, agile, necessary for growth Beverage: Water - authentic, ever present, clean Furniture: Rocking Chair - practical, authentic, historical knowledge Architecture: Frank Lloyd Wrights Fallingwater sustainable, unobtrusive Personality: Thomas Paine inspiring, intelligent, ethical, revolutionary Color: Green - natural, eco-movement, optimistic Object: Solar Panel innovation, future resource Desired Beliefs: Belief 1: Intelligent Belief 2: Inspiring Belief 3: Practicality 31

Belief 4: Empathetic Belief 5: Ambitious Exhibit 11: Brand Naming Tools


Part 1: Brand Name Analyzing other major sustainable leaders and thought leaders in general, we recommend that our client stick to his name, Gregory Unruh, as his brand. It is important that all future brand extensions and developments fall under the Gregory Unruh umbrella instead of splintering off and devaluing the brand. Below we applied our suggested brand name to the L&M 8 hurdles. Non-Limiting We believe that his name will not be a constraint to further growth as any new business ventures or brand extensions will automatically be lead by Gregory Unruh himself. Therefore his name serves as the perfect stamp to group all future sustainable projects, such as the Sustainable Frontier Academy. Brief - Gregory Unruh is only 12 letters, 5 syllabi and short enough to roll off the tongue. Our group agrees that his name should ensure very strong and consistent usage, as it is both brand name and the clients own name. By its nature, in calling out Gregory one is strengthen his brand. Distinctive - The name is distinguishable and memorable. His name starts with the common name Gregory, which is both easy to spell and pronounce. This first name serves as a mental hook with the second unusual name Unruh developing brand name differentiation. Verbally & Visually Appealing The first name Gregory is very sturdy and beckons connotations of eruditeness and expertise. However, our team believes that the true phonetic equity lies in the last name. The last name Unruh is fun to pronounce due to its high vowel construction and requires minimal explanation which will only serve to increase brand recall. Industry Appropriate - Name branded thought leaders are common in this industry and therefore industry Linguistically Appropriate - There are no connotations in this name. Phonetic - The first name Gregory is very common and easy to spell, the second name Unruh is short, and easy Legally Available - As this brand is his unique name, it is legally available. Concluding that this brand name was more appropriate, we moved on to assessing the strength of the name itself in a larger context. It was very easy to analyze the brand name topography in Gregory Unruhs industry. As a thought leader in the sustainability industry, it is common practice to publish and write using full names, which overtime become brand names. As a published author himself, Gregory Unruhs own name slowly developed into his brand, as with any rising thought leader. Therefore, in applying the six conceptual brand name types framework we found all competitors falling into the surname category. appropriate

to explain and sound out.

32

The argument could be made that this means Mr. Unruh is not sufficiently differentiating himself from his competitors, as they all fall into the similar trap of using name as brand. However, we believed that this is unavoidable, as he is an author of content and a thought leader. As such a leader, his ideas must be branded as his own in order to benefit from the full weight of a brand name or else he gives brand power to a third party name, which weakens his relationship to his customers. In order to bring Gregory Unruh as close to his audience as possible we decided to maintain his full name as brand name. Part 2: Tag-Line Given the vast diaspora of credible thought leaders permeating the world today, a tag-line for Gregory Unruhs brand is vitally important for a) establishing what unique attributes his brand stands for, and b) effectively communicating his value to consumers as simplistically, yet effectively, as possible. Indeed, the tag-line is often the workhouse for the brand.15 Our group engaged in an intense brainstorming session with the key objective of creating multiple tag-lines that reinforced Unruhs brand essence while at the same time emotionally resonating with consumers. Our initial criteria for choosing Unruhs tag-line were 1) primary emotional reaction and 2) its ability to convey the substance and purpose of his work. Our group narrowed our selection to what we considered the four best options: 1. Actionable Value Through Sustainable Action. 2. Innovate. Sustain. Grow. 3. Business Growth Through Sustainable Strategies. 4. Profitable Business. Sustainable Practice. With our four choices decided, we conducted a survey with 56 participants asking the question which tag line would you prefer for a thought leader on sustainability? Our participants were a mix of students both actively involved in sustainability (i.e. Net Impact, Emerging Markets Club, ThunderCares) as well as regular students with relative impartiality. With over 50% of the total votes, the tag line deemed most descriptive and effective for the branding of a thought leader in this category was: Innovate. Sustain. Grow. Our group unanimously agreed that this tagline accomplished the goals we set forth after analyzing it using the Slogananalysis tool. Conclusion We advise that Mr Unruh use his full name, Gregory Unruh, to brand his work and adopt the tagline Innovate. Sustain. Grow.

Altman, Dennis. Creating an Impact. Ten Tips for developing an Ad that packs a punch. University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Communications. 2001
15

33

Tag-line Framework Analysis:

34

Exhibit 12: Social Media Analysis Facebook We recommend that Unruh establish a public figure Facebook page where he can link to his articles and speaking commitments. This is a good outlet for bragging about achievements and increasing credibility. Twitter We recommend that Unruh continue his regular usage of Twitter to spread his ideas and thoughts on sustainability. We recommend however that Unruh be more selective in who he is following (2,280 Following for 2,633 Followers) and upload more pictures and videos. YouTube Unruh has not uploaded any new videos to his YouTube channel in one year. We recommend that Unruh utilize YouTube to upload short web conversations on sustainability on a monthly basis. Google+ As Googles own social media platform, it is important that Unruh has a profile on Google+, which will help elevate search results related to him and his work. We recommend that he keeps updating this page to increase search results. Wikipedia We recommend that Unruh establish Wikipedia pages for both himself and his body of work. Profile on HBR Having published with the Harvard Business Review, we recommend that Unruh have an author page on the HBR website.

35

You might also like