Two things.

1. Beneath the current global economic crisis lies another crisis of far greater proportions: the depreciation in companies of community - people's sense of belonging to and caring for something larger than themselves. Many people wonder where the company is heading or what it actually stands for. Their future is in many ways the future of branding, since we are entering a phase where companies need to be prepared to reorganize their entire business into a focused system that supports and exudes the essence of who they are and why what they offer to the world matters.

Throughout the last 18 months many businesses have lost their way and there's a real need to redefine and reinvent their business models, business & communication strategies and marketing into unique brand propositions that occupy a meaningful place in people's hearts and minds. A business or an organization is not simply a product or service. It is a collection of people. With a sense of purpose. With a contribution to make to society. With strengths and advantages. With values and ethics.

2. In marketing communication land today, consumers are now firmly in control. In fact, brands who still refuse to comply need to surrender and give up their old ways of communicating because the consumer has moved the goalposts. Consumers know everything about brands, not only what they stand for, but also about its carbon emission footprint, for example. It has changed the rules of business forever. Consumers like it when brands listen to them. If brands give them a voice, it empowers them and strengthen the relationship. Consumer relationships that function when times are tough can easily turn into high-value relationships when things get better...

Again two answers:
1. Don't do marketing the old way. Brands live in many different places and have to deliver their reality, day after day after day. Indeed, a brand has to get better or customers will go elsewhere. And you can see this most sharply online, where it's become hard to build traditional brand loyalty. People readily shift, for example, from Twitter to Facebook to whatever is next. People are much less to buy into brands, instead they want to use brands. And when something more useful comes along, they'll adopt it. That's the challenge for brands (and agencies) of the future: it has to be useful, and stay useful! Wherever the customer lives.

2. Don't create the old way: The world has moved on and places huge demands on current advertising, design and digital agencies: they are in many ways stuck in their own model and most are not prepared or properly staffed for the future. They work in isolation of each other. Idea is thankfully still King but many creatives are either traditional or digital minds that aren't really capable of effectively crossing ideas over into different media. These agencies don't employ the kind of people who are truly integrated specialists. In many ways, it is adapt or die for many creatives around the globe. (I've successfully changed from being a 'traditional' creative to a 'digital' creative four years ago, now in charge of over 160 creatives in four cities, and are delivering fully integrated, multi-channel campaigns that are deeply anchored in innovative, single-minded strategies.)

The most admired brands in the US are now the ones that do something really well. Google, for example, which really does what it says - organize the world's information. Apple, which demonstrates its big idea about making innovative technology usable through the amazing iPad, iPod, iTunes and iPhone is phenomenal. Nike equals Winning. Disney, which purpose is 'to make people happy' also proofs itself over and over. Target, which really does provide a non-adversarial way of shopping. My advice: DO NOT conduct oneself as a brand that is too inward focused. Stand for something unique, important and inspiring! Express yourself! Move with your consumers. Challenge them! Connect!

Territory-NYC is a brand new branding agency initiative from Powerpact USA. We redefine, reinvent, create and activate brands. We work strategically with companies in the process of redefining themselves. We employ total brand development - logo, corporate identity, communication strategy, brand idea, internal communication and branding, external branding, advertising, promotion, cause marketing, events, analytics and media strategy. We do it online and offline, internal and external, wherever the target market is moving. In doing so we are developing big brand equity that captivates the uniqueness of a business, poised to win the hearts and minds of every single person that comes in contact with the brand.

Some of the brands we work for: NBC, Sony, P&G, Ikea, General Mills, Capital One Bank, Kraft, Autodesk, Time-Warner, and other large and mid-cap companies.

In terms of methodology, in essence, we go through exactly the same strategic process that any agency goes through to get to a corporate identity, branding or advertising campaign.
Brand audit, Brand assessment, Competitor analysis, SWOT analysis.
The difference is, we think broader.
Personality audit, Values and ethics audit, Sense of purpose, How you want to be remembered. (Only then we start ideation, communication strategy and creative development.)

We're not simply developing a business identity, we are developing a business Territory.

Mercedes, United Nations, Emirates, Evian, Dove

Talented, passionate and courageous people who are able to deliver highly engaging, innovative creativity that is result driven - and lead to fully integrated brand experiences in all media.

You keep clients with delivering compelling work that works. Engage every project with the same passion and attention to detail, because the end goal is always the same: to help make their Territory more likable, efficient, and profitable. You and your client need to have a shared ambition to challenge conventions and change experiences, to do different and do better. With an overarching idea that is social; widely shared, by customers and employees. And most important of all, with an idea that's tangible - that's evident in the products or services it provides...

And surely, there are other important factors like client/agency relationship building efforts, and don't underestimate the role of client service, planning and production departments... they're all key in keeping the client impressed. The best of all is simply doing what you say you will be doing, and then deliver beyond expectations.

My list (and hunger) is immense: Banking, Insurance, Consumer Goods, Retailers, Publishers, Media, Software, Luxury Goods, Pharmaceuticals, Electronics, Hospitals, Universities, Cities, States, Countries ...

These days, every company, organization or business needs to create and occupy its own unique Territory. Why? Because today's marketplace is a war of ideas. Unless you stand for something unique, important and inspiring, you won't stand out. We work strategically with companies and organizations and help them invent their futures. Total Brand Development is how we do it - a holistic, multi-channel approach that smartly integrates business and communication strategy. It has the power to help companies:

· Focus
· Challenge the status quo
· Unify internally
· Undertake fundamental change
· Connect externally with partners and consumers
· Achieve their big, hairy, ambitious goals

An all-in-one, transmedia solution, we help companies create and occupy their very own Territory.