Building a Brand
Corporate Clothing Director-e Magazine - Issue 12, June/July 2010
It still surprises me how little thought is given to staff clothing despite it being one of the best communicators of a business’s identity. Many companies hear ‘brand identity’ and associate it with the development of a logo, investing significant portions of time and money on various PR and marketing activities, while ignoring the people who directly represent the brand to the customer.
Given the recent economic downturn, many businesses continue to place emphasis on controlling costs and corporate clothing is often considered a 'safe cut' when in actual fact new uniforms can be one of the simplest ways that a business can re-fresh or re-brand itself.
While Easyjet is well known for their iconic shade of orange, the airline’s identity has developed in the 15 years since its inception and they’ve successfully used their corporate wear as a means of communicating how their business has matured. The low-cost airline tried to inject more fun into flying, opting for a more causal uniform of jeans and polo shirts in 1995 but, while, maintaining the integrity of their brand identity, they have opted to smarten their look over recent years in line with the airline’s growth.
For customer facing employees, clothing is an essential part of the brand experience. Whether through customisation or consistency of style, uniforms offer a recognisable signal of not only the style of service on offer but also an insight into company culture – ultimately they have the power to define how a brand is perceived.
In an increasingly competitive marketplace it is vital for companies to engage with their customers by clearly defining their brand, therefore increasing the chance of securing brand (consumer) loyalty. Those that stay sharp have a better chance of surviving the slump by retaining customer interest and loyalty because scrimping on the quality of staff uniforms will cost a business far more in the long term.
Corporate clothing is also an effective way of communicating the brand to staff. It helps them understand their role within a business and supports their fulfilment of the brand’s promise. Brand co-ordination can be as simple and effective as introducing a colour theme from your corporate colour palette and rolling out different garment designs in this key shade to distinguish between departments and levels of staff.
Grooming guidelines should be included in every business’s brand standards, as the quality of a product or service can be dramatically undermined by an associate in an ill-fitted or poorly presented outfit.
A 2009 survey by Malmaison concluded that 88% of employees wished to retain a staff uniform which they believed gave them a greater sense of belonging and even made them more focussed in their roles.
“Brand identity is very important to us, as boutique hotels image and look is what we sell and that extends to our staff uniforms. We want our employees to look and feel good in what they wear. We rely on our uniform supplier to assist us in moving the business forward – helping us stay sharp, competitive and raise our profile in new markets.” (Sean Wheeler, Director of People at Malmaison & Hotel du Vin)
Staff that look great feel great, so from a personnel (HR) angle, corporate clothing can be a fantastic motivator, attracting the right recruits and a higher retention rate. Employees are increasingly seen as one of a company’s most valuable assets and therefore it makes commercial and cultural sense to invest in your brand’s ambassadors. We recommend businesses make their staff uniform spend visible to staff so they feel valued by their employer. Unwillingness to make this kind of investment is to risk losing your edge in a highly competitive global marketplace.
It is of course vital to roll out the right corporate clothing which is why engaging with a design focussed uniform supplier is a great way to ensure garments communicate your identity accurately and practically.
In 2008, while campaigning to change the dictionary definition of “Mcjob”, which has been used as slang to denote low-paying, low-prestige employment, fast-food giant McDonalds provided it’s UK workers with new designer uniforms in what they described as a ‘mark of respect’ for its staff. McDonalds said they hoped the new outfits, designed by Bruce Oldfield, would help them “feel good” in their role.
However designing workwear is not without its problems, as has been proven just this month when NHS staff in Scotland and Wales were left scratching after new tunics brought them out in a rash. The new colour coded designs were meant to make health workers instantly distinguishable for patients but despite extensive wearer trials and fabric testing many of the garments have been recalled for further investigation.
Consulting staff and undergoing wearer trials means your team are less likely to feel like a uniform is being forced upon them and in turn staff will tend to feel more positive about their workplace and confident in their appearance. Easyjet took a rather revolutionary approach in 2007 when they invited cabin crew to take part in a competition to design a new uniform. With a much smarter and more formal look the winning design was made up of wardrobe options in order that the crew could create their own combinations, express their own personal style and personality while feeling confident and looking professional.
Uniforms inevitably affect people’s attitude to their jobs as well as customers perceptions. By investing in brand-building clothing businesses can achieve a look that is well-received, flattering and fit for purpose.
