Brand Magnets: Strong Brands Attract the Leadership Talent Critical to Business Performance.

GREENWICH, Conn. -- Senior executives know the importance of a strong brand to sales and market leadership. In today's economy, they also acknowledge the extra value added by a strong brand in another key management area: finding and retaining exceptional leadership talent to drive business results and success.

"More than ever, companies need the best possible talent in all aspects of their business," said Glenn C. Van Deusen, Principal at Congdon + Company, the brand strategy and design firm. "Companies continue to look for proven performers who can help overcome the business challenges they face, and for ways to protect their top talent from being lured away. The power of branding is proving to be a key factor in that effort - it's a powerful magnet that can help pull people into an organization and keep them there."

According to Kimberly Bishop, Vice Chairman of Boardroom Consultants and Slayton Search Partners, Van Deusen's analysis is right on the mark.

"The best companies recognize that today's environment offers a unique opportunity to build the leadership team," she said. "There are talented people out there looking for a better opportunity - more responsibility, or a better career track, for example. But we're seeing much more concern now about job security and stability. Whether they stay in place or move to another job, they want to make sure they're doing what's best not just for them, but for their families, too. A strong brand helps give them that reassurance and prompts the desired action."

The role of a brand in recruiting executive leadership means brand managers and human resource directors should work collaboratively to leverage the power of their brand. "By making the brand a central element of the recruiting effort, companies use the equity in the brand to give a candidate confidence in their decision," Van Deusen added. "In the never-ending battle for top talent, a brand can provide a key competitive edge. Consider the appeal provided by strong brands such as Apple, McDonald's, Netflix, Target, and Nike in their respective business areas."

Bishop also observed that the same considerations apply at a board of directors level. "Companies face a real test in attracting those with the skills needed to govern in a dynamic environment like this," she said. "There is tremendous competition for people capable of serving on the board, and prospective directors are taking long, hard looks at the opportunities presented to them. Well-known corporate brand names have a real advantage over those who haven't worked to keep the brand fresh and vital."

Van Deusen noted that Congdon + Company is actively working with clients on appropriate brand maintenance steps. "If a brand is perceived as weak, out of date, or in decline, it can affect people's perception of the company's ability to provide a lasting career opportunity," he said. "We help our clients review and update their brand strategy, as well as how they present their brand in various mediums (such as corporate brochures, career planning kits, and internet/intranet sites). The brand is fundamental to marketing success, whether it is being used to sell a product or service to a customer or to provide the reassurance that someone is looking for in their decision to join or stay with a company."

About Congdon + Company

Congdon + Company is a pure play brand strategy and design firm focused on the creation, design, and implementation of effective branding programs and communication materials. The Firm's Business Smart Branding[TM] method combines solid strategic thinking with inspired creativity and common sense to create solutions that are not only visually, verbally, and emotionally engaging but also drive business results. Services include brand strategy, brand naming, and the design of brand identity expressions such as logos, printed materials, websites, packaging, events, and others. To learn more, visit www.congdonco.com.

About Boardroom Consultants and Slayton Search Partners

Boardroom Consultants and Slayton Search Partners provide specialized expertise and services in their complementary disciplines. Boardroom Consultants, the first firm to specialize in director recruitment and board services, offers extensive experience and unmatched expertise in building high-performing boards. Slayton Search Partners provide executive recruitment services for clients in the industrial and automotive sector, consumer and retail financial services, life sciences and healthcare, private equity and professional services, with functional expertise in general management, human resources, marketing and sales, R&D, supply chain and technology. Offices are located in Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Washington D.C. For more information, please visit either www.boardroomconsultants.com or www.slaytonsearch.com.