1. ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES
To Branding Your B2B Company
Kevin J. Walker
Co-Founder & President
Boardwalk, Inc.
@boardwalkla
@socalbma 

2. THE SEARCH
FOR THE
CAPO
D’ASTRO
BAR
A tale of rebranding
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

3. B2B BUSINESSES DEAL WITH
➤ Complex buying processes
➤ Super-thin margins
➤ Pricing pressure
➤ Service pressure
➤ Threat of commoditization
A BRAND GIVES YOUR
BUYERS A REASON TO
PREFER YOU – OVER PRICE.
WHY
SHOULD
B2B
COMPANIES
CARE?
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

4. KEVIN J. WALKER
➤ First rebranding project in 1971
➤ Came to LA in 1975
➤ Typography
➤ Freelance graphic designer
➤ Creative director, boutique agency
➤ Co-founded Boardwalk in 1990
ABOUT
ME
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

5. A BRAND
IS A PROMISE
KEPT.
boardwalkhq.com/ebook
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

6. WHAT IS A BRAND?
A BRAND
Define the brand promise. Keep the brand promise.Make the brand promise.
STRATEGY MARKETING OPERATIONS
Purpose
Mission
Competitive advantage
Value proposition
Differentiation
Positioning
Competitive environment
Internal values
Market expectations
Effective leadership
Positive culture
Attract/retain top talent
Good training
High standards
Strong systems
Quality control
Exceptional service
Accountability
Naming
Visual identity
Advertising
Public relations
Online presence
Social media
Events
Networking
Storytelling
IS A PROMISE
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 
KEPT

7. HOW BRANDS ARE BUILT
BRAND
THE
BUSINESS THE
MARKET
The business makes its
brand promise to the market
– and keeps it!
The market rewards the Business
with brand loyalty.
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

8. Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

9. IMMEDIATE SALES BOOST
➤ Align with market’s social expectations
➤ Some of your prospects will “get it” right away.
➤ Capo D’Astro effect
➤ More professional, more committed
➤ Huge advantage to your sales force
ADVANTAGE
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

10. GROWS YOUR MARKET
➤ Geographic expansion
➤ Extended product lines
➤ Additional services
➤ Deeper connection to market
ADVANTAGE
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

11. CUTS YOUR COSTS
➤ Reduce need for messaging
➤ Simplifies messaging
➤ Internal and external facing
➤ Less marcom expense
ADVANTAGE
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

12. Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

13. CUTS YOUR COSTS
➤ Reduce need for messaging
➤ Simplifies messaging
➤ Internal and external facing
➤ Less marcom expense
ADVANTAGE
➤ Less HR expense
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

14. SUPERIOR WORK FORCE
➤ Attract and retain top talent
➤ Employees as brand ambassadors
ADVANTAGE
➤ How many job candidates, who turn
down perfectly good job offers, do it
because they don’t like the
company’s brand?
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

15. SUPERIOR WORK FORCE
➤ Base pay and salary structure
➤ Benefits package
ADVANTAGE
➤ Mission and purpose
➤ Meaningfulness of the work
➤ Quality of co-workers
➤ Corporate culture
➤ Strong brands = superior workforce
= 14% more mean revenue growth
than weak brands
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

16. DEVOTED CUSTOMERS
➤ Proud they hired you
➤ Best brand champions
➤ Bring new opportunities
➤ Resist competitors’ efforts to
lure them away
➤ Resist any justification to switch
to another supplier
ADVANTAGE
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

17. PRICING RESILIENCY
➤ Constant downward pressure on
prices
➤ In a downturn, weak brands are
the first to cut prices
➤ A reason, besides price, to buy
➤ Cut last, cut least
ADVANTAGE
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

18. THE BRAND LENS
➤ Strategic decision-making tool
➤ Help or hinder keeping the brand
promise?
➤ Future-proof your business
ADVANTAGE
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

19. INCREASED VALUATION
➤ Premium asset
➤ Most valuable asset
➤ The only asset that increases
over time
➤ Never expires or passes into
public domain
ADVANTAGE
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

20. INCREASED VALUATION
ADVANTAGE
Reproduced by permission of Brand Finance, Plc
Standard & Poor 500
average brand valuation
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
22%
68%
Intangible assets =
Tangible assets =
Brand value =
10%
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

21. INCREASED VALUATION
ADVANTAGE
Forbes Top 100 Brands
GE’s brand value is only 13%
of total valuation
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
87%
13%
Other assets =
Brand value =
But that’s still
$37 billion!!
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

22. Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

23. CONCLUSIONS
➤ Find your brand promise.
➤ Make your brand promise.
➤ Keep your brand promise.
B2B COMPANIES
THAT INVEST
IN BRANDING
ENJOY
8 COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGES
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

24. REFERENCED MATERIAL
➤ Research Report on Building the Top
Team
National Center for the Middle Market
➤ Forbes Magazine, Top 100 Brands
➤ Trillium case study
Boardwalk, Inc.
➤ The International Brand Valuation Manual
Gabriella Salinas
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
➤ B2B Brand Management
Philip Kotler and Waldemar Pfoertsch
Springer Science+Business Media
➤ Designing B2B Brands – Lessons from
Deloitte
Carlos Martinez Onaindia and Brian
Resnick
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Boardwalk, Inc. @socalbma 

25. QUESTIONS?
/socalbma
/company/socalbma
/socalbma
/socalbma
SoCalBMA.org 
Kevin Walker, Co-Founder & President
LinkedIn.com/in/kevinwalkerboardwalk
@boardwalkla
FREE ebook on branding: boardwalkhq.com/ebook
ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES
To Branding Your B2B Company8

26. The Business Growth Drivers
July 28 | 2p-7p | Culver City
SoCalBMA.org 