Can branding add value to business information?

Abstract

In view of the success consumer brands, which clearly work for manufacturers and service providers selling to businesses: it is argued that brands should also work for internal service providers who increasingly have to compete with external suppliers as the trend towards outsourcing increases. The main characteristics of brands and branding are discussed in terms of its mixture of tangible and intangible values and the projection of image. It also discusses the fact that the traditional low-key emphasis on technical expertise or in-house capabilities may no longer be a guarantee of survival for internal providers who fail to offer added value to their customers. This is in terms of: understanding of the industry; time saving; customized presentation formats; interpretation of information; original research; advanced use of technology; and wider selection of sources. Useful advice is given on the approaches to use, when planning branding strategies for business information departments, in order to project differentiation, quality, value and impact.