Customer First: Accenture gives us a communication master class

Whilst running for the plane to Houston 10 days ago – this ad stopped me in my tracks. It is a perfect piece of communication. In less than a few seconds it communicates to the target business audience on multiple levels, simultaneously. On digging a little deeper back at the office it is clear that accenture is disciplined about integrating and reinforcing the message. Every piece of communications reinforces the central idea of ‘High Performance’. They have taken a position and they are branding it religiously and relentlessly. They have not adopted multiple messages, a mistake made by many B2B companies, they focus on one message and make it relevant in many contexts reinforcing it in everything they do. The theme of ‘high performance’ is their brand DNA and the message is a powerful business asset in its own right. By taking this position more powerfully than competitors they deny them and achieve greater ‘mindshare’ as a result.

Communication construction:

Customer context: Represented by the cloudy skies and emotive copy. This makes the advertisement immediately relevant and attractive.

The promise: “High Performance. Delivered” This is what is desired emotionally by the client. It provides purpose. It is what the customer will measure

Endorsement: Tiger Woods. Provides credibility. If accenture is good enough for tiger it’s good enough for the customer. Endorsement reinforces belief

The brand: Accenture. Provides the reference point it is what is remembered

Products: Consulting, Technology, Outsourcing. Importantly this is what we can buy

Call to action: accenture.com. It’s where to go for more information

This ad is the tip of the iceberg and provides a perfect template for consistent, brand communication. The content of this advertisement connects and is reinforced by the total package of integrated marketing. My only criticism? Tiger really shouldn’t be teeing off in a thunder storm with a carbon fibre driver, it’s the perfect lightening conductor!