How well do your employees know your brand? If you’re scratching your head or unsure, it might be time to test the waters with a fun exercise we call “The 5 Employee Branding Challenge.”
This simple test can help you understand if your internal brand messaging is aligned or if it’s veering off course. Think of it as a quick check-up to see if your company’s brand is as strong on the inside as you hope it is on the outside.
The Challenge
Here’s how it works: Select five employees from different departments in your company—marketing, sales, HR, customer service, operations. Ask each of them the same two questions:
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What does our company do?
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What makes our company special?
Have them answer in a couple of sentences, ideally off the cuff. Then, compare the responses. If the answers come back completely aligned, congratulations—you’ve got a unified brand message that resonates internally. But if they range from “We’re a tech company” to “We sell software” to “We solve customer problems,” you might have a branding problem on your hands.
Why This Matters
Your employees are your brand ambassadors, the first line of communication with clients, partners, and even potential hires. If they don’t have a consistent understanding of what your brand stands for, how can you expect the outside world to?
Think about it: Would you want your customer service team describing your company differently than your marketing department does? What about your CEO vs. a new hire? A fragmented brand message can lead to confusion, not only for employees but for customers, too. If your brand’s value proposition (UVP) isn’t clear internally, it will definitely be unclear externally.
What Does It Mean When Responses Differ?
If you get five wildly different answers, it’s a sign that your brand isn’t as cohesive as it should be. It’s like asking five people to describe a sunset, and they each come back with a different time of day. Sure, they’re all describing a sky—but they’re not seeing the same view.
A lack of internal alignment can stem from a few places:
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Vague messaging: If your brand doesn’t have a clear, articulated vision, it’s easy for employees to fill in the gaps with their own interpretations.
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Siloed teams: Different departments might have their own internal cultures, creating mini-brands within your company.
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Poor communication: Maybe leadership isn’t consistently reinforcing the brand message. Over time, this leads to drift.
The Importance of Internal Brand Alignment
Branding isn’t just about your logo, tagline, or marketing materials—it’s the entire essence of your business. It’s how you communicate your value, purpose, and personality to the world. And it all starts internally.
If employees feel disconnected from the brand, it can affect everything from their performance to customer interactions. Think about the best brands you know: Apple, Nike, Amazon. Their employees are walking, talking embodiments of their brands. Whether you’re talking to an Apple store associate or seeing a commercial on TV, the messaging is seamless. That’s what you want.
Steps to Fix a Fragmented Brand
If your challenge reveals that your employees don’t have a unified view of the brand, don’t panic! This isn’t an unsolvable problem. In fact, it’s a great opportunity to strengthen your internal branding and culture. Here’s what you can do:
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Create a clear brand playbook:
A comprehensive guide that explains your company’s mission, vision, values, and UVP in plain language. Make it accessible to every employee, from interns to execs. -
Host regular brand workshops:
Don’t just hand over the playbook and expect everyone to fall in line. Host interactive sessions where employees can engage with the brand and ask questions. -
Lead by example:
Leadership should be the loudest champions of the brand. When leaders consistently talk about and reinforce the company’s values and mission, it creates a trickle-down effect. -
Celebrate wins that align with the brand:
Recognize and reward employees who exemplify the brand in their day-to-day work. It reinforces what makes your company special and encourages others to follow suit.
The Bottom Line
The 5 Employee Branding Challenge is a simple, fun way to check if your brand messaging is cohesive and clear. If your employees can confidently explain what your company does and why it’s special in a unified way, you’re on the right track. If not, you’ve got a branding opportunity—one that can strengthen your company from the inside out. Because after all, if your team doesn’t know who you are, why should anyone else?
Ready to try the challenge? Grab five employees and see what they say!
