Many businesses in Asia have achieved exponential growth through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in recent years. However, success hinges not just on immediate financial gains, but also on how the new organization (“NewCo”) integrates both operational and brand equities.  

A well-defined and executed brand strategy can significantly impact the overall business success during and post M&A by fostering cohesion, clarity and confidence among all stakeholders. This is especially true for B2B companies, where M&A deals often involve the evolution of not only organizational structures, but also offerings, processes, people and cultures. 

At Prophet, we have partnered with a diverse array of businesses across Asia and around the world to safeguard complex M&A deals, from which we’ve identified several common success factors. In this article, we share our perspectives with three distinctive case studies. 

Seatrium: Creating an “Atrium of People of the Sea” 

Keppel O&M and Sembcorp Marine, two leading global marine companies merged in 2023. As the industry strives towards cleaner and renewable energy, the two organizations came together to forge a new path forward. We identified an opportunity for the NewCo to differentiate with a stronger brand purpose – “We exist to ensure customers can thrive today while creating a greener and brighter tomorrow.​” The new visual identity was carefully crafted to highlight new waves of innovation in the marine environment. The name “Seatrium” created by the client also centered around this purpose.  

Vistra: Building a “Category of One” From the Inside out

EQT Private Capital Asia (formerly BPEA EQT) made significant investments to merge Vistra and Tricor, forming a powerhouse brand in the corporate and fund solutions industry. With its diversified business portfolio, Vistra embarked on a bold transformation journey, reimagining itself as a purpose-led brand. From beginning to end, Prophet worked closely with employees and stakeholders in the extensive brand, visual and culture development process to make sure that it resonates with those who embody the brand and culture.   

G7 Connect: Connecting all with a Human-Centric Brand Story 

Another powerful example is G7 Connect, born from a merger of two leading IoT SaaS companies in China’s road freight sector, G7 and E6 Technology. After a successful merger, G7 Connect had two key challenges – to clearly define its renewed vision and engage all stakeholders, while streamlining the currently complex portfolios inherited from two industry giants. Prophet partnered with the  NewCo to create an impactful and human-centric brand tagline, “Beautiful change happens now” to encapsulate G7 Connect’s commitment to continuously creating positive changes for all industry participants through digital technology.  

Three Brand Building Imperatives  

Through these examples, we can clearly see the common threads that empowered their successful transformations – a steadfast and consistent purpose and the unification of diverse stakeholders. The role of a compelling brand strategy cannot be understated, which unveils three imperatives: 

1. Adopt a Brand-Led Mindset in the Early Stages of M&A Deals 

Transformation across the culture and organization, business model and objectives are an integral component of any merger and acquisition. This must be led by a strong brand purpose anchored in business objectives as a guiding star for the organization throughout the M&A process.  

As the strategic foundation translating business objectives into resonating go-to-market solutions, this brand-led vision must be a CEO agenda adopted from the early set of M&A deals to instil energy and confidence throughout the organizations. Lack of a brand-led vision may lead to risk of misalignment across functions and hindered collaboration, ultimately causing suboptimal and inconsistent executions.  

In the case of G7 Connect, the leadership team had carefully considered brand implications at every step of the M&A journey, so that cross-functional leads were united under a common goal. Strategic priorities were thus clearly defined when it comes to creating a new brand for the NewCo. At launch, various business units from operational to talent teams had already reached clear alignment with the marketing and strategy teams, gaining a thorough understanding of the new brand and its purpose, thus empowered to plan and execute innovative marketing activations in an effective way. 

2. Unite Diverse Audience Groups with a Human-Centered Brand Story 

M&A deals often bring together multifaceted stakeholder groups with diverse priorities, values, and interests, spanning from investors, employees, partners, to customers, government entities and the public. With a clarified purpose, the NewCo must articulate their objectives and vision through a compelling brand story to unite all stakeholders behind a common goal. Human-centered storytelling is instrumental in resonating with different audiences within the stakeholder ecosystem who have distinctive perspectives and expectations. 

For example, while Seatrium’s vision was to forge a new way forward for the O&M and energy industry, it also aimed to create meaningful impact for employees, Singapore, and shareholders. By immersing ourselves in the cultures and perspectives of different stakeholders, we combined the strengths from both organizations to retain their unique DNA. At the core, Seatrium’s new brand purpose is centered around people, customers and its culture, while striving for engineering and execution excellence. This human-centered approach is the key enabler for the organization’s success after the M&A. 

Beyond establishing a strong brand identity externally, an impactful brand story also helps to harmonize organizational structures and foster a unified organizational culture. As organizational changes bring about uncertainties, incorporating the brand story to develop a comprehensive EVP (Employee Value Proposition) and employee engagement strategy is critical.  

3. Optimize Brand Architecture to Demonstrate Amplified Value 

The brand portfolios of the individual entities must not exist in isolation post M&A, as this could lead to confusion of the customers and the dilution of each brand’s equity. Guided by its new brand purpose and positioning, NewCo must clarify its brand portfolio and architecture strategy in order to identify new or redefined offers.  

Additionally, this will demonstrate the change and evolution in the business model and ambition, as well as the amplified value delivered to various stakeholders. 

With Vistra’s expansion through M&A, it was crucial to harmonize the sub-brands within the portfolio. Through competitor and industry analysis, we adopted a strategic, data-driven approach, creating a decision tree that gives management flexibility to organize all sub-brands effectively. This will help build a relevant, credible and differentiated brand portfolio. 

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Cities are not products, but they still need branding. “The Big Apple” New York, “The Fashion Capital” Paris, “The Lion City” Singapore…these cities have left a profound impression in the minds of people worldwide with their distinctive identities, attracting tourists, talents and investments while becoming a hallmark of their respective countries. Why do cities need branding, and how should they go about it? 

David Aaker, Vice Chairman at Prophet,  recently shared his perspectives on branding cities at the 2023 World Cities Branding Conference in Macao, China. Aaker proposes that building a strong brand for a city requires strategic thinking in five key areas: 

1. Clarify Brand Objective and Target Audience
2. Define the Brand’s Value Proposition
3. Create Brand Symbols
4. Coordinate Brand Storytellers
5. Build Partnerships to Strengthen the Brand

This article explores how Singapore has successfully branded itself using the key strategic considerations for building a city brand. 

1. Clarify Brand Objective and Target Audience  

A city’s brand usually aims to attract tourists (develop tourism), talents (develop high-tech industries) or investments (revitalize the local economy). It is thus essential to define the city’s development goals and understand the needs and characteristics of the target audience in order to guide actions. 

Singapore, often referred to as the “Lion City,” is a prime example of a “city-state” known for its thriving financial services sector and tourism industry. It is also the economic hub of Southeast Asia, leading the fast growth of the region. To cater to diverse international tourists, the Singapore Tourism Board explored the potential interests of tourists. By pairing these interests with the key characteristics of Singaporean locals, they were able to identify several key segments based on the lifestyles and interests of different target audiences, for example: Foodies, Explorers, Collectors, Socialisers, Action Seekers and Culture Shapers. The Singapore Economic Development Board, responsible for attracting investments, also recognized the importance of city branding and in 2017, they collaborated with the Tourism Board to jointly launch the “Passion Made Possible” campaign to accelerate economic growth. 

Image source: https://www.visitsingapore.com/ 

2. Define the Brand’s Value Proposition 

Once the city’s brand objectives and target audiences have been identified, it’s important to develop a value proposition. All subsequent brand communications and activations will revolve around this proposition. 

Singapore’s brand proposition has evolved over time, from being known as the “Garden City” in the 1960s and 70s to “New Asia, Singapore” after the Asian financial crisis and “Uniquely Singapore” in the 21st century.  

Singapore is unique as it is both a country and a city. For other countries, it is crucial for stakeholders to consider a few key questions – How should the country balance the integrity of its national brand with the distinctiveness of its city brands? How could it leverage the positive image of the region to drive urban growth, and conversely, how should it align the diverse identities of its cities with the holistic values of the country?  

For example, Prophet partnered with the Abu Dhabi Culture and Tourism Authority to develop its brand and marketing strategy. We created the value proposition “Experience Abu Dhabi. Find Your Pace,” paying tribute to the cultural heritage of the UAE while emphasizing the local culture of Abu Dhabi. 

3. Create Brand Symbols 

Cities are an aggregation of complex symbols in time and space. In the communications of city brands, it is the symbols that provide audiences with intuitive and tangible experiences. They are symbolic elements rooted in a city’s cultures and communities. Identifying the most representative symbols can make the city branding even more impactful. 

In addition to the iconic Merlion and Marina Bay Sands, the Singapore Tourism Board recently developed a variety of other cultural sites, such as Chinatown, Little India, Orchard Road, and Sentosa Island, to enrich the experiences of international travelers and strengthen the local communities. 

Image source: Unsplash 

4. Build Partnerships to Strengthen the Brand 

Typically, the local tourism board is responsible for overseeing the promotion of a city’s tourism ambitions. However, the tourism industry often involves a wide range of departments, including public management and cultural innovation. Moreover, the marketing budget and operational capacity allowed for one department is also limited. Therefore, partnerships across departments and the private sector should be leveraged for amplified results. 

The Singapore government coordinates urban planning to create an inclusive, green, sustainable, vibrant and convenient city. It also actively collaborates with leading enterprises to co-create the city brand. For example, Changi Airport, one of Asia’s busiest airports, plays a significant role as Singapore’s gateway. With impressive indoor features and efficient passenger experiences, it leaves a remarkable impression on international travelers. The construction of Terminal 5, currently underway, embodies the concept of “The Airport, The City,” as emphasized by Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a recent speech. With partnerships across sectors, a city can harness social resources to continuously strengthen its brand image. 

Changi Airport (Image source: Unsplash) 

5. Inject Fresh Energy into the Brand 

Just as commercial brands need to capture consumers’ heads and hearts, the marketing of a city also needs to evolve with time, creating fresh experiences consistently. Singapore has introduced various events and festivals, such as the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown, Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, and music festivals featuring international headliners, to keep its image fresh and exciting in people’s minds. 

Image source: Unsplash 

We recommend carefully evaluating and deploying the five key areas when it comes to city branding, in order to establish a city brand with lasting impact with resonating meanings. 

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Since 2016, Prophet has released our annual report brand relevance report, The 2023 Relentlessly Relevant Brands report to understand how brands become indispensable and stand the test of time by being relentlessly relevant. This year, we surveyed 11,500 consumers and found that brand relevance has become more important than ever. For the first time since the pandemic, consumers are prioritizing “heart-hitting” attributes in brands and are more willing to engage with brands that offer meaningful connections. This is a notable shift from prioritizing attributes that appeal more to their “head”, such as functional factors and cost-effectiveness. Both categories remain important and the most relevant brands find ways to win with both.   

When helping clients strengthen their brand relevance, we often hear the question, “What role do ‘head’ and ‘heart’ attributes play in building brands across different industries? Are ‘heart’ attributes less important for B2B companies as they are not directly engaged with end consumers?” This is a common pitfall. Indeed when catering to different customers, companies should take tailored approaches to building brand relevance. However, both “head” and “heart” attributes should hold equal significance for all companies, regardless of whether they are B2B or B2C.  

In this article, we highlight a recent client story of how we helped to build a B2B brand to create relevance by appealing to both the “head” and the “heart.” 

G7 Connect: The Hidden Hero in Road Freight 

Today’s consumers are accustomed to the convenience of online shopping and modern logistics, thanks to the advancement of digital technologies. However, express delivery is just a small part of the logistics industry, of which every aspect has yet to be transformed digitally. “Sweat logistics” is a term often used to describe freight, the most conventional business model in the industry that still dominates the bottom of the logistics food chain. It is a sector burdened by overloaded trucks, sleep-deprived drivers and inefficient management and processes. Many freight operators lack a clear understanding of how digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and SaaS can benefit the logistics business. 

G7 Connect is a leader in IoT SaaS technologies for road freight in China. For 28 years, it has been committed to advancing China’s entire logistics industry through technological innovations based on IoT, big data and AI. As a B2B company, G7 Connect caters to a wide group of audiences with extremely different backgrounds and needs, from regular truckers to small-to-medium-sized freight operators and senior executives of key consignors. For truckers, their needs are quite simple – they hope to drive safely every day and be paid fairly for their work. For shipping companies and freight operators, they need to consider the safety of their people, vehicles and goods; they care about reducing costs and improving efficiency across each aspect and look forward to unleashing higher productivity through new technologies. For business leaders at consignors, they wish to strengthen their control over the logistics process like warehousing and freight. 

Rooted in “Head” and Inspired by “Heart” – Building Brand Relevance That Speaks to Diverse Audiences  

Our biggest challenge when developing the brand strategy for G7 Connect was balancing the expectations of its different audiences – it was crucial to highlight the value that IoT SaaS technologies can bring in a simplistic and intuitive way. In this regard, appealing to the “heart” is just as critical as the “head”. As G7 Connect’s customers come from different professions and backgrounds, they also have distinctively unique functional needs (“head” attributes). However, each customer is a human first and foremost – a living participant in the logistics industry. Therefore, it is easier for us to identify their shared emotional needs (“heart” attributes). 

Through a human-centered approach, the Prophet team conducted extensive interviews with G7 Connect’s different customer groups and its customer-facing employees to better understand their needs and expectations. Based on our findings, we developed a refreshed brand purpose to appeal to its customers’ hearts. We created an impactful brand tagline, “Beautiful change happens now” to encapsulate G7 Connect’s commitment to continuously creating positive changes for all industry participants through digital technology. Moreover, we further clarified the core competitive strengths of G7 Connect’s offerings and capabilities as brand principles, reinforcing its differentiated advantages through “head” attributes. 

G7 Connect officially launched its new brand strategy and identity in the spring of 2023. Since then, a range of brand implementation initiatives have been quickly put in place. For example, the company’s annual “advanced freight operator conference” was given a universally resonating theme, “Connecting the Beautiful”. The conference also focused on deepening the understanding of G7 Connect’s core functional strengths by highlighting many of its leading products, from visible processes, refined cost management and secure algorithms to external partnerships. Moreover, by showcasing warm, authentic client stories rich with photography and testimonials throughout its communications, G7 Connect has demonstrated how it is delivering “beautiful changes” to every industry participant through comprehensive digital logistics products and services. 

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