Spread Your Wings OFFICIAL FLIGHT MANUAL
Welcome t INSIDE THIS FLIGHT MANUAL You will find everything you need to prepare for life as a member of the Finch Brands team! Here, we have documented the core principles that drive our business and brand, that unify all of us as teammates, and that we seek to express to our clients and the world at large. Now more than ever, Finch Brands’ growth creates incredible opportunities while also challenging us to truly deliver on the vision of ‘One Finch.’ We’ve developed this Brand Manifesto to ensure all members of the team – across tenures, teams, and roles – understand and embody our shared philosophy.
2
to the Nest
3
This distinction alludes to who we are, how we think, and what we do.
4
ONCE UPON A TIME Finch Brands was founded in 1998 by executives instrumental in the ascent of IKEA and David’s Bridal. Their original vision was to create the firm they never could find when they were in our clients’ shoes – an end-to-end brand development and management powerhouse that seamlessly delivers breakthrough brand strategy and irrepressibly creative design. Many of our senior leaders ‘grew up’ in operating roles at brand-driven companies and all of us, no matter background or function, simply love helping to progress brands and businesses. Yet ‘real-world’ isn’t just where we come from, it’s how we are. We are curious and high energy businesspeople. We are deeply focused on outcomes. We build strong and trust-based client relationships. And we bring a high ‘get it’ factor to work every day.
5
EVOLVE. WITH VISION. There was a time in the life of this company – in 2008, to be exact – when we needed to ‘take our own medicine’ and craft a new identity. We have always used the theory of evolution as a metaphor for what we do – brands that adapt to the ever-changing environment not only survive, they thrive. As Darwin’s research was conducted on the beaks of finches in the Galapagos Islands, the name Finch Brands was born. We draw our name and inspiration from the forces that shape the natural world to help our clients succeed in the real world.
6
7
The time for evolution is now.
8
CHAMPIONS OF PURPOSEFUL CHANGE. It’s a fundamental dilemma – the marketplace is always changing, so it’s better to change on purpose than be changed by uncontrollable forces. Within a relentlessly shifting landscape, it’s not enough to chase trends or put out short-term fires. Brands must continuously adapt. The brands that win when it matters most are building purposeful pathways of evolution. They pivot. They flex. They innovate. They surmount challenges big and small. And as they do, they remain true to themselves while blazing new trails, radiating strength from the inside out. At Finch Brands, we understand that success isn’t a fixed destination with a static endpoint, it’s a journey – and we’re with you for every stretch. As Finches, we are agents of change – ready to help our clients, and each other, evolve, adapt, and connect in the real world. We position brands for ongoing success by championing purposeful change – listening well to ensure data becomes actionable insight, building reality-based yet progressive roadmaps, and using design to elevate and enliven brands.
9
All pathways lead to evolution. 2004 To house our growing team, we consolidated all folks into one office - 325 Chestnut Street (Suite 1313) in Old City Philadelphia.
1998 The company now known as Finch Brands was founded by Daniel Erlbaum and Steen Kanter, two executives from David’s Bridal and IKEA respectively. The original name was Kanter International to reflect Steen’s global network and 25-year history growing IKEA.
2003 The company acquired an irreverent South St.based advertising agency called fabGORGON. Bill Gullan came along - with the furniture - as part of the deal. This led to an early version of the company’s lines of service - now expressed as Insight, Strategy, and Design.
2008 Upon Steen Kanter’s exit from the business, we generously gave him back his name triggering the process that led to the Finch Brands identity.
2012 John Ferreira joined the company from Campbell’s as VP of Strategy. Bill moved over to President. When we could find him, Daniel remained CEO.
11
2020
2017 Two big developments: Lauren Collier joined in January, 2017 as VP of Strategy. And we officially launched the FinchSight insights community offering - enrolling our first 3 clients.
Despite the headwinds of a global pandemic, the rallying cry of ‘Level Up’ guided Finch Brands to cross the 30-employee threshold and expand our office to accommodate all the new Finches while also welcoming our first remote teammates.
2018
12
We ratified a new Purpose, Mission, and Values - and integrated these principles into Finch Brands’ day-to-day life. To house our growing-even-more team, we relocated the Nest to 123 S. Broad and settled into our current digs.
2022 ‘Live the Brand’ is about fortifying our foundation to ensure it’s strong enough to support our growth. Part of this is making sure we all feel the ‘why’ that underlies what we do each day – so that our shared passion results in professional fulfillment and client satisfaction. Another part is to ensure the infrastructure exists so that our best practices (The Finch Way) are consistently documented, shared, and delivered.
2021 With ‘OneFinch’ (the art of collaborating in ways that transform the employee experience, the client experience, and our financial performance) as our mantra, we accelerated growth – while focusing on culture and client impact.
13
OUR PURPOSE INSPIRES US
To help brands win when it matters most.
Why do we need a purpose? Our purpose is our North Star. It answers ‘why’ we do what we do shows what we’re working towards. It shapes the future of our company. 14
15
OUR MISSION FOCUSES US
We leverage deep curiosity, a real-world mindset, and a uniquely collaborative work style to champion purposeful change for client brands and businesses.
Why does our mission matter? Our mission informs our daily decisions and allows us to realize our purpose. It keeps us focused on what, who, and how we can make constant progress. 16
17
18
IF PURPOSE IS ‘WHY’ AND MISSION IS ‘HOW,’ OUR VALUES ARE ‘HOW WE ARE’ – AND THEY KEEP US ALIGNED. These action-oriented philosophies elevate the attitudes and behaviors that unify us as Finches and make all the difference to our culture and performance. While related, these Values have different meanings when applied to our shared experience as teammates (‘in the nest’) and our work with clients to help activate their brands’ full potential (‘in the real world’).
OUR VALUES Create Positive Energy
Be a Driver Not a Passenger
Care Deeply About Outcomes
Seek and Share Feedback
Find Opportunity In the Uncomfortable
Have Each Other’s Backs
19
20
Winning in the Nest A great culture is yours for the making and taking.
Winning in the Real World Working with us should be thrilling and consequential.
21
Winning in the Nest As the company grows, so does your opportunity.
Winning in the Real World Our clients’ performance is our primary scorecard.
22
23
Winning in the Nest Part of the job is to try new things and make us better.
Winning in the Real World Central to our value is how we embrace the unknown.
25
Winning in the Nest Settling for a backseat deprives those around you.
Winning in the Real World Our clients deserve our expertise and leadership.
26
27
28
Winning in the Nest Accountability is an opportunity and responsibility.
Winning in the Real World Two-way communication is the key to great relationships.
29
Winning in the Nest Support for each other builds camaraderie.
Winning in the Real World Collaboration breeds the best work.
30
31
Values summary.
32
VALUE
WINNING IN THE NEST
WINNING IN THE REAL WORLD
CREATE POSITIVE ENERGY
A great culture is yours for the making and taking.
Working with us should be thrilling and consequential.
CARE DEEPLY ABOUT OUTCOMES
As the company grows, so does your opportunity.
Our clients’ performance is our primary scorecard.
FIND OPPORTUNITY IN THE UNCOMFORTABLE
Part of the job is to try new things and make us better.
Central to our value is how we embrace the unknown.
VALUE
WINNING IN THE NEST
WINNING IN THE REAL WORLD
BE A DRIVER NOT A PASSENGER
Settling for a backseat deprives those around you.
Our clients deserve our expertise and leadership.
SEEK AND SHARE FEEDBACK
Accountability is an opportunity and responsibility.
Two-way communication is the key to great relationships.
HAVE EACH OTHERS’ BACKS
Support for each other builds camaraderie.
Collaboration breeds the best work.
33
34
35
From our birds eye view, we hold these beliefs to be true.
BUSINESSPEOPLE FIRST We are deeply focused on outcomes – and we bring a high ‘get it’ factor to work every day. Many of our senior leaders ‘grew up’ in operating roles at brand-driven companies and all of us, no matter background or function, simply love helping to progress brands and businesses.
FUELED BY INSIGHTS We believe that the companies who know their customers best, win. Collecting data and turning that data into genuine insights is an indispensable process and Finch Brands superpower.
BOARDROOM-READY We believe process is just as important as content. Building strong, mutually respectful relationships with key stakeholders ensures we benefit from internal input while building the trust required to champion purposeful change – both inside and out.
36
Brand DNA – What it means to be champions of purposeful change.
INSIDE-OUT THINKING Employee engagement is essential to ultimate brand strength – we work with this in mind both in terms of our own team and how we serve clients.
BUILT FOR CHANGE We are the most consequential partner our clients will ever engage. And we’re especially valuable at junctures of great opportunity – such as M&A, rebranding, innovation, new levels of customer connection, etc.
GREAT TO WORK WITH We are flexible, high touch, and high impact – focused on long-term relationships and providing wise counsel. As the boutique answer to the big shops, we’re broad-shouldered yet intentionally intimate. There is no B team at Finch Brands.
37
Real World Brand Building When employees LIVE THE BRAND, customers LOVE THE BRAND. This cycle is constant and essential. We focus on three elements that, together, strengthen and reinforce this cycle: LISTEN. PLAN. ENGAGE. This is the heart of brand consulting excellence.
38
39
LI STE N We capture, manage, and filter the input of teammates and external stakeholders to enlighten all that comes after. We do this through many forms of secondary and primary research.
VOICE OF THE COMPANY – INTERNAL RESEARCH • Discovery for key executive input • Insight communities • Engagement surveys • Brand pulse surveys • Focus groups • In-depth interviews • Brand/culture tracking
40
VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER – EXTERNAL RESEARCH • Competitive research/
• • • • • • • •
market assessment Insight communities Quantitative surveys Focus groups In-depth interviews Ethnography Secondary research Brand tracking Bounce-and-build rapid prototyping
PL AN Grounded in insights, we develop and validate the core ideas on which high-performing brands and businesses are based. These ideas are actualized through business, brand, and marketing strategies.
BUSINESS STRATEGY • Purpose/Mission/Values • Customer experience/journey • M&A branding integration • Interim CMO role
BRAND STRATEGY • Brand architecture • Brand positioning • Product/service architecture • Innovation/brand stretch road mapping
MARKETING STRATEGY • Target audience profiles/personas • Strategic marketing planning • Brand rollout planning • Product Launch Plan
E N GAG E With strategies defined, we execute to help clients make their brands more powerful drivers of engagement – both internally and externally. We design essential artifacts and launch them with energy and excellence.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT • Brand training • Employee brand books • Internal campaigns • Environmental design • Competitor audit/benchmark • Videos and infographics
CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT • Naming • Logo Design • Brand style guides • Tagline/copywriting • Advertising • Collateral • Website /app design • Events/tradeshows 41
ONE FINCH /wuhn fin(t)SH/ noun. The art and act of collaborating and unifying in ways that transform the employee experience, the client experience, and our financial performance.
42
43
215.413.2686 123 S. Broad Street, Ste 2150 Philadelphia, PA 19109 finchbrands.com