I recall a conversation with Celcom’s CEO, Datuk Sazali some years back in a branding seminar I attended.

He’s a flamboyant bloke, long hair and all, but knows his stuff well. I am going to express some of his thoughts in guarding and defending your brand name.

Datuk Sazali mentioned in that conversation over a lunch that ever since he had assumed the CEO’s office in Celcom (among one of the big telco players in Malaysia), he has been conscious about the company branding.

Among a distinction is that he issued a company policy prohibiting his company staff from wearing their company uniform beyond working hours. He expressed that it’s crucial that a brand name is protected if indeed the staff was monkeying around in a coffee shop or was in a pub getting pissed, or worse, was involved in a bar fight, whilst wearing the company uniform, especially after working hours.

Of course he mentioned it in the true fashion of a light hearted person: he said that he did not want to have dinner with the family while the 8pm news was on, and the headlines said, ‘Three man donning a Celcom T-shirt were seen robbing a McDonald’s outlet earlier this evening.’

We all cracked into laughter, but on a serious note, he indicated that it is so important to protect the brand name of your company that even to this depth, you need to go out to protect it.

Which brings to surface, while in a networking meeting I was in this morning, I was compelled to admonish a member who had not done anything to protect his brand name. His name tag had his name handwritten with a marker pen. And yet, despite being such for months, and despite subtle nudges, had not taken any action. So, this morning I gave it to him! I explained to him that if he is that not bothered to brand himself powerfully, then why bother attending a networking meeting and showcase his lack of care for his company branding?

Still, it went past his head. He didn’t seem to be concerned.

Hey, if you don’t care enough for your company branding, perhaps your competitor will!