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Rebranding

Rebranding is an important workstream in an integration. Based on the experience of previous integrations, it is highly advisable to develop an accompanying communications plan focusing on transparency for all employees with regards to the measures that need to be taken and the timeline for implementation of those measures.

Joint effort is necessary to ensure a smooth transition.

Decisions to be taken in advance

The first influencing criteria for the Branding Strategy are the seller’s terms and conditions concerning the acquired brands and brand name.
The second important factor for the Branding Strategy is the decision of the BASF board concerning the company brand, influenced by the contract, based on due diligence information and driven by the overall BASF strategy. In former integrations this decision was always made at an early point.
Together with the integration experts from Legal, Business and Communications, a Brand Transition and Integration Plan must be developed and in place at the time of Legal Closing.
BASF supports a Brand Management Strategy in conjunction with the BASF Brand Architecture, in which the majority of the company’s products and services are branded “BASF”.
In almost all cases, acquired companies or businesses will be integrated into the Brand Architecture System to capitalize on the name, recognition and reputation inherent in the BASF brand.

Who needs to help in which cases?

Integration Management (IM)

Closing Dates
Integration plan
Legal Entity Change

Legal

Websites – Disclaimer
Footer
Letter heads
Picture rights
Licences
Brand evaluation (Trademark check – financial value)

Branding

Email addresses
Packaging
Naming
Brand evaluation (Brand Architecture)
Footer

Important and to keep in mind

Change to BASF Corporate Brand only once and in alignment with main triggers of the integration.
After Legal Closing, all corporate communications measures should be produced in accordance with BASF Corporate Branding.
All rebranding activities are designed to support and strengthen the businesses while fitting the related business plans.
Discuss possible solutions for branding in transition periods to support customer orientation.

Checklist

Helpful checklist about the main measures of an integration.

Brand Manager

Transition strategy
Rebranding and review of
brand portfolio

Project Lead Communications

Communications strategy
Timeline
Approach
Stakeholder Analysis
One Voice Policy
Key messages
Monitors KPIs
Issue Management and
Crisis Communications

Editor Media

Newsletter
Social Media
Intranet/Internet

Coordinator

Sets up and coordinates
Global Communication
Integration Team
Contact person for functions,
businesses
If necessary: Develop
Ambassador programm

Event manager

Day 1 events
Welcome packages
Announcement of integration
plan events
Informal employee dialogs

SAP (ERP) Kommunikationsspezialist

Koordinierungsrolle
Informationen für Mitarbeiter
Werbebriefe

Sales & Marketing Communications

Sales Kit
Trade Show integration
Product portfolio Integration

Spokesperson

Business and trade media
Q&A
Standby Statements
Authorities

Strategischer Partner für das Management

bereitet das Management beider Unternehmen vor
Mitarbeiter Q&A

Team needs to be connected too:

Integration Team

Management of both companies
Integration Manager
Project Management Office
affected Global Business Units

Within BASF

Subregions
Countries
Sites
Service Units

Communication Community

COM, ESM, GBH/I
Acquired company
Regional and local communication teams

Functional units within affected division

Human Ressoucres
Supply Chain
Information Management
Controlling
Master Data