The document discusses how The Conversation Alliance helps build brand value through managing conversations. It summarizes that the company: (1) believes conversations are strategic and every marketing activity must contribute positively to conversations; (2) has competencies in listening, thinking, acting, and measuring conversations; and (3) guarantees successful execution through combining internal resources with managing specialist partners.

1. Building brands
by
managing conversations

2. The Conversation Alliance
Building brands by managing conversations
• We truly believe in the power of conversations to build brand value
• Conversations are strategic: every marketing or sales activity must
contribute positively to the conversation
• We have the competences to listen, think, act and measure
• The combination of internal resources and the competence management
of specialist allies guarantees successful execution
• Our approach is supported by an innovative, media-neutral and
transparent business model
V
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We initiate and facilitate conversations between brands and its (potential) users.

3. We truly believe in the power of conversations to build
brand value
The goal of brand communication is to make the
brand an obvious choice for consumers
Simply creating awareness is not enough in a
world of over-choice and over-communication
Brands need to create relationships with their
(potential) customers
Conversations are the lifeblood of relationships
28/10/2010 © 2010 Kobalt Belgium BVBA 3
So, what the f… are
conversations?

4. A definition
• A conversation is communication between two or more people. Conversations are
the ideal form of communication in some respects, since they allow people with
different views on a topic to learn from each other. For a successful conversation,
the partners must achieve a workable balance of contributions. A successful
conversation includes mutually interesting connections between the speakers or
things that the speakers know. For this to happen, those engaging in conversation
must find a topic on which they both can relate to in some sense. Those engaging
in conversation naturally tend to relate the other speaker's statements to
themselves. [source: Wikipedia]
28/10/2010 © 2010 Kobalt Belgium BVBA 4
OK, but what are brand
conversations?

5. Brand conversations
28/10/2010 © 2010 Kobalt Belgium BVBA 5
Consumers
88% of the people trust information
from their peers in a decision making
process
55% wants to be in constant
dialogue with brands they love
Source: Insites Consulting
Conversations
BRAND
Brands must stimulate and
facilitate people that talk in a
positive way about the brand
by listening to THEM and by
starting conversations about
the topics that interest THEM
via the channels THEY prefer.
There is a real correlation between business growth and advocacy.
Bain & Co.'s research shows that the most recommended company
in its category grows 2.5 times more than the category average.

6. Conversations are strategic: every marketing or sales
activity must contribute positively to the conversation
• Do not confuse brand conversations with mere brand presence
on social network sites!
• Word of mouse only spreads faster and to more people than
word of mouth.
• Every touch point between brand and consumer or every
experience consumers have with the brand’s products,
marketing, advertising or promotions shapes their opinion and
the way they share and spread their opinions.
• Therefore we consider conversations as the real key
performance indicator for brand success.
• Therefore we are nor a media centre nor an advertising agency,
but a strategic marketing communication partner.
28/10/2010 © 2010 Kobalt Belgium BVBA 6

7. We are a conversation competence centre
that initiates and facilitates conversations
between brands and its (potential) users.
28/10/2010 © 2010 Kobalt Belgium BVBA 7

8. We have the competences to listen, think, act and
measure
28/10/2010 © 2010 Kobalt Belgium BVBA 8
Frank During
Strategy
Eric Samson
CEO & Media
Patrick Hermie
Insights
Kobalt Belgium is headed by
3 experts, each with 20 years
of experience and know how
in their field of expertise.
Our Key
Competences
Brand &
Conversation
Strategy
Competence
Management
Consumer &
Conversation
Channel
Insights
Conversation
Channel
Management

9. Select creative
partners, agree on
deliverables,
budget, back-
timing, milestones
and responsibilities
Safeguard
conversation
concept and big
idea across all
creative
developments
Coordinate
partners
Manage planning
and budget
Supervise and
check execution
Evaluate process
and identify
possible
improvements
The combination of internal resources and the
competence management of specialist allies
guarantees successful execution
• We do not believe in agencies that can do it all.
• Therefore we prefer to manage the competences of selected
specialist allies to guarantee perfect execution
and safeguard the conversation concept
across all developments
and actions.
28/10/2010 © 2010 Kobalt Belgium BVBA 9

10. Our approach is supported by an innovative,
media-neutral and transparent business model
28/10/2010 © 2010 Kobalt Belgium BVBA 10
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