DHL 2009 Annual Report Download - page 99

Employees shape the brand experience
Brand manuals give detailed descriptions of how Deutsche Post and  are posi-
tioned and how our brands support our strategy. Of key importance to our brand image
is how customers experience their interactions with our approximately , em-
ployees worldwide. In order to make a good impression, we have provided our employ-
ees who have direct customer contact with high-quality corporate clothing and given
our vehicles and buildings as well as our promotional and informational materials a
uniform and memorable design. We have also implemented internal measures aimed
at motivating our entire sta to be active brand ambassadors at all times.
 employees have had a multilingual internet platform since . We plan to
make this state-of-the-art, interactive approach available to customers and prospective
customers in  under the name of  Brand World. Deutsche Post launched a mo-
tivational platform – the Deutsche Post Brand Fan Club – to strengthen brand aware-
ness amongst the workforce. It conveys the main brand messages to them via sporting
events, group activities and an interactive portal.
Steadily increasing value
Our brands face tough competition both domestically and internationally. Clear
positioning and a lasting impression facilitate purchasing and investment decisions
for existing and potential customers. Guided by market research, we invested some
  million in the year under review (previous year:   million) in building our
brands. Our print and online campaign for the  brand appeared in renowned inter-
national  nancial publications. Deutsche Post’s domestic brand campaign focused on
service quality. Along with online, print and poster themes, a survey was conducted of
approximately  million households in Germany, who were invited to comment on the
quality of Deutsche Post’s services. In addition to traditional advertising, we enhance
our brand image by sponsoring various events, appearing at trade fairs, conducting
press relations and implementing measures to support sales.
Our success is measurable: in , consulting  rm Semion Brand Broker calcu-
lated a brand value of  , million for Deutsche Post, putting us in sixth place in
a ranking of the most valuable German brands. Factors analysed included  nancial
value, brand protection, brand image and brand strength.  appeared in a list of the
 most valuable brands for the  rst time in . Market researcher Millward Brown
computed a value of   , million for the  brand, which put us in th place in
the world rankings.
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