Are you wondering why I talked about branding at the recent gathering of the party’s Provincial Council? If you watched me connect with party members, TED Talk-style, you already know that I approach things differently—so here’s why I think a new brand is key to winning in 2024.
As a founder, builder, and reinventor of brands in my business career (including Blo Blow Dry Bar, Nurse Next Door, and the Whistler and BC Chambers of Commerce), I know that modern branding is much more than a name and a logo. It’s the feelings, ideas, perceptions, and stories people have about our party—and the opportunity to change them.
Not BC Liberal 2.0, or Meta Liberal, or New Coke. We need a cultural shift inside our brand. As a business leader, I believe that if we don’t change our culture, any rebranding will backfire.
And do you know who will sniff that out? The Millennials and Generation Zs who will form the future of our party. These are the most brand-savvy generations in history, and they will be the first to tell us that creating a cool new can doesn’t change the juice inside!
There’s a great case study in the news: Facebook’s rebranding to Meta. Facebook has been getting a lot of bad press. The company and its culture have come under fire. Will a new name fix that? Will it change their management, culture, people, or practices? The backlash seems to be: It’s just a new name. People still see and feel the same things about the brand.
Brands with accountable cultures survive and thrive. We need a winning brand.
This leadership campaign, and some legacy perceptions of our party, have unfortunately raised questions about the core values, purpose and behaviour within our culture. To change that, we need to transform what’s seen and felt about the BC Liberals. The payoff: business data proves that accountable cultures attract talent, diversity and survive tough times with better outcomes.
My promise to the party is that, if I earn your leadership trust, we are going to run a fast, inclusive process that ensures our core values and priorities are clarified and confirmed, before we consider a new brand.
I have built cultures of accountability in my previous roles, and I know we can build a winning brand for the BC Liberal Party.
Be part of a winning brand. Share this message with a future party member
Will you be a part of that change? By sharing this message with a friend, family member or colleague who shares these values, you encourage them to believe the BC Liberal Party is capable of a powerful cultural shift. Of winning in 2024. Of being a party people see and feel differently.
Val.
P.S. Don’t hit “remind me later.” If you agree that it’s time for the party to hit “update” on a new operating system, join our team. Donate so that we can grow the party, get involved, and get in touch with your thoughts and ideas.