I still get a chuckle when I think of a global rebranding project we did for one of our clients. We had conducted a comprehensive global audit involving samples supplied from each region. Working with the global communications officer, new guidelines were developed including templates and examples which we felt would make it very easy to follow and utilize. Training sessions were held to provide rationale, overview the tools provided and allow for Q&A. We believed that we had hit all critical points (we had thought, in any case)…until the follow-up audit done 12 months later. One of the images supplied from a non-English-speaking country was of a perfectly executed trade show back wall.  Traffic was good and the local reps were very happy with the result and were smiling in front of the display. It was not until I blew up the image that I spotted just how well they had followed the template provided. In their attempt to comply with guidelines, they had kept:

  • “BULLETED TEXT GOES HERE”
  • “BULLETED TEXT GOES HERE

🙂