Brand building from the ground up
The Digital Initiative at Harvard Business School is a distinct brand within a well-established brand. As a brand, the DI aims to be smart and informative, occasionally funny. We have conversations that are academically rigorous and simultaneously accessible to a broad, general audience. We have modern sensibilities and are casual in our tone, but not too familiar. We want to play an active role in moving the progress bar on society and digital transformation forward, while having a great time doing it.
Project role
Director of brand strategy
Responsibilities
Set brand mission, values, and guiding principles; created org’s first comms manifesto, building a cohesive brand identity; oversaw audience research
Mission
We are reshaping digital to create a world where technology advances and serves humanity.
Our focus is at the intersection of technology and organizations, and our work is grounded in our community building, leveraging, and researching tech throughout the world.
Values
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Open-minded exploration is at the center of our work. We are actively learning and sharing what we find. We learn by listening, continually asking questions, and doing, taking into account both data and peoples’ experiences.
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We seek out diverse perspectives to both reflect and better understand our ever-evolving and vast world. We appreciate there are many perspectives that coalesce at the intersection of tech, organizations, and people.
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We embrace change and adaptability. We are not limited by precedent. The search goes on for a better way of thinking, doing, being.
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We welcome all people into our community. We listen, learn, and take action to foster trust and belonging.
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We enjoy our role in the work that we believe is progressing society. We also do not take ourselves too seriously. For instance, we unironically appreciate a good falling robot video
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We are one contributor to the space, among many. It takes insight from all to achieve our mission and we are at our best when we work together.
Guiding principles
Create an inclusive, welcoming, playful, even fun atmosphere so our community can feel comfortable being themselves and sharing
Encourage the exchange of ideas, perspectives, and knowledge
Give voice to wider thinking
Empower our community to make positive change based on our work
Actively and consistently talk to our audience and build their input into our work
Experiment and investigate new tools, processes, event structures, content strategies based on learning and feedback
Carve out time for reflection, distance, processing → magic ✨
A snapshot of the sections… just imagine pages and pages of guidance.
