A stronger brand will improve customer relationships and make Hydro a more exciting company to work for. By defining more clearly what we stand for and where we are headed, we intend to build an even stronger culture and differentiate Hydro from our competitors.
These were among the key messages as Cecilie Ditlev-Simonsen, head of Corporate Communication, presented the main conclusions of Hydro's brand project at the annual Capital Markets Day on Thursday.
"Hydro has an amazing history with achievements in terms of solid business results, courageous investments and innovative solutions – and we have tremendous opportunities to build on going forward. It's time we make a more conscious effort to communicate what makes Hydro Hydro, and how Hydro makes a difference to customers and society in general," Ditlev-Simonsen said.
Ditlev-Simonsen presented the three pillars of the Hydro brand – the mission, values and the institutional talents that exist across the enterprise. She stressed that communication and profiling are just examples of the many things that influence a brand.
"Our brand is an intangible but valuable sum of Hydro's business results, our employees and leaders, our history, our ability to present future opportunities, the service provided by our receptions or switchboards – and our communication and profiling activities, to mention some of the influencers," she said. "Companies with strong brands can charge a premium, have credibility when expanding into new areas and manage to attract and retain investors as well as talented employees."
She also commented on the new Hydro logo, saying: "We are presenting today, for the first time, the symbol of Hydro going forward. We hope you like it. It's our job to make sure you will associate it with a dynamic, international company that knows itself well enough to dare state our purpose in the world as well as our values."