Andrei’s take on:
Branding as a business strategy
To some people, branding means logos and mottos and color palettes — nice stuff to have, but living somewhere outside the realm of Important Business.
But branding done well serves as a solid central business strategy for many organizations.
Andrei says:
Like some people might use technology or finance to drive their organizations forward, you also can use brand to drive your growth and reveal opportunities.
Branding is an investigative, forward-looking process that leads to those tangible outcomes, like logos. It also brings to light and life the qualities that make you distinct from your competition. It connects those differentiators with what people care about. It requires you to define your goals and your future.
“Some of the most successful companies in the world have built their success through branding,” Andrei says. “It’s not just frosting on the cake. It’s also the cake itself.”
The perks of global partnerships
Andrei served for three years as the global president of IPREX, a platform of communications agencies. As a member, DH collaborates and shares knowledge with 70 independent agencies all over the world.
“We build relationships with some extraordinarily innovative firms and learn from them,” Andrei says.
Our IPREX partnerships let us access others’ expertise. Meanwhile, as small to midsize agencies, IPREX partners share a nimble nature, an entrepreneurial spirit and highly committed teams.
“IPREX agencies make a ton of sense for clients,” Andrei says. “You get the large scale of a network without the downsides of working with a multinational firm.”
Wheel life
Andrei started racing bikes at 15, spinning that passion into a career. He worked as team director for professional racers, splitting time between the U.S. and Europe — including a trip to the ’96 Olympics in Atlanta.
Now he bikes to get his brain going, to unplug from phones and computers, and to see beautiful places. Among his favorite beautiful places: the Seven Summits trail in Rossland, British Columbia, and the Palouse region surrounding Spokane.
“I love the super-green rolling hills,” Andrei says. “They look like they were designed by a 5-year-old with a crayon.”