What’s in a name? Acclime’s branding story - by Martin Crawford

Soon after deciding to create our corporate services firm, Acclime , we invested heavily (for us!) in having a professional agency develop the brand from scratch. I believe this to be unique in the corporate and professional services field. In this edition of my newsletter, I want to share with you why we considered this to be so important and how it has paid off.

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By ‘branding’, I don’t just mean the logo and colour palettes, but the whole gamut from trading name to mission and the entire story of who we are, what we stand for and why we should earn the attention of potential clients and the loyalty of existing ones.

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In the case of Acclime, it was perhaps inevitable that we would need a strong brand from the outset. As our business model was to acquire well-established firms aligned with our mission, we were inheriting existing brands and their clients. The need was to gain the immediate trust of these clients under the new brand. This was helped by the owners of the firms we acquired becoming Acclime partners and shareholders, but the Acclime brand still needed to tell clients what to expect going forward. It was important that we showed how hard we had worked on the brand.

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As an ex-marketing guy myself, I had some very clear guidelines for the branding agency:

1.?????? It had to start with a letter early on in the alphabet;

2.????? We need to secure the ‘dot com’ domain name;

3.????? Preferably it would contain the hard ‘c’ in the pronunciation (advertising gurus call this ‘sound symbolism’ - how do you think McDonald’s or Coke became so memorable?); and

4.????? If it could somehow denote what we plan to do for clients, that would be a bonus.

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When the agency returned with a short-list of names, “Acclime” stood out. Some people saw the ‘climb’ syllable, either meaning that we help clients climb to loftier heights or that would indeed be our own fate. But the play on words that immediately stuck in my mind was due to the fact that we help clients navigate foreign markets throughout Asia, getting them ‘acclimatised’ to different laws, tax regimes and customs. We hold their hands as they expand around Asia. And so that’s how Acclime came to be our brand.

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Of course, the process of telling people who we are also implies who we are not. The fact that our vision statement proclaims our commitment to elevating the standards of corporate governance everywhere we operate should inform less-than-honest business characters to go elsewhere. Our branding helps us to maintain a focus and allows us to discard anything that does not take us to our target.

A compelling brand attracts not just clients, but also top talent. Recognising this, Acclime carefully crafted a brand narrative that positions us as dedicated to delivering impactful work and achieving success. This strategic approach resonates both externally and internally, attracting and retaining talented individuals who share our vision and values.

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We also ensure that our internal culture fosters a cohesive and prideful environment among our team. Without our input, our staff started calling themselves 'Acclimers,' which we feel means they feel connected to a purpose greater than the tasks at hand. This sense of belonging has a ripple effect, translating into enhanced performance and positive outcomes throughout the organisation.

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Much of Acclime’s new business comes to us by ‘word of mouth’ and that only happens when we have clients who believe we will always keep the promises we make to them, and are happy to tell others of their experience working with us. Whenever Acclime acquires aligned firms, the owners of those firms become active partners who assure their clients of the integrity of the Acclime brand and continue to work with them. Our hope is that they come to appreciate the strengths of the new parent organisation.

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A successful brand is dynamic, consistent and adaptable. In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, Acclime understands the importance of these qualities. As the company has evolved and grown, we have striven to remain true to our vison and mission while accepting the direction the journey takes, the people journeying with us and the systems we employ to get us there are all constantly changing. We hope our clients see our efforts at utilising technology in our service provision as remaining consistent with our identity. Authenticity is a cornerstone of our branding approach. We pride ourselves on being genuine and transparent, ensuring our brand narrative reflects our values, mission, and the experiences clients can expect. By staying true to ourselves, we believe we can foster long-lasting relationships built on trust and integrity.

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?“OMG, I hear you say. “You’re not solving world hunger here!” Well, that’s true. But at Acclime, we see branding as much more than a superficial exercise. It's a dynamic and integral part of who we are and what we do. Our values guide our actions, and we remain agile and always put our clients at the heart of everything. This approach crafts a brand that not only stands out in the competitive landscape but resonates deeply with those we aim to serve. In the world of corporate services, our brand is more than just a symbol; it's a commitment - a promise of excellence, integrity, and long-lasting partnerships.

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?Thanks for reading. Leave a comment with your thoughts on the subject, happy to hear your opinion and continue the conversation.

And if you think Acclime can offer any value or support to your business in Asia, reach out to me or leave a message to my team, we’ll get back to you promptly: [email protected].

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