A brand is a promise, but not one like "I'll pay you back the 10 Euros next Monday", but more like "I will never lie to you". The latter type is much harder to keep. So what good is branding in KM. Just like with any other brand it can simplify things, it can build trust into a knowledge flow initiative (not just talking about a KM system) and a good brand tends to channel participation and usage. It captures complex information and tacit components like feelings by giving it a symbolizing name.
Ok, so if a brand is good, how would build one for a knowledge flow initative? First of all NOT with a big bang launch (alone). I think frequently the driver of an initiative thinks with a big announcement, good executive support, and a lot of bells and whistles you can achieve this. And after a short while, marketing and initiative support (this is not technical support) go down very quickly.
But for a brand to develop you need consistent delivery on your promise. And just like with other promises, early on a couple of failures can kill the trust (and the brand for that matter). The consistency comes with an ongoing drivership, an investment beyond the launch resources (that then get dragged off to the next best project). Ongoing support at all levels, that also cover strategy and infrastructure adaptation and constant value delivery. And don't forget that ongoing marketing, even though it is to an internal audience. Brands do not build overnight, you will need what I refer to in the book as "a pulse". Something regularly, that captures more and more people and finally makes them see the value.
And if you establish a very strong brand, you are actually more likely to survive a few bloopers and failures.
Sir, If you see some organisation which have unidirectional flow of communication, branding KM initiative is easy. A service company could be more effective in branding knowledge flow. As service organisation have to rely more on tacit knowledge. Product based companies have explicit knowledge and flow..so branding on prodcut becomes more than knowledge. In service organisation, solution (knowledge ) becomes brand.
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