Bringing Our Brand to Life
April 2008
Every day you come into contact with high-powered brands. From the Starbucks® you drink in the morning to your computer that runs on Microsoft® or your Nike® shoes that carry you through your daily workout, some brands are so ingrained into our society that we don't realize that they are in fact - brands.
In 2006, the actuarial profession formally joined the branding ranks by unveiling a revitalized actuaries brand, publicly stating the promise of the profession to the businesses and organizations of the world.
Our brand, unlike a coffee, computer program or shoe is not embodied in the reputation of a tangible product, but rather in the people and the unique qualifications and training that actuaries bring to the professional table, the way those skills are brought to life by the members on a daily basis.
In our case, our brand specifically embodies the ways that actuaries:
- enable organizations to anticipate and manage strategic responses to the 21st century's changing economic and social needs
- are rigorously trained to manage risk, offering real-world solutions to complex and important problems
- are well positioned to assume broader risk management and leadership roles, given our history of helping the world understand risk.
So how can you help bring these statements to life? The Society of Actuaries, in partnership with North American actuarial organizations, created the Living the Brand materials to help you incorporate the brand into your daily activities. The materials include an overview of scenarios that you may come across in your daily interactions and give you tips about how you can speak to the value of the profession in these encounters. Additionally, in order to help you to advance your own visibility and that of the profession, we've created a checklist for success outlining steps you can take throughout your career to raise your profile and support your professional success. Both materials are available on ImageoftheActuary.org. And these materials are just one of the ways that ImageoftheActuary.org will help you bring the brand to life. Starting in late April 2008, we will feature a brand-related topic on the site, helping you to expand your knowledge and further sharpen your skills. Look for the theme to be announced monthly in the ImageWatch e-newsletter. If you don't already receive ImageWatch, you can subscribe by sending your e-mail address to imagewatch@soa.org.
While our brand may not be immediately visible in a physical object, it is visible in the actions of every member of the profession. Through your daily interactions as an actuary, you bring the brand to life. You are an ambassador of our profession at each and every interaction.