Brand Makeovers: BET’s Kimberly Paige On The 5 Things You Should Do To Upgrade and Re-Energize Your Brand and Image
An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
… Be clear about the strategic intent of the rebrand — For Black Canvas, we were crystal clear on what we wanted to change, why, and how. Because of that, we were able to direct our efforts to only those activities which would accomplish our goals and avoid those that distracted from our mission.
As part of our series about “Brand Makeovers” I had the pleasure to interview Kimberly Paige.
Kimberly Paige is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of general management, strategy, innovation, and brand marketing experience with a proven track record of building billion-dollar Fortune 500 brands. Paige is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for BET. Paige is responsible for managing and implementing brand strategy across all platforms, including the BET and BET Her linear networks, BET+, BET Digital, BET Social and BET Experience. Paige also leads BET’s awarding-winning Brand Creative Team, best-in-class Consumer Insights & Analytics Team and all Media Planning. In addition, she stewards BET’s Live Events business. Paige reports to Scott Mills, CEO of BET.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit more. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
As a child, I had an insatiable curiosity about things, and my parents quickly learned that they needed to answer my questions with more than just a “because I told you so.” I’ve always had an interest in people, gaining insights and being creative, so when I was exposed to an advertising agency internship in college, I quickly realized that brand-building sparked a big fire in me because it combined my interest in people with my love for data. Once I decided that marketing was the career path for me, everything became really clear for me professionally. I started working at Proctor & Gamble, where I gained an immense amount of fundamental knowledge about brand marketing that I still use to this day.
Can you share a story about the funniest marketing or branding mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I was at Coca-Cola, one of the brands that I stewarded on a global level was Fanta, a $B+ fruit-flavored soft drink brand with a variety of flavors. I recall that I was sharing the global campaign and integrated strategy with the team in North Africa.The idea was for the execution to use vibrant colors and various cues to represent the bold, bright flavors in the portfolio. After I presented the entire strategy to the North African team, the regional lead asked if we knew of the incredibly low penetration of colored televisions in the market, which we obviously hadn’t. That was an eye-opening moment and taught me to think globally and act locally. Great campaigns must deliver great storytelling and understand unique nuances to drive local relevance and impact. Just because a campaign that performed well in one area, doesn’t mean it’ll succeed in another. Regardless of size, brands that are successful today, must maintain a hyper-local approach to have deep market penetration, connection, and high-touch engagement. This is the exact strategy we started two years ago at BET. We are being intentional in our must-win markets to ensure that BET is felt.
Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Is there a takeaway or lesson that others can learn from that?
As a young marketer, you often think that in order to build or add to the conversation, your comments have to be incredibly profound ideas. It wasn’t until later when I realized that the simple ideas often resonate the most. Once I discovered that I was particularly skilled in taking really complex and convoluted problems and breaking them down into easily digestible pieces, then I was less worried about being perceived as a less profound thinker and leaned into the value of simplifying major situations by way of clarity, intentional decision making, precise use of time and resources, and streamlining efforts for maximum impact. Over time, I became known for my ability to take an objective look at a brand’s resources and better positioning of fundamentals for improved growth and performance, which is how rebranding and driving transformative growth became my specialty. The takeaway is we all have unique super powers…we just have to lean into them and not try to be like others. I often say be you because everyone else is taken.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
BET has so many amazing projects in the pipeline! We just wrapped up our Black Canvas rebrand, which was super exciting for us all. The entire rebrand was inspired by this concept of a blank, Black Canvas, a symbol of celebrating Black creative expression. We wanted to show how BET provides a space and agency for black creatives, visionaries and our community to express themselves, and how we all come together in this one space. And like culture, this space is fluid and it moves, which was such a powerful insight. Black Canvas really captured the dynamic of space and place where black culture is today.
We’ve been so excited about this rebrand because, in essence, it’s created this destination for BET within Black culture — it’s where Black power grows, where Black joy erupts and where Black dreams flourish. As part of the rebrand, we also partnered with artists in key local markets such as NYC, Houston and Atlanta to name a few and gave them this blank canvas to express themselves. The result was stunning art that celebrated Black creativity, joy and the community.
We’re also reimaging our BET Live events arm. It was inspired by the idea and spirit of play. You play as a child, but as an adult, no one invites you to play or be playful, and this is such an important and much needed aspect of life that’s often forgotten. We’re creating a playground of Black culture, by creating experiences so people can lean into laughter and joy.
What advice would you give to other marketers to thrive and avoid burnout?
I’ve always followed the principal of “marketing with a big M,” meaning if you focus on doing meaningful work that matters, it will move the metrics. I’ve found by focusing on meaningful work that I’m passionate about it gives me a sense of energy and purpose. Right now, I’m doing impactful work that matters to my community and that gives me optimism and energy. As a marketer, if you’re not passionate about what you’re doing and you’re focused on activity rather than impact, you will burn out. Ensure you’re bringing meaning into what you do or figure out a way to bring meaning or you may need to consider another role or company.
Another thing I do is focus on who I serve rather than who I work for. It’s never been a point of confusion for me. I might work for BET, but I’m here to do great work in service to the Black audience and community. I think leadership is who you are, not a title. Having this clarity and personal compass means titles don’t define who I am.
In the moments where I feel a lack of energy, I take a moment to assess where I am and if the work if meaningful. At the end of the day strategy is just where you’re spending your time and resources, so it’s important to adjust when needed. People complain they don’t have enough resources, but oftentimes it’s a matter of wasting resources on work that doesn’t move the needle or matter.
Having clarity and strategic intent in what guides you as an individual allows you to ensure your energy is being poured in the right way so you can avoid burnout as a marketer.
In a nutshell, how would you define the difference between brand marketing (branding) and product marketing (advertising)? Can you explain?
Product marketing is in essence bringing a product to market. You work with various teams across sales, research, marketing, etc. to bring this product to the consumer at the right time, in the right place. You decide everything from the product attributes, price point, etc. to generate sales.
Brand marketing is a strategic approach on how you build a relationship between your brand and a consumer. The “relationship” aspect of this is extremely important here because you need to have a high degree of understanding about what your consumer wants so you can engage and add value to their personal experience and journey.
Product marketing is really about the functional aspect, whereas brand marketing is more about building the emotional connection, which leads to a higher degree of affinity and equity for a brand because of the value it brings to the exchange so it’s not purely transactional.
Can you explain to our readers why it is important to invest resources and energy into building a brand, in addition to the general marketing and advertising efforts?
For one, we are operating in one of the most dynamic and competitive marketplaces, so if you’re not really investing in building a brand, your transacting as a commodity. In doing so, your commodity relies heavily on product marketing strategies like price and function. You trade on price and function, which again, those are product marketing strategies. The power of building a brand allows you to operate at a level above and beyond your functional reason(s) for being. In this competitive marketplace, branding brings more value to your specific consumer as they decide whether to interact with your brand versus another. It’s very easy to replicate products, but it’s not easy to replicate a brand. I often say people buy products, but they join brands, and in doing so they form a relationship that breeds loyalty and allows brands to transact at a higher value, which is very important. If you are not investing in the right ways, by way of tapping into emotion or delivering an experience, there’s not going to be a strong point of distinct difference. You will constantly be pit against your competitor. So, the question becomes do you want to be a product or a brand?
If you think about it, a brand’s reputation in the marketplace really does account for a significant portion of that company’s market capitalization. If your company makes a mistake, if you’ve developed a strong enough brand you can potentially withstand severe impact. Companies must be intentional about investing in the right way to build their brand because it’s a long-term sustainable pathway to profitable growth.
Let’s now talk about rebranding. What are a few reasons why a company would consider rebranding?
There are so many reasons why a company would consider rebranding, such as having a troubled history, an unfortunate product failure, or if they’ve done something in the marketplace where it was rejected by consumers. On a more positive note, companies also rebrand because they have entered into new business sectors, have been acquired or looking to reimagine their future.
When I was initially hired at BET, rebranding was one of my top three projects, but no one knew it at the time. Typically, all CMOs want to come in and do a rebrand, but mine was really inspired by the growing state of our business and what was happening in the world and culture. We had just entered streaming with BET+, we were partnering with amazing talent and premium content makers and were leaning into our dual mission of changing outcomes for the community. This coupled with celebrating BET’s 40th anniversary, provided a unique moment in time for us to evaluate the brand.
Our rebrand signaled the future of BET and where we were going, obviously in connection to our rich heritage and legacy. More importantly it was a signal to the marketplace that BET was a modern and contemporary brand. One of the most critical aspects of our rebrand was to highlight that we are more than just a network because we wanted to move out of the traditional lane of how networks operate and are viewed. So, there were business reasons behind the rebrand but there were also emotional reasons as well. Obviously, there were strategic considerations, like how we do future proof the brand in a way that will allow it to operate above and beyond just a functional reason for being?
I believe we were successful because now the industry is talking about BET as a master brand. I think the strength of a master brand is that it has an overarching positioning and promise, but it also broadens the shoulders of the brand; allowing us to enter into new business verticals, conversations, rooms and spaces that were not there before.
We saw the real beauty in the rebrand with Black Canvas. Stepping into an initiative like this can be scary for a company and shouldn’t be taken lightly. From the initial ideation to the execution, it was a herculean task. However, we wrote a very clear strategic brief and were clear in establishing success metrics. You have to be incredibly clear on what you’re trying to do and make sure you’re engaging the right people to come into the room and be a part of it because it is such a significant effort. So, as you can imagine, I am incredibly proud of the work and the team who helped bring it to the marketplace
Are there downsides of rebranding? Are there companies that you would advise against doing a “Brand Makeover”? Why?
I think when companies are not clear on who they are or who they are trying to serve, a rebrand can sometimes remove them too far from what people believe, perceive and value about the business. It’s important to understand what drives equity for the brand. Those specific things signal what’s unique and different about your brand versus another. Without knowing this, a rebrand can completely erode the equity that you’ve built.
Another reason I would advise against a rebrand would be if you are doing it for the sake of chasing trends. If there is no real understanding behind the why or the what, a rebrand could come across lacking authenticity. You really want to be incredibly thoughtful and strategic about a rebrand because it’s not about what you say, it’s what customers say or perceive. Quite honestly, the way the customer positions you could really put you in a different space and context all together. For instance, there’s a company that produces photography/film products that rebranded in a way that didn’t maximize its potential and larger cultural significance. Imagine if they focused on the why and elevated their purpose and promise to the notion of capturing moments that people cared about. If they moved beyond operating at a product level, they could have easily been as socially relevant as Instagram is today.
Can you share 5 strategies that a company can do to upgrade and re-energize their brand and image”? Please tell us a story or an example for each.
- Be clear about the strategic intent of the rebrand — For Black Canvas, we were crystal clear on what we wanted to change, why, and how. Because of that, we were able to direct our efforts to only those activities which would accomplish our goals and avoid those that distracted from our mission.
- Leverage data and insights on consumer perceptions around the brand — these insights allowed BET to anchor the work in a way that was closely connected to the value and perception of the brand and allowed room to create that north star.
- Identify and create a sense of ownership in success metrics — If you’re considering rebranding, there must be a reason why. Take some time early on in the rebrand planning to determine what metrics, both quantitative and qualitative, you want to shift. You’ll thank yourself later for it!
- Test how and where in the industry your brand plays and competes that brings growth to the organization — are you seeking to refresh the brand or are you seeking transformative growth? At BET it was both, but mainly wanting to support our ambition of driving transformative growth. As an example, the launch of BET Studios opened the aperture. We are no longer a network, but a larger content and media company who operates, plays and competes in a much larger ecosystem
- Invite a level of participation to the brand –The sign of a strong brand is when you can invite others to own a bit of it and allow freedom within a framework to inspire creativity and engagement.
In your opinion, what is an example of a company that has done a fantastic job doing a “Brand Makeover”. What specifically impresses you? What can one do to replicate that?
When you think about all those markers of a successful rebrand, BET has done that. For us, it is like a gift that keeps on giving in the smallest to the biggest ways. For the investment we put into the rebrand, the response we’ve received and goals we’ve hit are above and beyond anything we could’ve expected.
Another company that has done a really amazing job was Gucci. They were very intentional with their rebranding. Rebranding is above and beyond just your visual identity system, it’s also the tonality, the POV, and the voice. Gucci quickly communicated their action plan when things went south a couple of years ago when they faced consumer backlash after releasing what was perceived as culturally insensitive products and messaging. They were able to initiate a very robust strategy around their rebrand, which included every aspect of their organization. They launched a campaign called Gucci Changemakers, in which they thought about their brand in a unique way and also gave the brand over to emerging fashion designers. I’m certain it will be a case studies years from now on the equity and value they created for the brand over the last couple of years. Rebranding is not just the visual ID, it’s also the promise of the brand.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
I would love to empower the humanity movement. I think humanity focuses on someone’s potential, not their problems, and you try to look for the good in people. When I talk to young marketers or young people I mentor, I look at them by way of what’s possible for them. Humanity is where it starts. If we could look at each other and realize we’re all humans with hearts and souls with a sense of compassion and start treating individuals as equals, loving yourself and loving others, imagine what this world could be! It’s so simple and that’s the world I want my kids to live in. I think brands who can tap into that notion for the broader collective, the notion of really existing to identify similarities and not differences, will be really successful.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Sawabona” is a Zulu greeting and way of saying “hello,” but on a deeper level, it means I see you, and I’m committed to what’s possible for you and allowing you to be the best person you can be. There’s an investment in this notion “it takes a tribe.” If we could pause to truly see one another, imagine how powerful we can be.
Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” and that’s really important. That’s how I try to show up for my team, my family, and my friends.
How can our readers follow you online?
Thank you so much for these excellent insights! We wish you continued success in your work.
