Answer the case questions

Marketing Excellence Ac.com Web site), which would help the firm retain some of its former brand equity. At midnight on December >> Accenture 31, 2000, Andersen Consulting officially adopted the Accenture name and launched a global advertising, mar- Accenture was launched as the Administrative Accounting keting, and communications campaign targeting senior Group in 1942 and was the consulting arm of accounting executives at its clients and prospects, all partners and firm Arthur Andersen. In 1989, it became a separate busi- employees, the media, leading industry analysts, potential ness unit focused on IT consulting and bearing the name recruits, and academia. Andersen Consulting. At that time, though it was earning The results were quick and impressive. Accenture's $1 billion annually, Andersen Consulting had low brand brand equity increased 11 percent the first year, and the awareness among information technology consultancies number of firms that inquired about its services increased and was commonly mistaken for its corporate parent. To 350 percent. Awareness of the company's breadth and build a strong brand and separate itself from the account- depth of services reached 96 percent of its previous level, ing firm, Andersen Consulting launched the first large and awareness of Accenture as a provider of manage- scale advertising campaign in the professional services ment and technology consulting services already topped area. By the end of the decade, it was the world's largest 76 percent of its previous level. These results enabled management and technology consulting organization. Accenture to successfully complete a $1.7 billion IPO in In 2000, following arbitration against its former par- July 2001. ent, Andersen Consulting was granted full independence Accenture believed its differentiator was the abil- from Arthur Andersen but had to relinquish the Andersen ity both to provide innovative ideas-ideas grounded name. Andersen Consulting was given three months to in business processes as well as IT-and to execute find a name that could be trademarked in 47 countries, them. Competitors such as McKinsey were seen as was effective and inoffensive in more than 200 languages, highly specialized at developing strategy, whereas other was acceptable to employees and clients, and corre- competitors such as IBM were seen as highly skilled in sponded with an available URL. The effort that followed technological implementation. Accenture wanted to be was one of the largest and most successful rebranding seen as excelling at both. As lan Watmore, its UK chief, campaigns in corporate history. explained: "Unless you can provide both transformational The company's new name came from one of consulting and outsourcing capability, you're not going to the company's own consultants at its Oslo office. As win. Clients expect both." part of an internal name-generation initiative dubbed In 2002, Accenture unveiled a new positioning state- "Brandstorming," he submitted the Accenture name be- ment, which reflected its role as a partner that helped cre- cause it rhymed with "adventure" and suggested an ate strategies and execute them. The tagline "Innovation "accent on the future." The name also retained the "AC" Delivered" was supported by the statement "From innova- of the original Andersen Consulting name (echoing the tion to execution, Accenture helps accelerate your vision." 236 PART 3 CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS As part of its new commitment to helping clients achieve In 2011, Accenture launched the "Greater Than" their business objectives, Accenture also introduced a campaign to an international audience across 35 coun- policy whereby many of its contracts contained incentives tries. The campaign highlighted successful case studies that it realized only if specific business targets were met. from clients like Unilever, Starwood Hotels, and Caterpillar For instance, a contract with British travel agent Thomas and focused on Accenture's capabilities in areas such as Cook was structured such that Accenture's bonus de emerging technologies and globalization. The company pended on five metrics, including a cost-cutting one. conducted extensive research to ensure that its brand In late 2003, Accenture built upon the "Innovation positioning-"High performance. Delivered." -was not Delivered" theme and announced its new tagline, "High only effective but also still relevant to business leaders. Performance. Delivered," along with a campaign that fea- Lastly, Accenture created a new marketing twist to the tured golf superstar Tiger Woods as spokesperson. When campaign. The "greater than" symbol, >, which had al- Accenture sought Woods as its spokesperson, the athlete ways appeared in the Accenture logo, was pulled out and was at the top of his game-the world's best golfer with used as a major element of the campaign. It appeared on an impeccable image and an ideal symbol of high perfor- cabs and billboards in major cities and became a critical mance. Accenture's message communicated that it could unifying element across all Accenture's print, digital, and help client companies become "high-performing business social media as well as among employees. leaders," and the Woods endorsement drove home the Today, Accenture continues to excel as a global man- importance of high performance. agement consulting, technology services, and outsourc- Over the next six years, Accenture spent nearly $300 ing company. Its clients include 99 of the Fortune Global million in ads that mostly featured Tiger Woods, alongside 100 and more than three-quarters of the Fortune Global slogans such as "We know what it takes to be a Tiger" 500. The company ended fiscal 2013 with revenues of and "Go on. Be a Tiger." The campaign capitalized on $28.6 billion and has a brand value close to $9 billion. Woods's international appeal, ran all over the world, and became the central focus of Accenture-sponsored events Questions such as the World Golf Championships and the Chicago Marathon. 1. How does Accenture target its B-to-B audience so effectively? That all changed when the scandal surrounding Tiger Woods, his extramarital affairs, and his indefinite absence 2. Evaluate Accenture's history of branding campaigns. from golf hit the press in late 2009. Accenture dropped What remains consistent throughout? Woods as a spokesperson, saying he was no longer a Sources: Accenture.com, Annual Reports, Accenture.com; "Lessons Learned from Top good fit for its brand. Indeed, focus groups showed that Fimms Marketing Blunders." Management Consultant International December 2003.p. 1; Sean consumers were too distracted by the scandal to focus Calahan, "Tiger Tees Off in New Accenture Campaign, BtoB Magazine, October 13, 2003, p. 3; on Accenture's strategic message. Accenture found itself Inside Accenture's Biggest UK Client," Management Consultant International, October 2003, pp. in familiar territory and worked on developing and execut- 1-3; "Accenture's Results Highlight Weakness of Consulting Market," Management Consultant International, October 2003, pp. 8-10; Accenture Re-Branding Wins UK Plaudits," Management ing a groundbreaking campaign that not only resonated Consultant International October 2002, p. 5, Mary Elen Podmolik, "Accenture Turns to Tiger for Global across the world and translated appropriately into differ- Marketing Effort." BtoB Magazine, October 25, 2004: Sean Callahan, "Tiger Tees Off in New Accenture Campaign. BtoB Magazine, October 13, 2003, Emily Steel,"After Ditching Tiger, Accenture Tries New ent cultures but also elevated Accenture's brand to the Game." Wall Street Journal, January 14, 2010, "Best Global Brands 2012, Interbrand. next level