Sam Osborn
Futureye Associate
Sam Osborn
Futureye Associate (Brand Management)
Sam advises C-Level and leadership teams on brand management and is dedicated to helping clients develop authentic and sustainable brands. He is focused on the discovery, development and implementation of ideas which enhance reputation (and brand value) and works with clients across a range of disciplines. These include research, ideation, brand development and positioning, marketing and communications, name development, design management and culture alignment.
Working with leading organisations across private and public sectors, in Australia & NZ his list of clients include ANZ, Bluescope, Coles, GE Money, Fonterra, McDonalds, NAB, Opera Australia, Telstra, The Arts Centre, Toyota, Tourism NZ and Zespri.
Sam was a founding director of the Australian arm of global consultancy Interbrand and CEO from 2002 to 2007. With senior management roles within organisations such as NAB, Royal Automobile Club (RACV) and more recently as Melbourne MD of Principals (Brand Strategy & Design) he has spent his career working in and on brand management.
When not advising on brands he is talking about them at conferences, client events and in the national media.
Skills:
- Vision, values and behaviours
- Brand strategy and positioning
- Stakeholder research and engagement
- Brand alignment, culture and communication
- Brand sustainability & asset management
- Naming & design management
Experience:
Vision and values work - An enduring relationship with a leading (ASX listed) engineering and construction firm started with the development of corporate vision and values to enhance internal and external reputation. Working with the MD and leadership team I led the research, ideation and brand strategy articulation. Internal visioning workshops, team behaviours and the agreed vision were all successfully implemented through train-the-trainer workshops.
Brand strategy and positioning - When a leading gas and electricity provider withdrew from the Australian Market the retail business needed a new name and identity and a strategy to underpin them. Market research in the consumer and business markets helped understand current competitive position and potential brand insights to leverage. The approved strategy exploited the strong brand equity factors but enabled a new lease of life, mitigating changeover risks and allowing the business to extend its market share.
Stakeholder research and engagement - Working as part of a global team we unearthed the critical issues in repositioning a global mining business in an increasingly carbon constrained economy. Leading the Australian market, my role included primary and secondary research, site visits and workshops with stakeholders throughout the organisation. As a global repositioning it required the mature handling of senior management, the workers on site and the issues at the centre of the business. Key recommendations from this market were taken to the London based Board of Directors.
Brand alignment, culture and communication - A leading performing arts business in Australia required a comprehensive stakeholder engagement program as part of the development of a new brand strategy. Internal and external stakeholders were engaged early in the process and were kept informed at key milestones throughout the project. Staff were involved in the development of the core values and are constantly encouraged to live those values whatever their role. All brand communications and design elements build on the brand idea and the strategy now informs everything from building architecture to in-house performances. Total brand alignment allows for the ulimate performing arts experience.
Corporate communications experience includes - Advising executive committees' on PR/Communication strategies; media and publicity planning; building a productive direct network of journalists; business writing and contribution to industry publications and stakeholder management.
Current Board Member - Australian Institute of Management (AIM) Victoria & Tasmania.
Former Board Member - Anex (Association for prevention and harm reduction programs Australia Inc) a national body which promotes harm reduction in relation to drug use. Anex is currently increasing its sphere of influence in government and general community.
Recent research - Authentic Brand Index 2008 study (Principals & Synovate) - Presenting to industry, clients and prospects in Melbourne including Design Victoria, Australia Post, Coles, Ford, HBA, Holden and Mazda. The study looks at the performance of 100+ brands in Australia against seven key drivers of brand authenticity (Visit: http://www.authenticbrandindex.com/)
Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Economics (Uni of Tas)
- Graduate Diploma Marketing (Monash)
- ADMA Direct Marketing (Melbourne)