How To Train Staff On Brand Identity Principles

At Disney, culture comes before instruction. Before a Cast Member learns how to operate a ride, greet a guest, or sell popcorn, they attend "Traditions"—a powerful orientation that introduces them to the heartbeat of the company. It’s not just about policies or logistics—it’s about identity. Because The Walt Disney Company knows that when people understand the why, the what becomes more meaningful. As leaders and creatives, we can learn from this by treating culture not as background noise, but as the first and loudest song our team hears. If you want your people to embody your mission, you have to train the story before you train the system. Here are three ways to do that: • Host a "First Day Experience" That Sets the Tone Rather than diving straight into paperwork and procedures, create a welcome experience that introduces new team members to your values, story, and vision. A creative agency could start each new hire’s journey with a founder-led "culture tour"—a 90-minute storytelling session over coffee that walks them through the company’s origin, creative philosophy, and favorite project wins. Bonus: give them a "welcome kit" that visually represents the brand’s identity and tone. • Create a Culture Book or Manifesto Disney has their Four Keys. What are yours? Whether it’s printed, digital, or interactive, put your core values into a document that feels less like a manual and more like a mission. A nonprofit could develop a Culture Manifesto with short stories, team mottos, behind-the-scenes photos, and quotes from leaders and clients. Make it creative and easy to revisit—not just a dusty PDF in a shared drive. • Pair New Hires with a Culture Keeper Information is helpful, but people make it stick. Assign each new hire a "culture buddy"—someone who’s not just experienced, but passionate about the mission. A children’s ministry could pair new volunteers with seasoned leaders who model the heart behind the ministry—not just the procedures. Let them shadow, ask questions, and see the why in action. Training the culture first isn’t about delaying productivity. It’s about ensuring that when your team starts doing the work, they’re already aligned, inspired, and ready to represent your mission well. Disney doesn’t gamble with its culture—and neither should we. Disneyland Resort Walt Disney World Disney Institute

Without internal alignment, your brand will fracture externally. The best brands start from the inside out. Your logo might be beautiful. Your messaging might be sharp. But if your team doesn’t understand or embody the brand — it shows. Employees are brand ambassadors… whether trained or not. And misalignment internally always leaks into the customer experience. → Framework Model: The Inside-Out Brand Alignment Loop 1. Belief → Do employees understand the “why” behind the brand? 2. Behavior → Are they empowered to act in alignment with it? 3. Experience → Is the culture felt at every customer touchpoint? → When those three break down, you get: ↳ Inconsistent messaging ↳ Brand promises not lived out ↳ Confused teams = confused customers Let’s flip that. → Things to put into motion: ↳ Make brand onboarding part of team onboarding. ↳ Share brand values as decision filters — not wall posters. ↳ Use internal language that mirrors your external promise. When your people get it, your customers feel it. Clarity becomes culture. And culture becomes competitive edge. → 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂: Does your team understand your brand as well as your customers do? → 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲: What’s the biggest barrier to internal brand alignment? A) Vague mission/values B) Siloed departments C) Leadership disconnect D) No consistent training → Vote + add your own experience in the comments. → Let’s unpack it ⬇️

This is one of my favorite quotes. That may be surprising coming from a marketing guy. This is a wake-up call that it's not enough for your marketing team or agency to embrace your brand promise. If your whole company does not buy into it, you will fail to deliver. The hallmark of strong brands is consistency. They are consistent in how they deliver on their brand promise at every touchpoint. So whether someone visits your website, reads a press release, uses your product, walks into your store, sits down with one of your salespeople, calls your customer service number, or reads a social media post, everything feels like it's coming from the same place. Because like it or not, EVERYTHING either strengthens or weakens your brand. So how do you achieve this consistency? Get your entire ELT involved in crafting your brand strategy, then workshop it with the entire company. Daunting task, for sure, but the returns are immense. Branding is not just a marketing task. It’s a company-wide mission. Everyone must understand and support the brand. This unity leads to a consistent brand experience across all touchpoints. Here are 10 ways to ensure your entire team buys into the brand promise: 1. Share the brand story with everyone in the company. 2. Train all employees on brand values and mission. 3. Encourage employees to live the brand values daily. 4. Recognize and reward those who embody the brand. 5. Create a culture of open communication about the brand. 6. Involve employees in brand strategy discussions. 7. Use brand visuals and language in all internal materials. 8. Provide resources for employees to understand the brand better. 9. Gather feedback from employees on brand perception. 10. Celebrate brand successes together as a team. The best brands are built from the inside out. When everyone is aligned, the brand shines through. Your brand is your promise to the world. Make sure everyone is on board. If you'd like to know more about how I've done it before, comment below. BTW, does anyone know who said that quote? I always thought it was a Toyota CEO, but I'd love to know! #brand #strategy #collaboration #changemanagement