Brands (companies, organisations or people - who ultimately are personal brands) fulfil this need through thought leadership. As a brand, you contribute unique knowledge, ideas or insights about a specific theme. 

Thought leadership can have a wide range of consequences for a brand:

• Generate societal impact – in line with the brand’s purpose
• Reinforce market position or achieve growth
• Strengthen the brand’s reputation

With a smart and well-planned thought leadership strategy, you as a company can define and steer social agenda. Which is much better, of course, than having to deal with the effects reactively and defensively.

For brands, developing thought leadership requires a strategic balancing act:

• Which themes or issues can you stake a credible claim to? 
• Which ones are strategically relevant? 
• Which thought leaders are your competitors and what’s their story? 
• How do you convey your message to the outside world?

Think BBDO has extensive experience in the development of thought leadership strategies. We know like no other what is involved and closely monitor the evolution of major societal issues. 

The starting point is always an external environmental analysis. Naturally we also consider the brand’s purpose. We then jointly map issues and stakeholders and draw up a communication plan.

Finally, Think BBDO also gives advice and provides support for the fieldwork that is involved in thought leadership: from media training to spokespeople and from presentation techniques to content marketing.