Selling a Vision

Abstract

HOW DO YOU MANAGE IDENTITY in a company that, at one point, had more than 1,200 distinct brands? This was the 3M challenge. In a saga that even now continues to evolve, Bruce Moorhouse relates how the corporation used design to streamline and strengthen its presence and reputation internationally without sacrificing its innovative, entrepreneurial culture. It's a story about developing a clear but flexible identity framework and the “selling” of that strategic vision by building consensus rather than by enforcing rules.