Consultant BDO is further expanding its consultancy services to companies by participating in the brand strategy agency Pavlov. With this, it responds to the increased demand for brand building and strategic positioning advice. “According to our company barometer*, branding is high on the agenda in as many as 63% of companies and we see the same with our clients. Thanks to Pavlov's expertise, we can also support companies with this,” said Peter Van Laer, CEO of BDO Belgium.
Besides its traditional areas of expertise such as accountancy, BDO increasingly focuses on a broad range of consultancy. To assist companies from A to Z with all kinds of issues, in an innovative way. In June, BDO therefore also participated in energy player Odot, now followed by a participation in specialist brand consultant Pavlov.
This independent niche player, founded in 2016 by experienced brand strategists Michaël and Stef Verbeeck, specialises in brand strategy challenges; such as positioning, customer experience, brand culture and brand identity. Because of this expertise, it has built an impressive portfolio of references with well-known brands in recent years.
“We notice that companies do not always know how to make a brand a valuable asset for their business,” Peter Van Laer points out. “For example, in restructuring, we see that the right positioning of a brand can contribute to its success. On top of this, during acquisition processes, we see that companies have many questions around positioning, culture, customer experience and the possible rebranding associated with such an operation.”
Brand strategy proves top priority
In general, companies are also much more engaged in strategic thinking about their brand identity and culture. “Our Company Barometer shows that further developing their brand and positioning is in the top 5 of investment plans among companies,” says Peter Van Laer. “We are therefore pleased that we will be able to support them in this together with Pavlov.”
“That symbiosis works both ways,” adds Pavlov's Stef Verbeeck. “Our clients recognise how business-critical their brand is and what impact a solid brand strategy has on aspects such as sales, communication and HR. A strong brand makes things possible, and like BDO, we assist our clients especially during times of growth and transformation. Through the partnership with BDO, we can substantiate our advice even better and deepen our niche without broadening it.”
Pavlov is an independent niche consultant in branding based in Antwerp. Based on the belief that strong brands make things possible, the team of experts advises various clients (from start-ups and SMEs to enterprises and governments) on brand strategy, customer experience, brand culture, brand identity and tactical communication.
