The Brand Behind the Royal Family
The Royal Family has been present on the world’s stage for decades, but their presence was magnified with the passing of Her Royal Majesty, the Queen. Queen Elizabeth II made the monarchy a global brand like none other in history ... and she did it with poise and dignity. But how does a monarch build an internationally revered brand? With emotional impact, excellent storytelling, and continuity.
The Royal Family brand is so powerful it defines an entire nation to others worldwide. It is a package that includes the crown, the royal family, commonwealth countries, and the estates and buildings associated with the crown. The brand is so powerful, in fact, many companies and institutions will cobrand themselves alongside the royal family, using the royal imagery to show solidarity with the crown.
The Visual Elements
The monarchy’s brand includes the requisite visual elements that set the stage for all brands. Like a corporate logo, the royal monogram was one visual element for Queen Elizabeth that was instantly recognizable anywhere in the world. Another element is the royal coat of arms that existed before the queen’s rule.
The Voice
The royal coat of arms has the benefit of branding far beyond royal communications, as companies mark their packages as a form of co-branding. Products may only be granted Royal Warrants of Appointment if fit for use by the Queen, and Royal Appointments are a brand association for those that meet those exacting standards.
Organizations granted the use of the royal prefix through a Royal Charter include institutions like the Royal Melbourne Technical College, the Royal Institute of British Architects, and the Royal Canadian Legion. The Queen granted each use of the Royal prefix after these institutions had applied to the Cabinet Office.
The voice of these appointments and their use denotes excellence.
The Mission
The Queen’s brand sets expectations of what can be expected from the brand, which is authentic and valued by all stakeholders. During the Queen’s reign, she spoke of a life of service to the people, putting them before herself.
When the Queen spoke of service, she conveyed the Royal Brand’s values.
The Values
The Queen always met the expectations of the Royal Brand, resulting in the biggest brand in the world. A brand with values that meet expectations is an enduring brand.
Among the most important values for a royal are behaving in a manner befitting her position, staying relevant to the commonwealth, and accommodating change as needed. She never behaved inappropriately, showed no political preferences, and recognized generational changes.
The Voice
Queen Elizabeth gave the brand a definitive voice through pageantry, celebrating the achievements of others, being there for the commonwealth in times of pain, and upholding the dignity of the monarchy. She used the tone of service and tradition to reflect the brand and meet the people's expectations. Her voice was one of humility and reverence for tradition.
The Vision
A vision defines the brand moving forward, and Queen Elizabeth did precisely that by having a vision of what the Royal Brand needs to reflect. That vision is evident in King Charles's expectations of what to do and carry forward to maintain the brand.
The brand established by the Queen created significant value, not just for the Royal family but for all the British people. Using the five elements of establishing and building a brand identity, the Queen made the Royal Brand the most valuable worldwide.
