You can’t force a brand into existence – and you certainly can’t just glue it on. Brand building requires background analysis and knowledge of the competitive situation, target groups and the brand’s positioning in the market. Of course, you can create a brand of sorts without such work, but if that’s your approach, the direction you take may not be the right one. It’s foolhardy not to take matters into your own hands!

Every solution makes a difference. Do we look modern? And dynamic? Should we communicate sustainable values or innovations, for example? Do we win people over by appealing to their sense or their sensibilities? We all expect our own needs to be considered – a personal approach. Indeed, the most important thing is to focus on a brand’s core target groups instead of the masses and to direct your message to them. When communication is too general, it addresses no one.

Building a brand that stands out requires the courage to stand behind your words. A brand’s greatest enemy is indifference. That’s why you should base a brand on what makes the company and its products and services genuinely interesting. In other words, brand work demands imaginative ideas, the ability to throw yourself into your work and the boldness to stand out, taking advantage of the means and channels at your disposal in a variety of ways. There’s certainly room for creativity when you’re building a B2B brand!

The Metsä brand has demonstrably led the way in its industry in recent years. Our identity is built on a strong value base and the responsible use of our northern wood raw material. Our Intelligent Forest and Intelligent Fibre campaigns, and especially the Pro Nemus visitor centre we’ve launched at Äänekoski mill area are good examples of the new approach we’ve taken to brand communication. The centre gives visitors an opportunity to familiarise themselves with Metsä’s operations, products and innovations through interactive content and experiences. The visitors are carried away, get involved, and comment and do things themselves.

​The experience-based and interactive ways we use to tell people about our company will continue when Metsä Group opens Nemus Futurum – a demonstration estate focusing on sustainable forest and nature management – at Kirkniemi, Lohja, in the summer of 2019. Visitors will be introduced to Finnish forest management, the sustainable use of forests and what they produce in a completely new and original way. Among other things, they’ll gain first-hand knowledge of how good forest management impacts the climate and biodiversity.

A good brand is like a story that touches you, arouses emotions and provides you with something to relate to. A good story is something you remember – and in the best scenario, it is also retold.

So if we don’t make a big deal out of our great Metsä brand and aren’t proud of what we’ve achieved, why would anyone else be?