The Chair of Family Business of the University of Valencia (CEFUV) promoted by the Valencian Association of Entrepreneurs (AVE), EDEM Business School, the Valencian Institute for the Study of Family Business (IVEFA), the Institute of Family Business (IEF) and the University of Valencia (UV), and sponsored by CaixaBank and Broseta, the Instituto de la Empresa Familiar (IEF) and the Universitat de València (UV), and sponsored by CaixaBank and Broseta, organised a breakfast meeting to explore the experiences of family businesses where the brand is linked to the family name.
On this occasion, the CEFUV counted on the participation of Carlos Juan, Commercial and Marketing Director of Vicky Foods, and Alberto Vericat, Director of Vericat Implantología, two family businesses with 70 and 25 years of experience respectively.
To begin with, Alejandro Escribá, Director of the Chair, introduced the speakers and highlighted the relevance of the subject addressed: the association of business brands with the names of the families that own them. "Brand management is a strategic aspect that is linked to the company's competitive strategy and to the reputational results of both the company and the family", Alejandro emphasised.
Alberto Vericat is a renowned dentist who has been a pioneer in immediate load implantology since 2002 and creator of the Vericat method, applied in his ten clinics in the Valencian Community and Madrid. He is also the founder and director of the Vericat Training Institute.
Carlos Juan represents the third generation of a multi-brand family food company with a global presence and more than 80,000 points of sale in Spain. His company, Vicky Foods, is a leader in confectionery and bakery products in Spain and is present in more than 60 countries. The company has three production centres and various initiatives in innovation and social action.
Both shared their experiences and discussed the implications of linking brands to family names.
During his speech, Carlos Juan said that "in a family business, the family has to be involved and be an example for the employees. He also stressed the importance of professionalising all the teams and knowing how to delegate. "It is necessary to have a very differentiated brand strategy and a very clear objective of where you want to go, always betting on people because they are the ones who best transmit the family values and the brand of a company", he emphasised.
He also wanted to stress that it is important not to work under the same brand. "At Vicky Foods we differentiate the commercial brand from the corporate brand that uses more formal channels. In the commercial brands, each one of them uses different policies and strategic plans".
For his part, Alberto Vericat said that "the association of the Vericat brand with my surname evokes a certain way of working with passion, excellence, commitment to the patient and a strong work ethic. If I, as a doctor, have a good reputation, this is transferred to the brand and that is the positive part because it generates trust and loyalty among patients". In addition, Vericat emphasised that a well-known surname can facilitate the building of solid relationships with stakeholders, as there is a face and a tangible story behind the brand.
Alberto has also expressed his hope that, if any of his children go into dentistry and join the company, they will value what has been built and maintain the values of passion and excellence that have characterised the Vericat brand for 25 years. Despite a possible generational handover, he is confident that the essence of the brand will be maintained, although improvements will be made and a personal imprint will be left.
Both agreed that personal brands are the ones that generate a bond of trust and more engagement. They also wanted to highlight the importance of internal marketing, the human quality we give to our customers, to be able to understand what they need and to see the people behind the company is what generates the greatest satisfaction in customers.
Simultaneously, the Chair has launched a workbook entitled "Keys to Brand Management in Family Businesses", authored by Emilio Llopis, PhD in Branding, professor at EDEM Escuela de Empresarios and partner at GLR Partners. This booklet deals in depth with the topics discussed at the event, providing tools and strategies for family businesses seeking to strengthen their brand.
Alejandro Escribá concluded the breakfast by summarising some of the main messages and learnings from the breakfast. He emphasised that the family business brand is associated with clear values that inspire confidence in customers and suppliers, and that generate a strong commitment for all employees and collaborators of the company. It also reflects the soul of the company and denotes that behind it there are people (family or not) who look after the reputation of the company and the maintenance of corporate values. This carries with it a great deal of responsibility. However, this responsibility does not indicate fear that the company's actions may negatively affect the family name, but rather an approach that conveys professionalism, integrity and involvement in satisfying the various stakeholders.
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