The COP28 climate conference held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was pivotal for governments and companies worldwide, not least in the Middle East. With the region facing growing pressure to diversify economies and accelerate sustainability efforts, brands and organisations must transform to stay relevant and competitive. This has increased interest in leveraging fractional executives, including fractional Chief Brand Officers (CBOs), to drive strategic transformation.

Fractional CBOs provide mission-critical expertise and outside perspective, enabling brands to evolve their purpose, messaging, and multi-stakeholder experience to align with a low-carbon future. By tapping Fractional CBOs following COP28, organisations across the Middle East can cost-effectively access the specialised skills needed to reposition their brands and unlock new opportunities for sustainable growth.

The climate emergency and global energy transition bring risks and possibilities for the region. Fractional CBOs can help Middle Eastern brands successfully navigate this new terrain. Post-COP28, fractional CBOs are appealing for leading branding and transformation initiatives.

What is a Fractional CBO?

A fractional Chief Brand Officer (CBO) is a branding expert brought into an organisation on a part-time or project basis rather than employed full-time. Unlike a traditional CBO who works exclusively for one company, a fractional CBO divides their time between multiple clients.

The fractional model allows companies to access CBO-level strategic expertise without the expense of hiring a full-time CBO. Fractional CBOs are typically engaged for specific projects or initiatives where their outside perspective can have an outsized impact. This model works well for organisations needing CBO-level guidance but not a full-time dedicated resource.

Fractional CBOs are an extension of the client's team, providing strategic branding counsel but not taking over day-to-day branding activities. They offer high-level expertise and an outside perspective while the client controls the branding strategy. The fractional model provides flexibility for both the client and the consultant.

Benefits of a Fractional CBO

Engaging a fractional Chief Brand Officer (CBO) can provide numerous advantages for organisations in the Middle East following COP28. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Cost Savings

Rather than hiring a full-time CBO, a fractional CBO allows you to access top talent and expertise as needed. This significantly reduces overhead and labour costs compared to a permanent executive salary and benefits package. Fractional CBO services are available on a monthly retainer, giving you budget predictability.

2. Strategic focus

A fractional CBO can provide laser focus on high-impact brand strategy and creative direction for your organisation. With undivided attention and no competing priorities, they can deeply partner with your team to elevate your brand positioning and identity. This leads to a breakthrough strategy rooted in your unique brand narrative.

3. Outside perspective

An external fractional CBO brings a fresh set of eyes to evaluate your brand with an unbiased, objective view. They provide an outsider perspective to pinpoint current brand gaps and opportunities for improvement. The fractional CBO offers invaluable insight you may be too close to see.

4. Flexibility

The project-based nature of a fractional CBO provides tremendous flexibility. You can scale their monthly hours up or down based on your changing business needs. You also avoid lengthy hiring and termination processes. This agility lets you pivot the fractional CBO's brand focus as priorities shift.

5. Expertise

A fractional CBO boasts deep branding expertise honed over years of experience. This high-calibre talent can be challenging to attract and retain full-time. A fractional CBO immerses entirely in your brand to shape a strategy rooted in proven methodologies. Your brand benefits from their specialised skill set on-demand.

1. Cost savings

A fractional CBO can provide significant cost savings for organisations compared to hiring a full-time chief brand officer. Fractional CBOs typically charge a monthly retainer fee, which covers a pre-determined number of monthly hours. This is often much less expensive than paying a full salary and benefits package to a full-time CBO.

Fractional CBOs also do not require dedicated office space or administrative support within an organisation. They operate remotely and independently, which avoids overhead costs associated with extra personnel. The fractional CBO handles their expenses.

Organisations get the expertise and strategic advice of a CBO without the fixed costs by only paying for the specific hours needed each month. The time-based model creates flexibility to scale up or down based on current needs.

A fractional engagement makes financial sense during slower business cycles or smaller projects. Rather than carry the costs of a full-time CBO, organisations can right-size their investment. The fractional model matches expenses to the brand strategy workload on an ongoing basis.

2. Strategic focus

A fractional CBO brings strategic focus and an outside perspective to an organisation's branding efforts. As an unbiased outsider, a fractional CBO can objectively evaluate the current brand strategy and identity. They can identify areas for improvement and growth. With extensive branding expertise, a fractional CBO can guide the organisation strategically regarding messaging, visual identity, customer experience, and more.

Rather than getting stuck in day-to-day marketing and communications tasks, a fractional CBO keeps the bigger picture in mind. They ensure the branding and messaging align with long-term business goals. A fractional CBO may advise repositioning the brand, developing a cohesive narrative, identifying target audiences, and selecting marketing channels. Their strategic guidance helps unify fractured branding efforts. A fractional CBO becomes a trusted advisor for executives and stakeholders. They provide an expert perspective on brand strategy while understanding the organisation's unique needs and challenges. The outside perspective of a fractional CBO brings objectivity and focus that drives growth and success.

3. Outside perspective

A fractional CBO can provide an objective outside perspective that internal marketing teams often lack. As external experts, fractional CBOs have no pre-existing biases and can assess the brand, marketing, and overall business strategy through a fresh lens.

This outside viewpoint allows a fractional CBO to identify blind spots that internal teams miss because they are too close to the day-to-day operations. An external CBO has the distance to see the big picture, spot gaps in branding and marketing, and recognise areas for improvement. With no politics or pre-existing relationships influencing them, a fractional CBO can make recommendations and suggest changes objectively based on the company's best interests.

Bringing in an unbiased expert from outside the organisation fuels innovation and new ideas. A fractional CBO will likely approach challenges in new ways that break conventions and push teams outside their comfort zones. Their unique strategies and solutions can catalyse growth and optimisation. Companies benefit enormously from this infusion of external thinking.

4. Flexibility

A fractional CBO provides flexibility that a full-time CBO may not. Organisations can scale the services up or down to meet changing business demands. For example, an organisation may only require 10 hours of CBO services during slower periods but increase to 30 hours weekly during a rebrand or growth initiative. The fractional model allows you to adjust services based on your needs.

This flexibility also applies to the expertise brought in. A fractional CBO can quickly bring in other specialists based on the project without hiring additional full-time staff. For instance, if the organisation lacks branding expertise in a vital area like social media, the fractional CBO can temporarily bring in a social media branding expert to fill the gap. Organisations get access to expanded expertise in a flexible manner.

Overall, a fractional CBO's on-demand nature and scalability provide the agility that enables organisations to optimise branding strategies and initiatives. Resources are used more efficiently since you only pay for the services you need when you need them.

5. Expertise

Hiring a fractional CBO provides access to top branding talent and experience that most organisations could not afford to bring on full-time. As independent contractors, fractional CBOs are seasoned branding experts with leadership positions at major companies and agencies. They have likely managed complex branding initiatives for Fortune 500 brands during their careers.

A fractional CBO brings:

• Deep branding strategy experience from uncovering a higher purpose, setting the vision and positioning for some of the world's most valuable brands;

• Mastery over branding best practices from planning research to creative execution;

• A keen understanding of brand architecture, identity systems, naming conventions, and design systems;

• Insights into brand transformation and repositioning projects for companies of all shapes and sizes;

• A talent for distilling complex brand narratives into crisp, compelling visual, verbal and experiential messaging;

• Strategic and creative leadership in guiding agencies and design partners to execute the company’s vision;

• The foresight to anticipate trends in perceptions and brand experiences; and

• Nuanced perspectives on brand performance tracking, measurement and valuation.

The expertise level of a fractional CBO is like having your mini branding agency at a fraction of the cost. Their specialised skills can provide immense value, especially for companies lacking branding leadership.

Who needs a Fractional CBO?

Many organisations can benefit from bringing on a fractional Chief Brand Officer (CBO). Here are some examples:

1. Growing companies

Rapidly scaling startups and small businesses often lack the resources for a full-time CBO. As they expand, aligning strategy, marketing, brand identity and messaging across the company becomes critical. A fractional CBO provides the expertise to guide a growing company without the high cost of a full-time executive.

2. Companies rebranding

Rebranding initiatives require experience to execute successfully. An outside fractional CBO can assess the current brand objectively and then lead a strategic rebranding that resonates across the organisation. They bring an expert perspective to modernise and align the brand to evolving business goals.

3. Companies lacking branding expertise

Some companies realise they need more brand strategy but lack the right in-house talent. A fractional CBO fills this gap by providing seasoned branding leadership as required. Their specialised expertise in brand development, positioning, and messaging helps strengthen the brand.

Close

Post-COP28, many Middle Eastern companies will look to reposition and strengthen their position in an ever-conscious, hyper-connected world. Hiring a fractional Chief Brand Officer can provide immense strategic benefits during this transition.

The fractional model provides cost savings, outside expertise, and flexibility that a full-time CBO may not. Companies can tap into the experience of a senior brand strategist without the expense of a permanent role. The fractional CBO also brings an objective external perspective to identify growth opportunities.

With their branding, marketing, and communications expertise, a fractional CBO can guide companies to refine their purpose, values, and positioning around sustainability. Rather than treating it as a separate initiative, they can integrate an eco-conscious brand strategy across the entire organisation.

The fractional model allows companies to scale support up or down as needed for specific branding projects. Following a major event like COP28, this is ideal, requiring brand re-evaluations across industries.

The fractional CBO model offers strategic branding guidance without the fixed cost of a full-time CBO. As Middle Eastern companies navigate a shifting climate landscape post-COP28, they can benefit immensely from the outside expertise of a fractional CBO. Their fresh perspective and specialised skills will allow brands to realign themselves around renewable energy and an environmentally-conscious future authentically.

Find out more

Adopting a Fractional CBO is a strategic move. It ensures that brands comply with new standards and lead the way in sustainable brand-building practices, which is crucial for long-term success. For more detailed insights on the role and benefits of a fractional CBO, visit firstwater.ae/fractional-cbo