Values bite back or schadenfreude?

McKinsey as a B2B brand is often described as the preeminent brand in the consulting sector and is well-admired outside it.

The conviction of Rajat Gupta, former Managing Director of McKinsey last Friday for insider trading inevitably has an impact on the McKinsey reputation. The natural response from outsiders is to say this will damage the brand, but I think that's the easy observation, tinged with a little bit of schadenfreude.

It has a strong brand  (a statement which until recently most observers would readily have agreed with) so it's not doom and gloom. Its brand should give McKinsey the cushion to move beyond this event. However unlike B2C brands that  can be seen publicly and actively responding after incidents  (e.g. J&J's rapid and open response to the Tylenol poisoning in the 1980s) and recover their positions, McKinsey is likely to work more in the background.

Looking at the McKinsey values reinforces the picture of an organsiation that will work hard to address this, but in the background . The values go all the way back to their to one of their early alumnus Marvin Bower. They are very focused on behaviours, which is the hallmark of strong values that differentiate, create real traction and in an orgasnisation. For now, McKinsey is likely to stay on our list of great B2B brand examples.

About Marcus

Corporate Edge's Director of Strategy