Grant Thornton could be in a position to receive a boost due to high-flying audit client Templeton.

Its client is riding on a crest of a wave. They are, after all, just about to join the bluest of blue chips, due to enter the FTSE 100 in the next few weeks. But how much difference does the quality of your client list make to your brand?

A lot I would argue. Certainly, as a council member of the business Superbrands panel, we have spent quite some time discussing the key aspects in building a business super brand. Grant Thornton has done well in the recent past; ranking around the mid 200’s out of all business brands… punching way above its weight one could argue.

But let’s start at first base, while desperately trying not to educate in egg sucking.
A brand is made up of the recollections and reputations that take a business name and lift it to a new level of understanding and personality. Service brands, such as financial services businesses, marketing agencies, even legal practices are more reliant on the power of brand perception than any other industry sector I can think of.

There is a famous quote that these industries see their tangible assets leave the building every evening and arrive again the following morning. The key differentiator for service brands, aside from the individual staff, is the power of its intangible assets ­ that is the brand itself.

The key elements in delivering and developing the brand are famous work, famous staff and famous clients, all of which need to be wrapped up into a differentiating character which may be reflected through a brand logo and identity. These are the brand assets of a service brand.

Blending these assets will, over time, develop recollection and reputations within its sector and even the wider community.

So where does this leave us with the question of how does a new client win affect the brand perception? Success, in itself, is an incredibly important driver in delivering fame. In turn, fame drives every brand asset of the service business.

The recent success of Grant Thornton in proving its ability to punch yet higher, develop even greater respect, gain even more interest and win the big blues can only further enhance the Grant Thornton Brand.

Phil Nunn is a member of the Business Superbrand council and partner in Trinity Communications