Is marketing and creative misalignment plaguing your multi-located brand?
For any enterprise brand, driving local brand compliance is an integral component of marketing success. In order to attract customers and retain them for the long haul, a local affiliate's marketing has to look and feel like the parent brand.
When it doesn't, things go seriously wrong.
As an industry-leading brand management software provider, we've seen this exact scenario play out time and time again. In most instances, investing in a digital asset management (DAM) solution is one of the first steps your brand should take to achieve corporate-local alignment.
DAM Reviews: The Best Digital Asset Management Solutions in 2019
Unfortunately, finding the right DAM for your brand is easier said than done. There are hundreds of distinct software solutions out there. Are there specific features and essentials that your brand must prioritize to achieve a positive return on investment?
Start by identifying the type of DAM technology that your business needs:
- Standalone: A general-purpose DAM designed to integrate with existing technologies for multi-channel output to websites, portals, and other systems.
- Modular: A series of DAM modules which can be used standalone or as a set of tools. In most instances, modules cover web management, applications web forms, workflows, and more.
- Integrated: A DAM designed to pre-integrate with a broader suite of marketing tools such as a marketing resource management solution.
- Distributed: A DAM designed specifically to meet the needs of distributed or multi-located brands.
After you've made a DAM type selection, prioritize the following software providers:
1. WebDAM
WebDAM is a standalone DAM solution designed specifically for large brands. It's a cloud-based software-as-a-service via web access. WebDAM is trusted by Kawasaki, Alaska Airlines, Norwegian Cruise Line, Starbucks, and others.
Features and Benefits:
- Unite teams, assets, and workflow on one common platform
- Create a dynamic source of brand truth that easy to adapt and distribute
- Save time by providing self-serve access and automating fulfillment requests
"With one central location for people to find files, guidelines, images, and inquire about projects, we are much more efficient in providing people what they need, and ensuring brand compliance," says Gayla W.
2. Widen
Widen's digital asset management solutions power brand management, creative workflows, and content lifecycles for the world's most powerful brands including Brooks, Organic Valley, Great Clips, Trek, and others. Widen offers professional services and consulting for clients new to DAM. Additionally, Widen handles a lot of digital content production including design, workflow management, and more.
Features and Benefits:
- Create a searchable and shareable library of brand assets
- Publish content across different channels and platforms
- Review, annotate, and approve project files
"The DAM interact is quick and easy to use, the reporting capabilities are robust, and the security allows a lot of flexibility. In addition, we love the Portals, which allows us to provide assets to our non-users," says Barbara M.
3. CampaignDrive
CampaignDrive is a self-service brand management tool designed specifically for the unique needs of distributed and multi-located brands such as Marriott, The Melting Pot, Wellbiz Brands, and Polaris.
As a recognized and industry-leading marketing on demand provider, CampaignDrive currently supports more than 100 multi-location brands and over 100,000 local marketers (franchisees, dealers, and retailers).
CampaignDrive is designed to introduce automation into local marketing execution. CampaignDrive offers a DAM that is sufficient for many businesses . However, software administrators can easily integrate with other robust software solutions.
Features and Benefits:
- Dynamic templates designed for specific, compliant edits by distributed partners
- Ability to control content access by partner role, geography, or other factors
- Usage analytics
Additionally, CampaignDrive pricing is based upon the value that your business achieves through system usage. This pricing model supports an unlimited number of users and locations. Additionally, training and support teams are always available to orient your brand towards increased system adoption and success.
"The software has everything we need to provide brand approved material to our franchise system," says Karen G, Senior Graphic Designer at Wellbiz Brands. "It is easy to utilize for all skill levels and is a perfect match for our growing franchise needs."
Are you ready to speak with a brand management expert?
4. Aprimo
Aprimo helps enterprises deliver engaging customer experiences by enabling marketers to easily manage images, videos, documents, and other assets across different stages of content lifecycles. Aprimo helps system administrators deliver the right content at the right time to the right audience.
Features and Benefits:
- Agile customer experiences through streamlined review cycles and collaboration
- Create localized content variations
- Rich content insights
"Easy to select assets to create a job, assign, create a collection, etc. User permission assigning is a simple process, allowing you to grant access to both asset and classification level. Visually easy to browse through classification structure," says Dana C.
5. Canto
Canto is a leading digital asset management platform. This software allows administrators to effortlessly organize and manage entire catalogs of content including images, videos, documents, and more. Additionally, Canto's simple and intuitive administrative dashboard offers a clear overview of digital asset storage, usage, and more.
Features and Benefits:
- Add descriptive tags, keywords, and custom metadata
- Preview visual content within a gallery-style interface
- Permissions and groups capabilities
CampaignDrive Powers Global Brands
If you're considering investing in a distributed DAM solution, know that it will drastically improve the operational and organizational efficiency of your multi-located brand. Finding the right piece of software for your organization empowers local affiliates to execute on-brand marketing initiatives. Moreover, distributed teams can sleep soundly knowing that local affiliates are developing consistent customer experiences through compliant marketing.
To take it to the next level, download our free guide. Inside, we'll give you all the campaigns, creative strategies, and templates used by the world's most successful multi-located brands. 
