Broad experience in building the most prestigious Finnish and Nordic brands:
Lumene
Hackman
Stockmann
Iittala
Arabia
Ursula Blässar (MSc)
Brand strategist and innovator of commercial operations.
Ursula's experience, know-how and results-oriented approach are suitable for business development of both small and large companies.
More than 25 years of experience in brand building, international consumer marketing and sales with the most prestigious brands in Finland
Has lead key commercial functions from product development, to marketing and sales, and has been responsible for numerous large scale turn around projects.
Since 2016, has worked as an independent entrepreneur and helped several B2C and B2B companies in different sectors clarify their brand strategies, turn it into action and improve customer experience and work motivation of the personnel.
Ursula has a collaborative way of working, involving and committing the people to the change. Aligning the company culture with the strategic objectives.
Board roles
10/2022 –
05/2017–05/2021
04/2020 –
01/2017 –
04/2019 -09/2020
03/2016 –09/2020
08/2017 –06/2023
06/2014 -
Services
Crystallising the Brand:
Strengthen the Market Position
A well-defined brand strategy is essential for establishing a strong identity and presence in the market. It serves as the foundation of who we are, guiding our actions and communications. A brand strategy ensures that your messaging is clear, cohesive, and effectively communicates your brand's values and promises to your target audience. It defines, among other things, the core purpose, positioning within the marketplace and in the minds of customers, customer benefits, value proposition, and visual and verbal identity—all tools necessary to deliver a distinctive brand and top-notch customer experience.
Brandassador provides expert analysis of your brand's current state, guides you in uncovering key opportunities, and assists in defining a strategic future direction for the brand. This collaboration will result in a cohesive brand strategy that is aligned with the brand's core values and business goals
The objective is to establish a distinctive brand, improve customer experience and work motivation of the personnel as well as increase business productivity.
Turning Strategy into Action: Fulfilling the Brand Promise
A well-defined brand establishes a solid foundation for all business operations. The brand's promises set the stage, and the customer experience delivers—meaning what we convey in our messaging must be matched by our actions. Cultivating a brand through experiences and deeds is a holistic approach that spans across all company functions and necessitates collaborative efforts from every employee.
Brandassador specializes in actualizing brand strategies, ensuring that teams comprehend the goals and understand the contributions required from various departments and individuals. Our methodology is engaging and motivational. We work hand-in-hand with your staff, actively involving them in the evolution and fostering a sense of ownership in the brand's journey.
The objective is to establish a distinctive brand, improve customer experience and work motivation of the personnel as well as increase business productivity.
Case: Leopolis Hotel, Lviv, Ukraine
Leading with identity. A Strategic Journey to Unique Guest Experience.
At Brandassador, we pride ourselves on partnering with Leopolis Hotel, a unique boutique hotel nestled in the heart of Lviv, Ukraine. Link Recognized as Lviv's premier hotel and a benchmark for excellence, the Hartwall family, owners of Leopolis Hotel, embarked on a strategic voyage with us to refine their vision, brand identity, and customer engagement strategy amid an increasingly competitive landscape. From the outset, it was apparent that aligning the diverse perspectives of the hotel's management and the owners was crucial. To bridge this gap, we established a core team comprising management, key staff, board members, and owners, fostering a unified approach and dedication to the project. Our collaboration was structured around four pivotal stages: 1. Analysis of the Current State: This initial phase involved a deep dive into the market dynamics and the hotel's clientele, blending insights with foresight to lay a solid foundation for strategic planning. 2. Defining the Leopolis Brand and Customer Strategy: Here, we articulated the hotel's ambitions, core values, market positioning, and the essence of the Leopolis identity and its guests, setting the stage for a differentiated brand experience. 3. The Leopolis Experience: The culmination of our strategy focused on conceptualizing a holistic customer experience. We identified three key experience drivers—offering, service, and atmosphere—as fundamental building blocks to meet and exceed guest expectations, thereby solidifying the hotel's unique identity and market position. The creation of the Leopolis Experience handbook, complete with a manifesto and practical examples, served as a roadmap for bringing the brand to life across all guest interactions. Central to the strategy's success was a focus on leadership, cultivating a strong company culture, and reinforcing core values. 4. Mentorship and implementation support. To make sure the developed brand strategy is viable and working, local management team received constant support on bringing the strategy to life, adapting to changing market conditions with specific tactical plans, but staying true to the core principles and values. It comprised mentorship sessions, attracting industry experts, arranging experience exchange tours, on-site visits, communication and CSR projects and other components. Leopolis Hotel's journey through challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant renovation project, and navigating the complexities of a full-scale invasion, tested the resilience and agility of the brand. Under the guidance of a strong people leadership and the dedication of the Leopolis family—the hotel's staff—Leopolis Hotel has not only weathered these storms but has also emerged stronger, maintaining its identity and delivering positive outcomes. A key to our strategy's success was the inclusive involvement of the hotel's personnel from the beginning with open and transparent communications, ensuring that the Leopolis spirit was not just preserved but also strengthened, ready to welcome guests with renewed vigor and a commitment to excellence.
"Brandassador Ursula Blassar at Leopolis Advisory Board was the key reason I took this job during the pandemic, first as a head of Customer Experience and then GM. Not many SME in Ukraine, especially in hospitality, have a clear brand strategy with all key elements put together and aligned with owner’s long-term vision. Leopolis Hotel Lviv had it all. When I saw Leopolis Experience document, reflecting all latest industry trends, references, research findings and brand identity developed, I realized I’d like to implement it. 4 years of Ursula’s constant support, guidance, consultations, connecting our team with industry experts in Finland, getting timely, clear and constructive feedback led us to the desired result: absolutely renowned property with unique experience, valued and profitable brand, higher rating, dedicated on-site team and loyal customers keeping returning even despite the war. It definitely won’t happen without Ursula’s leadership.”
-Kateryna Matiushchenko, General Manager, Leopolis Hotel, Lviv, Ukraine
Case: Asiakaslupaus eläväksi: ProAgrian tie kohti yhtenäistä brändikokemusta.
Kun ProAgria, maatilojen ja maaseutuyritysten kehittämiseen erikoistunut valtakunnallinen asiantuntijaorganisaatio, lähestyi Brandassadoria, heillä oli selkeä toimeksianto: uudistaa brändi vastaamaan strategiaa. Strategiauudistuksen myötä oli noussut tarve uudistaa ProAgrian brändi sen mukaiseksi ja sitä kautta vahvistaa asiakassuhteita ja nostaa näkyvyyttä. Yhteistyön alussa lanseerattiin teesi ”brändi lupaa ja asiakaskokemus lunastaa”. Brändilupaus luo asiakkaille odotukset ja nämä lupaukset tulee toiminnalla ja teoilla lunastaa. Tämä oli kantava ajatus läpi koko prosessin, johon osallistettiin laajasti henkilöstö mukaan.Uudistuksella pyrittiin luomaan vahva tunne ja mielikuvayhteys brändiin. Projekti oli kaksivaiheinen, jossa ensin keskityttiin brändistrategian määrittelemiseen ja sen jälkeen strategian jalkauttamiseen. 1. ProAgria brändin kirkastus ja asiakaslupaus. Projektin alussa teimme kattavan nykytilan kartoituksen, johon sisältyi asiakas-, henkilöstö- ja sidosryhmätutkimuksia. Halusimme varmistaa, että ymmärsimme brändin lähtökohdan, muutoksen tarpeet ja projektin mahdolliset haasteet. Varmistimme, että kaikilla on selkeä ymmärrys siitä, mitä tehdään. Yhdessä loimme ProAgrian brändistrategian, jossa määriteltiin identiteetti, asemointi ja asiakkaalle tuotettu hyöty. Asiakaslupaus heijasti heidän missiotaan ja visiotaan, keskittyen luotettavaan kumppanuuteen, edelläkävijyyteen ja konkreettisiin ratkaisuihin. Kuratoidun kumppanin kanssa uudistimme myös ProAgrian visuaalisen ilmeen,, tukemaan uutta brändistrategiaa. 2. Asiakaskokemus lunastaa brändin lupauksen. Seuraavaksi piirsimme polun nykytilasta tavoitetilaan. Mielikuva ProAgriasta muodostuu asiakaskohtaamisissa, jolloin keskeisessä roolissa olivat yhteiset toimintatavat ja yrityskulttuuri. Osallistimme ProAgrian henkilöstön aktiivisesti prosessiin, keskustellen jokaisen roolista ja panoksesta muutoksessa. Suunnitelmat vietiin käytäntöön "#onnistumme yhdessä" -periaatteen mukaisesti. Oli innostavaa nähdä, kuinka ProAgrian henkilöstö omaksui uudet toimintamallit ja -tavat. Uusi ilme ja brändin henki vietiin käytäntöön johdonmukaisesti kaikissa kohtaamispisteissä, vahvistaen ProAgrian asemaa luotettavana kumppanina maaseudun elinvoiman kehittämisessä.
”Aloitimme ProAgrian brändin uudistamisen vuonna 2021 toimintatapojen ja graafisen ilmeen kautta. Projektissa sitoutimme koko henkilöstön mukaan alusta lähtien ja loimme vahvan pohjan projektille asiakas-, henkilöstö- ja sidosryhmätutkimuksilla. Eteneminen oli suunnitelmallista, varmaa ja juuri sopivissa erissä toteutettua. Opimme matkan aikana paljon brändin rakentamisesta. Työstimme viestinnän ja kanavamme toistamaan kokonaisuutta. Vieläkin korvissamme soi lause, että brändi lupaa ja asiakaskokemus lunastaa. Se antoi meille uskoa, että olemme oikealla polulla toimintatapojen uudistamisessa ja sitä kautta paremman asiakaskokemuksen saavuttamisessa. Lopputuloksena saimme uudistetun ja ennen kaikkea arjessa toimivan brändin, joka sisältää uudet toimintatavat ja polut niihin, vahvan asiakaslupauksen, toimivat viestit ja uskottavan uuden graafisen ulkoasun. Kokonaisuus, joka ei jätä ketään kylmäksi.
Kiitos tästä kaikesta on kumppanimme Brandassador Ursula Blässarin, jonka vahva ammattitaito, kokemus ja näkemys olivat asioita, joihin luotimme ja luotamme. Ursulan positiivinen suhtautuminen asioihin ja silti napakka eteneminen sulatti meidän sydämemme. Voimme myös kuulla, että Ursulan sydän sykkii suomalaiselle ruoalle, maataloudelle ja maaseudulle. Molemminpuolinen onnistuminen.”
– Suvi Anttila, Yhteiskuntasuhde- ja vastuullisuusjohtaja, ProAgria Keskusten Liitto. Suvin vastuualueeseen kuuluu myös ProAgria -brändi
Case: Hartwall Invest Oy
“We have been fortunate to work with Ursula for many years across the leisure and consumer industry. As consultant and board member, she has provided valuable advice around branding, customer strategies and key recruitments. She brings a strategic, long-term perspective and through her extensive network, can help the company get the right resources needed. Ursula has a collaborative approach and both companies and colleagues find her easy to work with. She is engaging and committed to making each project successful. I can highly recommend.”
–Niclas Diesen, CEO, K.Hartwall Invest Oy
