Ten thoughts on branding
As business becomes ever more challenging, here are ten thoughts that relate to brands

Is it really a brand?
Lots of people start talking about brands that are not really brands at all, simply products or services. If it really is a brand, and really adds value, are you sure that it is legally all yours?

Does the brand have a future?
Many top companies will tell you that a brand that can’t make the top two in its category is a brand under threat. It may be a ‘challenger brand’, it may have potential, but then you have to ask where is the category going, and where is the future of the company?

Does the brand have the right support?
Financial, for starters, and is it from two to 20 per cent of revenue depending on the category? McDonald’s admitted underinvestment over the last three to four years in late 2003, opening the door for the competition. It is now busy closing that door. Now what about emotional support from the chairman down and the receptionist up? All must learn to live the brand.

Is the importance of the brand recognised?
In many companies the brands are the main assets, but is this recognised and understood? In the 100 Best Global Brands rankings, Interbrand/Citigroup estimated that around 36 per cent of the total market capitalisation comprised brand value. Not something to be looked after by amateurs.

Are you treating the brand-owning company as a brand?
Companies are brands in their own right, but do they have their own brand manager? Rarely. The growing importance of Corporate Reputation Management (CRM) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) could help change that.

Has the brand gone down or up in value?
Today you can measure most things and monitor them. This improves accountability, and also focuses the management of the brand by all those involved.

And why has the brand gone down or up?
Measuring Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI) means that marketing becomes less of a soft and fuzzy issue, and much more tangible. Marketing issues are less soft than people realise, and financial issues less hard.

Are marketing and brand management discussed in the boardroom?
If not, why not? Marketers are often criticised by fellow executives for not understanding financial fundamentals – a reason boardrooms are often without a marketer. But boardrooms are certainly discussing brands. The next step is to bring in the marketer.

Are you maximising your budgets effectiveness?
Consistency, focus and alignment of the total brand experience will immediately grow the equity. We are not simply talking of the marketing mix, we must co-ordinate all the touch points of the brand, and for many companies that includes investor relations and staff relations

Do you have too many brands?
Financially and emotionally do you have the ability to support your brand portfolio? Many don’t. In planning for the future we know one thing for certain: it will be more competitive. You had better have all your brands in good shape, and consider less rather than more. And make that corporate brand work as an endorser – as Unilever is doing.