Before I go any further, I must make an important distinction. This article concerns driving a brand’s growth within an existing category. As such, it is likely to return less growth than launching a brand into a country with a fast-growing economy or extending an existing brand into a completely new category. However, most marketers still need to fight for market share and to do so successfully should bear these ten actions in mind.
When strategically executed, extending the brand via licensing is a well-proven growth strategy. Brand Licensing enables:
The classical economic perspective holds that perfectly competitive markets are characterized by undifferentiated products sold based only on price. Any departure from such a characterization is viewed as evidence of an imperfect market. This view of markets has given rise to strategic thinking that focuses on the identification of market imperfections and the creation of structural barriers to market entry and the creation of supply-side competitive advantage.
If we’ve learned anything from the wrenching changes in society in recent years, it’s this: Business as usual is a losing proposition. The implications go well beyond culture—they hold profound meaning for commerce, as well.
Imagine that you work for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Coca-Cola. He asks you for an opinion on a recommendation by the company’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to raise their advertising budget from $3.2 billion to $3.5 billion. Should Coke spend an additional $300 million on advertising? The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is opposed, saying the money would be better spent elsewhere.
