For C-suite leaders facing massive disruption whether from AI, tariffs, or global realignment the question of brand positioning is no longer just a marketing issue. It falls on the shoulders of senior leaders to guide the brand, like raising a child new to the world.
Peloton, Kohl’s, Target, General Mills, Macy’s have something in common. These brands are engaged in brand turnarounds. Some of these brand turnarounds are brand turnaround-turnarounds, led by smart executive teams, some with new CEOs who offer new strategic approaches. These teams appear to be diligent and creative in improving product offerings. There is just one problem.
There is no shortage of criticism of marketing organizations. The declining length of tenure of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) and the absence of marketing on boards of directors are well-documented. Such facts seem odd when demand generation and management are the lifeblood of organizations, at least those with a high probability of long-term survival. While such a circumstance may suggest some problems with marketing organizations, it very clearly identifies a problem at the level of...
When an iconic brand begins to fade, the decline is rarely dramatic. In iconic brands, financial performance often lags changes in cultural relevance and brand meaning. Revenue may hold steady. Market share may appear stable. Awareness remains high. Yet competitors begin shaping the future while the incumbent defends the past. For leadership teams, restoring an iconic brand is not a communications exercise. It is a strategic mandate.
Brands that lead today do three things exceptionally well. They create an emotional advantage that customers cannot get elsewhere. They establish a distinctive advantage that customers recognize as meaningfully different. They build a connective advantage that keeps the brand relevant over time. These are not communications outcomes. They are strategic decisions.
