Relying on deal after deal to attract customers is death-wish marketing. The more often a brand announces, “This is a great deal,” the more customers come to believe that the deal price is the real price. The regular price begins to look inflated. The brand’s perceived value declines. What appears to be a short-term sales success can become a long-term problem for revenue quality and profitability.
The teddy bear is more than 120 years old. Soft toys are one of the oldest, most crowded, and most price-driven categories in consumer goods, full of cheap lookalikes and characters licensed from film franchises. Asked to name a category where brand power goes to die, plush would be a reasonable answer.
Albertsons, the grocery chain, is in trouble. In December 2024, federal and Washington state court rulings blocked its proposed $24.6 billion merger with Kroger, leaving Albertsons to compete on its own in a highly competitive, volatile business. Nearly two years later, the problems have not disappeared. In its October 13, 2026 earnings release, Albertsons reported a 0.8% decline in identical sales, $52 million in quarterly net income and a comprehensive business review intended to accelerate...
Mattel, the owner of Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, UNO, Thomas & Friends, MEGA, Polly Pocket, Masters of the Universe, Monster High and Matchbox, may be up for sale. Or, some of Mattel’s individual brands may be sold off. There is a difference between selling a brand and understanding what makes that brand valuable.
Internal politics is detrimental to brands. Sounds like a business cliché. But brands struggling with internal politics — geography, silos, command and control, accountability, responsibility and leadership — can lose sight of their real goal: developing and consistently delivering relevant, differentiated, trustworthy experiences that customers value.
