Durable Goods, Part 3

Few areas are as brand-conscious as the world of fashion. The label on a garment sometimes seems to be worth more than the garment itself. Fashion is, in many ways, an epitome of branding and a paradox. Fashion can be seen as a pinnacle of branding because it is not...

Emotional Issues

Every brand needs to tell a story. People love a great story, and the best storytellers have an uncanny ability to forge a personal, emotional bond with their audience. The experience of enjoying a good story is a powerful one that pulls in all of our senses and...

Ending Relationships, Part 2

Indirect exit strategies Indirect strategies are subtler, but usually take longer, and leave the partner uncertain as to the state of the relationship. Disguised exits involve a conscious attempt to conceal the intention to end the relationship. By cost escalation or...

Ending Relationships, Part 1

The ending of a relationship should ideally be a conscious decision. Whilst many businesses work hard to establish, develop and maintain relationships, less attention appears to be given to relationship dissolution. For example, Colgate and Stewart’s study of...

Ethics and RM

Whilst there is a widespread debate concerning the moral nature of business in general, ethical evaluation of business practices in the area of RM is not very common (Takala and Uusitalo, 1996). Surprisingly, given the characteristics and key concepts inherent in RM...

Extensions, Part 1

The strongest brands occupy a clearly defined and well-focused position in customers’ minds. They dominate their categories: Adidas in sportswear, Honda in cars, and so on. But brands often aren’t limited to a single category. Adidas sells fragrance. Honda...