ABSTRACT

This chapter considers some of the issues in brand planning. It opens by stressing that consumers welcome consistency and as such the brand’s core values should not be tampered with. Understanding the core values of the brand is essential, but managers should also consider how these synergistically blend together to form a more holistic brand. The use of bridging is described as one way of enabling managers to take a more holistic perspective on brand building. We show that consumers evaluate brands primarily by the extent to which they satisfy functional and representational needs. Through an appreciation of brands’ functional and representational characteristics, we consider how best to invest in brands. We review some of the issues in developing and launching new brands and address the problems of managing brands during their growth, maturity and decline phases. The financial implications of these different phases are considered. Finally, we look at ways of rejuvenating ‘has been’ brands.