ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the key issues involved in planning for brand success. It begins by explaining that successful branding is more than merely the use of names, then goes on to discuss the concept of the brand, brand characteristics and the role of brands in relationship marketing. A historical review of the evolution of brands, distributors’ brands and generics is presented along with a consideration of ways of categorizing brands. The value of brands to manufacturers, distributors and buyers is addressed along with the importance of brand planning and issues influencing the potential of a brand.
