Harvard Business Review on Brand Management

This book brings together a number of articles that have appeared in the Harvard Business Review on the subject of brand management over the last few years. As such much of the material may not be new if you already read the HBR. This is not a definitive guide to brand management but the collection of articles and case studies address some of the key topics in brand management today such as reacting to private label growth, management of premium brands and line extensions.

The two case studies are fictitious examples that illustrate the problems that may be faced in the area of premium branding and addressing declining sales and market share. Both are followed by a series of recommendations from "branding experts." This shows that for either of the problems there are series of possible solutions that could be adopted individually or together. One of the areas discussed is whether one measure alone can solve the problem. Clearly, there is right or wrong answer but the alternatives help the reader to identify different ways of solving brand management problems. 

"Building brands without mass media" is a particularly interesting article as the rapid rise in the costs of traditional media means that many brands are looking for alternative ways to communicate their message. Furthermore, there are many well-known brands that have been built without resort to heavyweight television advertising budgets. 

This is a book that can be read easily and still provokes thought, especially in the case studies. The areas identified are common issues in brand management today and will be applicable and relevant to many marketers and, indeed, non-marketers who are looking for a better understanding of the discipline. 

Review by Martin Payne