Managing brands for the long run: Brand reinforcement and revitalization strategies

Effective brand management requires taking a long-term view of marketing de cisions. Managing brands for the long run involves reinforcing brands oz if necessary, revitalizing brands. Reinforcing brands involves ensuring innov ation in product design, manufacturing, and merchandising and ensuring rele vance in user and usage imagery. Another critical consideration in reinforc ing brands is the consistency of the marketing support that the brand recei ves, both in terms of the amount and nature of that support. Revitalizing a brand, on the other hand, requires either that lost sources of brand equit y are recaptured ("a back to basics" approach) or that new sources of brand equity are identified and established. Two general approaches are possible : expanding the depth and/or breadth of brand awareness by improving brand recall and recognition of consumers during purchase or consumption settings ; and improving the strength, favorability, and uniqueness of brand associa tions making up the brand image (either in terms of existing or new brand a ssociations).