Brand Platforms as Strategic Investments: Leveraging Customer Connections to Manage Profitability, Growth, and Risk

Making marketing accountable has become a critical focus of most firms as they struggle to show how major investments lead to increased performance and shareholder value. The study of marketing metrics has been the top research priority of the Marketing Science Institute for the past 6 years. Yet, what is not measured is not tracked. What is not tracked is not managed and nurtured. Consequently, market-based off-balance sheet assets such as brands and customers that drive cash flow continue to be a “blind spot” in senior management decisions ranging from resource allocation to M&A valuations. And, all too often, companies focus on identifying marketing actions that can deliver acceptable short-term metrics rather on developing strategies to outdistance competitors. Others try to come up with a silver bullet-and fail.