Reading the runes is no real strategy

It is a constant revelation to me that the dubious nature of brand stretch (“Power brands begin to stretch credibility”, MW December 12, 2002) is not challenged in a more rigorous manner. The sources made good points, but echoed those made almost ten years ago by Ries & Trout in The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing.

It would seem the only people who haven’t read this book are those making the decisions to extend their brands. Why? Short-term shareholder value. We are at the behest of the stock market and you don’t have to go much beyond Enron and WorldCom to see why that is a problem.

If that is not good enough for you, read Will Hutton’s The World We’re In, and digest solemnly. The sooner we lift our noses out of next year’s financial performance and think about strategic marketing, the better off we will all be.

Richard Chapman

Marketing manager new categories

Boots Healthcare International

Nottingham