Understanding and creativity

While the feature on “Madonna brands” (MW July 18) covered many points that are important to the continued popularity of a brand, a couple of key factors were missing.

Firstly, to ensure a brand maintains and increases its market share, or reinvents itself to meet these goals, it is vital to understand the target market. This means knowing what customers want and what motivates them, as well as spotting new trends. It is only once a company understands its customers that it can put together a hard-hitting campaign and get a real return on its investment.

Also important for the success of any brand is creativity. Consumers are bombarded with hundreds of messages daily. Creativity is vital to make a particular message stand out. Creativity that is daring and different, but rooted in reality, works best. It will ensure the brand maintains or increases its market share. As the old saying goes: “A brand that sits in the middle of the road will be run over.”

Rob Gray

Managing director

Mercier Gray

London WC2E