There is much to understand about brands, much we need to understand about brands, now and in the future. Brands are about much more than tag lines and logos. Brands are about relationships. More than that, they are relationships. They are the bridges that connect company and customer—bridges that transport trust, meaning, identity, experience, value, values, and authenticity.
The importance of brands—for companies, for customers, and for culture—should not be underestimated. And yet oftentimes it is, especially outside of the consumer products industry. While most companies have moved beyond the era in which brand management was a sub-task relegated to the marketing department, many have still to find a way to make it a key strategic component of their business. They think of brands and branding as nice, but not central. They couldn’t be more mistaken.
In the future, brands of all sorts and across all industries will matter even more than they do now. Making the necessary financial, managerial, and cultural investments to “get brands right” will be crucial.