Branding: Shotgun or Rifle?

Brand must be one of the biggest guns in the corporate arsenal and thus worthy of significant investment. After all, consumer product companies regularly spend hundreds of millions of dollars to support brands; Wall Street values leading Internet business at enormous multiples simply because of their online brand strength; and CEOs surveyed by Ernst & Young judge brand to me among the most important keys to their companies' future success. However, while there are times when companies should invest heavily in a brand, there are also times when they should refrain from heavy investment. The 3 rules for branding are discussed.