Global brands: Taking stock

Global brands have never quite delivered on their promise. This article focuses on why this may now be about to change. The author first addresses three basic issues: Why global brands matter more now than in the past; what distinguishes them from national brands; and the main building blocks for a global brand. He then moves on to some of the key problems which face managers of international brands today: The new Euro-zone, instability in emerging markets, the problem of diversion, and management of global relationships with advertising agents and market researchers. He concludes with a discussion of the issues involved in deciding whether brands should be taken global.