The New Brand Strategy: Mercer Management Journal

The first 2000 issue of this semi-annual (more or less) journal from Mercer Management Consulting presents a variety of perspectives on the intricacies of brand management. You'll have to register, at no cost, to use the site, but once "in" there's a lot to explore. Articles in the issue (in PDF format) cover such topics as "Rethinking Brand Strategy," "Anticipating Brand Opportunities," and "Surviving in a World of 200 Salsa Brands." The task of keeping a business healthy and profits growing, writes James W. Down, Mercer vice chairman in the introduction, is getting harder each year amid global competition, the demands of the securities markets, the challenge of finding and keeping good employees and government and public interest group oversight. "These challenges are well known," writes Down. "What may come as a surprise is that brand strategy—or rather, a new approach to brand strategy—is a key tool in addressing each one of them." Articles in this issue are written by Mercer consultants and corporate image and identity experts from the Mercer sister firm of Lippincott & Margulies.