The Future of Brands

I have prognosticated about the future of brands several times throughout the last decade. Most of what I predicted has occurred. In a way, brands are still on the same trajectory that they were on a decade or so ago.

Here is where I believe brands will need to go:

• They will need to embrace a set of values and stand for something.
• They will need to take on pleasing and even entertaining personalities. 
• They will need to become very consistent in their delivery across channels of communication and distribution.
• They will need to embrace outstanding customer service in order to remain in business.
• They will need to continuously improve in their crisis management and error recovery.
• They will need to embrace the Internet and mobile devices as important (but not the only) platforms.
• They will need to remain agile and constantly innovate.
• They will increasingly rely on big data and other types of data mining to achieve their objectives.
• They will need to be professionally managed.
• They will always rely on deep consumer insight - hopes, fears, values, attitudes, beliefs, lifestyles, behaviors and motivations.

I wish you great success in taking your brand into the future.