Resisting temptations to change a brand position/execution: The power of consistency over time

Abstract

Consistency in a brand position and execution over time provides the potential to own positions and symbols and to achieve significant communication cost efficiencies. In the face of these advantages, why are there so few Marlboros and Maytags? One reason is that pressures on brand strategists to change positions and executions can lead to unwise decisions. These pressures can be caused by managers' mindsets and strategic misconceptions. Managers tend to be action oriented, to have high (sometimes unrealistic) aspirations, and to lack ownership of current strategies. Strategic misconceptions can include the beliefs that a newly developed strategy is ineffective, that a new paradigm has emerged, that a superior position/execution can be found, and that customers are bored.