Brands are living, breathing things. Figuratively at least. They require constant care, focus, and attention. Nowhere is this more important than on the retail battlefield where brands compete fiercely for the consumer's mind and pocketbook. To be successful, your brand will need to change, periodically and sometimes dramatically, to remain competitive. Our advice: Anticipate and embrace change. Be proactive. Be prepared to reposition your brand strategy and fine tune your Brand Vision. And, with urgency.

Every brand has strengths. For Beefeater Gin, these happen to be authenticity, heritage, and quality. But even leading brands get a little dusty over time. In focus groups, consumers referred to Beefeater as "not my, or my father's gin, but as my grandfather's gin"! Ouch. While having strength as a "martini gin" (a good thing), the brand needed a strategy adjustment to appeal to new consumers and to achieve sales targets. Solution: Leverage the brand's superior quality perception through mixability. The big idea: "Summer Gin", a successful campaign featuring a unique (summer) gift box that showcased the brand's refreshing new image. The result: "Stirring" sales and market share gains.

Now one knows brand positioning better than Whole Foods Market. The brand is highly successful. It owns the premium grocery segment. Its strengths? Fresh, local, and gourmet. Its vulnerability? A reputation for being a bit too pricey. In today's economy, the grocery battlefield has shifted. According to IRI, about one in three shoppers purchase items only when on sale. With Safeway, Costco and Sunflower Market gaining traction with value pricing, Whole Foods is not letting arugula grow under its feet. Time to reposition, but smartly. Last month Whole Foods said it would return to its roots and refocus on healthy eating. It would also expand its successfully tested value meal programs. Fresh, local, and now affordable? Now that's a good combination for (profit) sustainability.

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