Brands are powerful friends and troublesome enemies. When your brand is aligned to a product you're launching or a marketing campaign you're running -- it's like a tailwind -- creating a multiplier effect on your momentum. But what if it's the opposite? What if your brand paints your company one way and a new product you're launching or another initiative is going in another direction. Then you've got a problem that requires immediate attention -- otherwise get ready to be running into headwind!

We recently ran across an example of a software company, which was renowned for a high-end full service product which both high function and high price. When a smaller competitor started nipping at their heels with a lower priced, web based option, our subject company decided to launch a comparable price point product. Two alarming things happened:

• Brand conflict: prospects didnʼt believe the lower price point was real
• Slow product uptake: the smaller competitorʼs product maintained a substantial sales advantage over its larger competitor in the lower price product bracket

What options are there in that situation? How do you counteract your own brand when it works against a part of your business? Unless your company has a massive budget to build two concurrent brands, AftertheNet has two word for you: CONTEXT BRANDING. It's a powerful tool which uses targeting (segmentwise) to give you the power of a laser -- to add to your brand in specific sales and marketing situations. Its your only hope