In 2017, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) announced that Coty, the U.S. beauty group, did not break any laws of competition when it forbade a German distributor from selling Coty products on Amazon.de, the German Amazon site. In Europe, luxury products are able to limit sales of their products to only those “stores that maintain their luxury image,” Financial Times reported. The ECJ calls this “selective distribution.”
Our work and home lives have been turned upside-down by COVID, and many businesses have had to find new ways to sell, service, and operate. Some of these changes – while jarring – may stick after the crisis recedes. But which ones? Will virtual learning become routine? Remote teams? Distance selling?
Let’s start by defining what we mean by ‘brand’? Brand is a term which is often used to describe a business. A brand is not the business. A brand is shaped in the minds of the consumer – through identity, meaning, and experience – so as such the brand is created and not the creator.
Many of us are reading more than usual these days – perhaps one of the scarce positive aspects of the COVID crisis. For business readers seeking inspiration on what comes after COVID that will enable The Great Reboot of their enterprise, here are two recommendations.
During a pandemic might not seem to be a good time to create a brand extension. However, creating a brand extension in uncertain times is a smart move. Some say that brand extensions weaken brands. This is wrong. Well-managed brand extensions strengthen brands.
