David Cooperstein [Posted by David Cooperstein]

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Yesterday afternoon at our London-based Marketing Forum for EMEA, I was able to witness the first live performance by Lisa Bradner (@lisabradner), unveiling the story behind her latest report, "Adaptive Brand Marketing" which highlights how the brand management function of yore needs to change in the face of the growing complexities brought on by new communications channels to, and from, the consumer. These challenges are both digital and global challenges, as are the solutions.

Here are some highlights from Lisa's presentation:

1. Brand management roots are clear, as they originate in the 1930s when P&G adopted the idea from an internal memo. The approach, originally to support small brands in a "may the best brand win" approach, became more militaristic as the consumer became a target, not a person.

2. Everything is additive. Partners are expanding from the AOR to other agencies, other media companies, digital portals, etc. But additive is ultimately untenable. New channels, private label competiiton, or just pure crisis management challenge brand managers today. And growth opportunities outside of core markets into India and China further test brand management structures. .

The solution: add 4 more "P's" to the equation, that are the consumers' 4 "P's" — permission, proximity, perception and participation. You'll have to talk with Lisa to get the detail here!

Two key roles will emerge to help companies become more adaptive. They are the field based brand advocate and HQ based brand strategist – one takes the input, the other makes commonalities work there way into the market.

Brand management is old world – need a mix using top shelf technologies and real customer intimacy Adapting to this new structure will be a long term change – in process, people and technolgoies. We look forward to working with you to meet the challenge head on.