How you can avoid getting crunched
01 November 2008
Turmoil in the financial markets over the last few months has led to plunging share prices and boardroom unrest. With IP budgets under intense pressure, Stephen Mulrenan examines what practical steps brand owners can take to negotiate the credit crunch
When Warren Buffet speaks, the financial world listens – an estimated net worth of $62.3 billion and the title of "richest man on earth" secures you that kind of privilege. The US investor, businessman and philanthropist was speaking to a group of investors in Germany recently, when he suddenly said something that took them all by surprise. Outlining what he considered to be the most important criteria when deciding whether or not to buy a company, Buffett said a strong balance sheet was no longer the primary consideration. A good management team was more important, he argued, but above both of these comes "brand".
The value and power of a brand will not be news to IP practitioners. And the last few weeks and months have shown just how fragile brands can be when the going gets tough. Who would have dared imagine that brands as prestigious as Lehman Brothers,...
Only subscribers have complete access to Managing IP Magazine,
log in or
subscribe now.
Alternatively take a
free trial, giving you 48-hour access to Managing IP Magazine (some articles and surveys may be excluded).
Subscribe Now
This article is available to subscribers. Please click subscribe to read the rest of the article.
Subscribe
Take a free trial
Please take a free 48-hour trial to gain limited access. Some articles and surveys may be excluded.
Take a free trial