"WHAT THE PHARMA CEO WANTS FROM THE BRAND MANAGER" - A Game Changer in Pharma Brand Management

Memory of 1st September 2011 (Ganesh Chaturthi) . The Story of the Book That Changed the Destinies of Pharma Brand Managers Picture this: It's September 1st, 2011. The pharmaceutical industry is buzzing with excitement. Brand managers and aspiring marketing professionals across India are active, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. What's causing this stir? It is the long-awaited release of the ground-breaking book that would reshape the destinies of brand managers. "WHAT THE PHARMA CEO WANTS FROM THE BRAND MANAGER" hit the world of brand management, marking a pivotal moment in the industry. This wasn't just any book—it was the first of its kind, dedicated exclusively to pharma brand management. Written by a brand manager, for brand managers, it was born from the trenches of real-world experience. As word spread, young professionals and students flocked to get their hands on this treasure trove of knowledge. The book became a beacon, guiding hundreds into the intricate world of brand building in the pharmaceutical sector. Its pages held the secrets to becoming not just a good brand manager, but an exemplary one. But the story doesn't end there. The future-looking author, who is ever-committed to staying current with the ever-evolving changes, continued to develop and be current with the industry. As years passed, the book underwent multiple transformations, each edition reflecting the latest trends and strategies in pharma marketing. Fast forward to 1 September 2025 —14 years since its initial release. The book, now in its sixth edition, has been tweaked "WHAT THE 21ST CENTURY PHARMA CEO WANTS FROM THE BRAND MANAGER." This latest version doesn't just rehash old concepts; it dives headfirst into the future. A full chapter is dedicated to artificial intelligence, exploring how generative AI and prompt engineering are reshaping the role of brand managers. From its humble beginnings to becoming an industry staple, this book has mirrored the journey of pharmaceutical marketing itself—adapting, growing, and embracing the future. As you hold this book in your hands, remember: you're not just reading a marketing guide; you're holding a piece of pharmaceutical history. Available now on Amazon, Flipkart, and Pothi - your gateway to mastering the art and science of pharma brand management in the 21st century. Shailaja Dwivedi Pathak

How Heinz turned blank bottles into 99% brand awareness (stealing this strategy) In 2021, Heinz launched a deceptively simple experiment: They asked people across 18 countries to "draw ketchup" without mentioning any brand name. The results? Nearly everyone drew a Heinz bottle. This brilliant campaign leveraged a psychological phenomenon called "top-of-mind awareness" to prove what Heinz long suspected: They don't just lead the ketchup category. They ARE the category. The execution was masterful: 1. They collected anonymous drawings globally, proving the effect crossed cultural boundaries 2. They placed QR codes on actual bottles linking to an interactive experience where consumers could participate 3. They turned the best consumer drawings into limited-edition packaging - transforming customers into brand creators The campaign's brilliance lies in proving something qualitative (brand association) with quantitative evidence (actual drawings), making the marketing claim undeniable. The results were staggering: • Brand awareness increased from 93% to 99% • Brand consideration jumped from 92% to 98% • Ketchup sales increased 30% during the campaign • Reinforced their already dominant 72.6% market share The key marketing lesson? Sometimes the most powerful branding doesn't showcase your product's features - it proves how deeply you already live in consumers' minds. When you achieve this level of brand cementing, you're no longer selling a product. You're selling the definitive version of an entire category. What other brands own their category this completely? And how might you apply this psychological technique to your own marketing? Share your thoughts below.

Marketing professionals seeking breakthrough insights into brand strategy now have a powerful new resource. Ulli Appelbaum's latest book, 'The Science of Brand Associations: Win Minds, Win Markets', offers a groundbreaking approach to understanding brand growth through evidence-based research. Drawing from neuroscience and cognitive psychology, Appelbaum reveals that brands are complex mental networks of meanings, experiences, and emotions. These associations aren't just marketing theory—they're the critical drivers determining consumer perception, recall, and purchasing decisions. The book provides marketers with practical frameworks, including diagnostic scorecards and proven strategies for building robust brand association networks. By moving beyond opinion-based approaches, Appelbaum delivers a rigorous methodology for brand development. With over 25 years of global brand strategy experience working with industry giants like Unilever and Procter & Gamble, Appelbaum brings credibility and depth to his research. His work, which has earned multiple Effie Awards, demonstrates how understanding brand associations can help companies grow faster, command premium pricing, and outperform competitors. For marketing leaders seeking scientific, data-driven approaches to brand building, this book promises to be an essential strategic resource.

Case Study: How Consistency in Brand Ambassador Strategy Pays Off – The Kent RO & Hema Malini Example In today’s fast-evolving marketing landscape, where brands chase viral moments and disruptive activations, many marketers hesitate to engage a celebrity as a long-term brand ambassador. The fear? That consumers will get bored, or the messaging will feel repetitive. But strategic consistency tells a different story. Case in Point – Kent RO Systems and Hema Malini Kent has chosen a long-term association with Hema Malini, a decision that has paid dividends over time. Instead of frequently rotating faces, Kent focused on building a consistent brand identity, positioning itself as the most trusted home water purification solution in India. Why This Works: Long-Term Memory Encoding: Consistent use of Hema Malini allows consumers to form strong, lasting connections between the face of the brand and its core promise — trusted purity. The repeated association embeds Kent deeply in the consumer’s long-term memory. Strategic Use of Color – 🔵: Kent’s signature blue conveys trust, reliability, and purity. Paired with Hema Malini’s presence, the color reinforces a visual identity that’s instantly recognizable and relevant. Memorable Tagline – "Kent deta hai sabse shuddh paani": The simple yet powerful tagline reinforces Kent’s core promise, creating an easy-to-recall brand message that consumers associate directly with the product and the ambassador. It acts as a consistent verbal cue that complements the visual identity. Reviving a Boring Category: Water purifiers could easily be a purely functional, uninspiring category. Kent’s consistent and aspirational communication strategy brought life and emotion into the category, making trust, purity, and reliability the central narrative. Key Lesson for Marketers Today: - The real challenge isn’t consumer boredom; it’s fragmented messaging. Consistency builds trust, long-term memory, and category leadership far better than chasing the next big activation. -A brand-celebrity association is not transactional. It is a long-term investment that, when nurtured strategically, becomes a powerful differentiator in a crowded marketplace. - In an era obsessed with novelty, Kent teaches us the power of patience, coherence, and consistent storytelling. Because in the end, trust doesn’t come from flashy one-offs — it comes from steady, memorable presence.

Brand Management: A Southern African Perspective by Nicole Cunningham Chapter 5 – Designing Marketing Programmes to Build Brand Equity. 1. Purpose of the Chapter This chapter dives into how marketing programmes—everything from messaging to distribution—are crafted strategically to grow brand equity. It connects the previous conceptual framework (like brand equity and value chains) to real-world marketing actions. 2. Marketing Programmes: What They Encompass The idea is that every touchpoint—product rollout, advertising, pricing, placement, promotions—works together to strengthen a brand’s perceived value. The programmes should be deliberately designed to resonate emotionally and functionally with the target audience. 3. Strategic Coherence Across the Mix A key takeaway: all elements of the marketing mix must be coherent. A luxury brand, for instance, should carry its premium positioning from ad messaging to store ambience and salesperson training—creating an integrated, consistent brand experience. 4. Building Equity Through Experience Cunningham emphasizes that programmes are more than tactical moves—they’re investments in brand identity. Every consumer encounter is an opportunity to inject value, reinforce associations, and ultimately build equity over time. 5. Context Matters: South African Nuance While not outlined in detail through the snippet, the textbook’s framing reminds us that these strategies are applied within a diverse, multicultural South African context. That means crafting campaigns that resonate across varying communities, languages, and cultural values. 6. Learning via Application Each chapter supposedly includes case studies and reflection questions. It’s worth engaging actively: ask yourself what marketing programme would you design for a local South African brand, and how each marketing mix element could build equity?

Module 1: Brand Purpose & Experience Why did I choose Korean Studies out of all the possible majors? To be honest, it wasn’t the most obvious choice even for me. But I’ve always been fascinated by how South Korea managed to make its culture resonate around the world. Not just through K-pop or K-dramas, but in the way those stories were shared until they became part of everyday conversations everywhere. That curiosity led me to study Korean Studies at university and eventually it shaped the way I see marketing today. For the past six years, I’ve been working in marketing, most recently focusing on brand activation and partnerships at Fore Coffee. The experience gave me so many opportunities to bring campaigns to life, but it also made me realize I wanted to dive deeper into the theory behind branding. So, during this sabbatical break I decided to take the course Brand Management: Aligning Business, Brand and Behaviour by University of London on Coursera. The first module talked about brand purpose and experience. It started with more traditional ideas of branding and then moved into a more human centered with experience driven approach. My biggest takeaway so far is this: branding today is less about a logo or tagline and more about creating experiences that connect businesses, people and consumers in meaningful ways. One idea that really stuck with me was the 3E’s: efficiency, effectiveness, and experience. Businesses used to compete on efficiency, then shifted to effectiveness by creating better value. But both eventually reached a limit. Today, the real differentiator is experience; the value people feel when they actually use and engage with a brand. A compelling example is Rare Beauty’s scratch and sniff billboard campaign in New York City. Passersby could get a literal first sniff of the new Rare Eau de Parfum, scan a QR code powered by geofenced technology and even request a mail in rollerball sample of the fragrance. It turned a static billboard into a sensory, memorable brand moment. The module also pushed me to reflect on what truly differentiates a brand. Is it lower price? Superior functionality or service? Or is it the quality of the customer experience across the entire journey; from purchase, to use, to after sales? This is only the beginning of the journey and I’m excited to see how the next modules will challenge my perspective. If you also work in branding or are curious about the same things, let’s connect and discuss!

FAQS: WHEN BRAND PARTNERSHIPS LOOK STRONG BUT DELIVER WEAK RETURNS I answer 6 tough questions about why brand partnerships that look strong on paper often fail to generate real returns. ---------------------------------- FOCUS: Brand Strategy Misfires | AUDIENCE: Stewards of Plateaued Brands ---------------------------------- What do you do when brand partnerships appear solid… but don’t move the needle? I often meet brand leaders who have carefully negotiated partnerships with reputable allies, expecting significant outcomes. On the surface, everything looks promising … big names, signed agreements, splashy announcements. Yet results remain underwhelming. This mismatch happens because partnerships are not strategies in themselves … they are vehicles that need direction. In this post, I explore six questions I hear most often when brands face weak returns from seemingly strong partnerships. Among the FAQs I answer: 1. Why do some partnerships that look perfect on paper fail in practice? 2. How can I diagnose whether our partnership is underperforming? 3. What is the most common strategic misfire in partnerships? 4. How do weak partnerships impact brand credibility? 5. What steps can revive a partnership that’s losing momentum? 6. How can future partnerships avoid weak returns? ---------------------------------- What is my insight? What to Do If Your Brand Partnerships Deliver Weak Returns? Read the full FAQ Insights Post on my website: https://lnkd.in/gDUKFrXb ---------------------------------- SHOBHA PONNAPPA Unusual Breakthroughs Strategist for Brands Eager for New Momentum “One big idea can turn brand stagnation into unstoppable movement.” https://shobhaponnappa.com ---------------------------------- If your brand feels safe but stuck, I offer a 2-hour Clarity Sprint that often changes everything. No fluff. No upsell. Just a sharp strategic shift. Book a Clarity Sprint! https://lnkd.in/gRX8bhmc ---------------------------------- #BrandConsulting #BreakthroughStrategy #StrategicThinking #UnusualByStrategy #BrandReframe #BrandStrategyMisfires #PlateauedBrands #BrandAlliances #StrategicPartnerships #BusinessGrowth #RepositioningStrategy #CustomerImpact #AlignedStrategies #WeakReturns #InvestorConfidence

AI-Powered Sentiment Analysis: The New Standard for Brand Management? In today's fast-paced digital world, brand perception can change in an instant. One negative tweet or unfavorable review can ripple through social media, impacting your brand's reputation. This is where AI-powered sentiment analysis steps in as a game-changer. Sentiment analysis uses AI to interpret and classify emotions in text data. It allows businesses to gauge customer sentiments by analyzing comments, reviews, and social media posts. But why is this important for your brand? Firstly, understanding customer sentiment enables proactive brand management. By identifying positive and negative trends early, businesses can address issues before they escalate. Engaging with dissatisfied customers swiftly can turn potential crises into opportunities for improvement. Secondly, sentiment analysis helps in tailoring marketing strategies. By understanding what customers love, you can focus on amplifying these aspects in your campaigns. Conversely, knowing areas of dissatisfaction can guide product development and customer service enhancements. Moreover, sentiment analysis provides insights into competitive positioning. By analyzing sentiments towards competitors, you can identify gaps in the market and capitalize on them. This strategic advantage can set your brand apart in a crowded marketplace. Implementing AI-powered sentiment analysis doesn't require a tech overhaul. Many user-friendly tools exist that integrate seamlessly with existing platforms, making it accessible even for small businesses. However, it's crucial to remember that while AI can process vast amounts of data efficiently, human oversight is necessary. Contextual nuances and sarcasm can sometimes be challenging for AI to interpret accurately. A hybrid approach, combining AI insights with human judgment, often yields the best results. In conclusion, AI-powered sentiment analysis is becoming an indispensable tool for brand management. It not only helps in understanding customer perceptions but also empowers businesses to act decisively in shaping those perceptions. Is your brand ready to embrace this new standard? P.S. How does your business currently track and manage customer sentiment? Still reading? Love that! But if this post didn’t really click or teach you much, give the video below a shot. It’s kind of off-topic, but you might pick up something new, or at least find it entertaining (hopefully). ******* Want to learn how to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for your business operations? Get in touch or follow AI-First here: https://lnkd.in/gxVWP3_n 🔄 Repost this post

#TheEvolutionofBrandManagement Navigating the intricate landscape of brand management requires a deep understanding of consumer psychology and market dynamics. A successful brand isn't merely a logo or a product; it's a constellation of associations, emotions, and values that reside in the minds of its audience. This is the essence of brand equity—the cumulative value a brand holds, built upon pillars such as brand awareness, loyalty, and a strong, positive brand association. One of the most critical aspects of this process is recognising and responding to the mental and emotional connections that consumers form with a brand. A misstep in this area can significantly erode brand equity, while a well-executed strategy can build immense trust and loyalty. A recent example from the market provides a compelling illustration. For years, Unilever Bangladesh has utilized brand ambassadors from India. However, recognizing a shift in consumer sentiment and a prevailing negative public perception towards the neighboring nation, the company made a strategic pivot. By appointing Pakistani actress Hania Amir as their brand ambassador, Unilever demonstrated a keen awareness of local consumer emotions and cultural nuances. This bold move underscores a fundamental principle of brand management: the need to align brand identity with the values and emotions of the target audience. It serves as a powerful reminder that effective brand management is not a static process. It requires continuous monitoring, adaptation, and a proactive approach to understanding and respecting the consumer's emotional journey. By prioritizing these customer-centric initiatives, brands can not only safeguard their reputation but also forge deeper, more meaningful connections that translate into enduring success. N.B.: This is just my personal view regarding the replacement of the Brand Ambassador. The actual reason may vary. 

Focusing on performance metrics alone is killing long-term brand building. I've shared my experience on how brands can effectively use social media and what is great is these channels provide brands the ability to build real communities, create meaningful touchpoints, and measure our impact like never before. But somewhere along the way, I feel businesses have got addicted to the measurable at the expense of the meaningful. My perspective is that there is a growing divide between brands that chase immediate, trackable performance metrics and those that understand what true brand building actually looks like. The first group jumps straight into execution without the wider strategic thinking about what the brand stands for, which looks like more posts, obsession with CTRs, optimised funnels. Of course this is important but not alone! Because you are measuring everything... except what matters most. This approach creates commoditisation of brands, selling more, you become more price driven and it gets harder and harder to reach your wider business goals because the argument becomes "we can't afford it." However there are brands that are thinking differently! They know they're building something bigger than a series of social posts. They understand that it is necessary to have a deeper reason to exist, a clear essence that flows through every touchpoint. These are the brands creating sustainable growth, elevating beyond just the product, becoming a movement and will be the beacons of future business because they will ride the external environment, having built something that can last. THIS is why I won't skip strategy and go straight to tactics. Because if your brand communication isn't cohesive from the ground up, you're not building a brand, you're selling a product at best, sacrificing long-term staying power for short-term gains. I've been asked "why do you always insist on starting with strategy?" Because the brands that survive, the ones with genuine staying power, understand they're selling more than a product. They're building something that people can get behind, that has a wider reason to exist and that is adding value not only through profit but to the communities and wider world that exist today. I'm here for the brands that want to create something bigger. The ones willing to look beyond purely metrics to build something that truly matters. If you're ready to build a brand with real staying power... Let's talk.