2008-12-02 22:23:01 -

Nancy West stood in the health care aisle in her local drug store, looking at an array of choices for her husband"s cold symptoms. After scanning several packages, she selected a box of Tylenol Chest Congestion and headed for the checkout.
Why Tylenol Chest Congestion, she was asked.
"Because I saw the Tylenol name on the

package," she answered. "I can"t waste money on something that won"t work, and I know something from Tylenol has to be good."
This single consumer decision shows the power of a master brand in boosting marketing return on investment (ROI), according to Roy Levitt, a Principal with Congdon + Company, the Greenwich, CT-based brand strategy and design firm.
"When consumers are particularly concerned about how they spend their dollars, as they are in this economy, a strong master brand can be a key advantage in influencing purchase decisions," he said. "Master brands carry more of the trust that makes consumers like Nancy pick one product over another. Their first instinct is to go with a brand they know will work, not necessarily just the lowest-cost product."
Companies are also looking at the brands they believe will work hardest in their portfolios and how to maximize the return on investments they have already made. "A master brand strategy can be a powerful ROI enhancer. It"s a solid strategy for many brands in good times, and an even better one in the climate our clients are facing today," said Glenn C. Van Deusen, a Principal at Congdon + Company.
"The investment made to build strong brands pays back in ways that go beyond the traditional way of thinking," Van Deusen said. "Business people need to look at brands as assets, with an equity value expressed in financial terms," he said. "Brand equity also should be measured in the customer loyalty that comes when a consumer connects emotionally with the promise behind a brand."
"Master branding is just one of the ways that we apply our Business Smart Branding" method to help companies boost their marketing ROI. We"re seeing more interest by brand managers in the whole concept of master branding, and from our perspective, that"s very smart."
About Congdon + Company
Congdon + Company is a pure play brand strategy and design firm focused on the creation, design, and implementation of effective branding programs and communication materials. The Firm"s Business Smart Branding? method combines solid strategic thinking with inspired creativity and common sense to create solutions that are not only visually, verbally, and emotionally engaging but also drive business results. Services include brand strategy, brand naming, and the design of brand identity expressions such as logos, printed materials, websites, packaging, events, and others. Congdon + Company is an independent business based in Greenwich, CT. To learn more, visit www.congdonco.com

Congdon + Company

Joanne Alsenas, 203-552-5200

jalsenas@congdonco.com