How much is a strong brand worth? Just ask any corporate executive. A strong brand can help achieve price premiums, promote customer retention, and attract top talent to the workforce. Yet in times of economic instability there is a temptation for companies to trim costs around efforts such as brand building. Downturns, however, can actually present tremendous opportunities to grow brand strength - customer buying habits change, there is often competitive consolidation, and new markets open. A number of brands will be made in the downturn. How can your company's brand be among them?

There are many elements that impact a company's brand. Concentrating on a select few lets you control financial investment while maximizing the returned benefit. This SAP Executive Insight focuses on efforts that target a key set of brand-related opportunities. Further, by answering the following questions, it describes how companies can strengthen brand value even in a recession:

• How can companies ensure delivery on their brand promises to customers in the downturn?
• How can companies respond to growing sustainability concerns and protect brand value?
• How can companies in this economy develop the type of workforce associated with a world-class brand?