Brands inform others about who you are and what you represent. From products to politics, a brand sends out signals on information critical for consumer choice and/or constituent support. Yet, as a market-critical process, the ability to brand is curiously not as strong in emerging markets. Through case studies and learning in Malaysia, “The Right to Brand” looks into the reasons behind this brand inertia. The book argues that when brands are not part of leadership thinking or planning, their creation and future value tend to dissipate without the anchor of business policy and board commitment.

It examines the operational realities, the types of mindsets, structures and skills that need to be built, and what brand related activities such as advertising, marketing, communications, customer management and design need to be harnessed and coordinated from the brand ecosystem. It proposes that as the stage of brand readiness is different from one product, company or market to the next, the ability to compete effectively among the world’s leading brands can only come from stronger brand commitment, brand knowledge and brand orientations across emerging markets not just in Malaysia, but elsewhere.