Why brands are not simply inherited, but handed over for further development

A thought on the generational change in brand management.

Many companies are currently facing a change. In our company too. New decision-makers are taking on responsibility for established brands. That's a good thing. And also necessary. But it's not a sure-fire success. Not every brand automatically fits the new generation that manages it. And not every brand still fits the company that once shaped it. After all, business models and organizations are changing, markets are changing, cultures are changing and teams are becoming younger, more diverse and more dynamic.

And at some point, an honest question arises: "Does the brand still suit us?"

Many people then realize that what was once identity is now just habit. What used to be self-image is now self-dramatization. What was once genuine has degenerated into self-plagiarism. Brand management cannot simply be passed on. It is not an heirloom that can be polished and proudly displayed on a shelf. It has to be earned anew every day - through relevance, through attitude, through differentiation, through genuine example within the organization. This is why the generational change is a great opportunity: not just to communicate differently, but to ask yourself honest questions:

- What of our brand is still coherent today?

- What are we really living - and what are we just claiming?

- What would have to change for everything to fit together again?

Whoever allows this leads the brand.

All others manage history.