Brand success is closely linked to the various decisions made by brand owners on a day to day basis. And as such, one bad decision can stir in motion a series of negative chain reactions on the brand. This is what we term as “the Domino Effect”.

Domino effect also known as the cause-effect theory suggests a series of decisions or events that lead to the same outcome of something. In brand growth, owners have to be so cautious while making any decisions regarding the brand as one small decision can fundamentally affect the overall welfare or growth and survival of the brand.

Take for instance, a brand whose sole mission is to supply green energy cannot then be seen to use influencers who aren’t aligned with the same mission as this may ruin the image of the brand. Also, a brand cannot use an offensive logo and then be surprised when customers distance themselves from it.

Such decisions range from the very little ones like choosing a brand logo, color palette to the kind of marketing techniques used. All these contribute to the well-being or downfall of a brand. As such, brand owners ought to thoroughly examine their choices when making decisions relating to the brand before implementing them.

Recently, Bud lite Beer Company has received backlash over partnering with a transgender influencer and as a result of the backlash, their earnings are dropping. Balenciaga, was also cancelled over an advert that was interpreted as sexualizing children.

And so it goes without saying that a brand ought to identify the important areas that might greatly affect the survival of the business for example, who their customers are, since these are the pivot of any business and so must be satisfied in order to maximize profits; market trends as well as employees. These are some of the areas that if handled properly may set off a positive domino effect for the brand, and the opposite is true.

Therefore, by identifying key areas of the brand that greatly affect the survival of the brand and preparing for such risks or alleviating it through risk assessment and management, helps brands to leverage on positive domino effect which ensures the survival and success of the brand. Other tools that can be used to make better decisions by brand owners include, but are not limited to, networking and collaborating with successful brands that are likeminded, adapting to the status quo and embracing technology where necessary.

Blog Post by Golda D. Abesiga