Includes bibliographical references (p. [269]-279) and index.

Introduction -- The threat -- The financial challenge -- Know your enemy -- Competitive intelligence -- The key question -- Planning the defense -- Stopping the launch -- Blocking distribution -- Limiting awareness -- Preventing trial -- Fighting repeat -- Defense never ends -- Defensive strategy for innovators -- A cautionary word about competition law.

We live in a world of intense competition; companies face threats from all parts of the globe. The more profitable your business, the greater the chance you will soon encounter a new competitor. It doesn't matter whether you're running a plumbing business, promoting a brand of deodorant, operating a neighborhood caf�e, or leading a small charitable organization or church. Anyone responsible for managing an enterprise has to think about defense, because the world is full of competition, and with the rise of globalization, competition is only going to increase in the years ahead. This book will help you fight back. In Defending Your Brand, Tim Calkins reviews why defensive strategy is so important and explains how a company can meet a competitive threat with a strong and effective defense plan. This book is also useful for innovators, because it provides insight into what the established players are likely to do when you launch your venture. Before introducing a new product, it is important to think about how the existing players will respond and then revise your launch plan accordingly. Calkins uses examples form some of the biggest and most successful brands in the world today, including Procter and Gamble, British Airways, Apple, and ConAgra, Defending Your Brand provides frameworks to help readers build a strategic defensive strategy that protects profits, preserves market share, and perhaps even helps brands thrive under the pressure of competitive attacks.