Clinton Cards is the latest in a long list of brands that have succumbed to the current austere trading conditions on the high street.

Flicking through various business pages, I was unsurprised to see that the finger of blame has, as usual, been pointed at both the supermarkets and the internet.

I have the privilege of working with many of the UK’s most successful brands and this gives me a different view on what differentiates the winners and the losers.

While they offer a scapegoat for less innovative brands, the reality is that it is their attitude, rather than size, that delivers success. Dixons and Greggs the Bakers have also been rewarded for having the courage to evolve with changes in consumer habits.

At ITG we have a model that allows us to embed within the marketing departments of companies like M&S, Sainsbury’s, KFC and Pizza Hut. When the credit crunch reduced consumer spending, these progressive brands began to look at innovative ways of reducing previously “fixed” outgoings. The simple act of coordinating the entire marketing function into a single workflow delivered significant efficiency savings.

The second threat to the high street, if you follow common sentiment, is the internet. Clinton seemed to be cautious about new digital opportunities, in contrast to more progressive brands that actively embraced the potential that the internet presents.

Again it is innovation that separates winners and losers, with apathy leading to extinction.

Multichannel marketing is a key requirement for any progressive brand, and a vital element of a successful multichannel campaign is brand consistency across all channels. Where some brands ignore this challenge, others take practical steps to centralise and coordinate their marketing assets into a common workflow and digital asset management system. These brands are more prepared for an uncertain future.

The effects of the recession are not uniform. But looking at the brands that have failed, it is clear to me that the common denominator is neither the supermarkets nor the internet, but rather a culture of complacency and a reluctance to innovate.

Topics