Building brands using direct marketing ‐ a case study

Increasing competitiveness in the marketplace has led to pressure being applied to brands and past poor brand management in the 1980s saw brands suffering under short‐term, profitability‐based aims. The need for stability throughout the commercial environment in the 1990s has led to the longer‐term view now being adopted by marketing practitioners. This paper will highlight how direct marketing can be employed as a strategic marketing management tool to build a brand through the establishment of a mutually beneficial relationship. In this paper the authors will demonstrate the important role that direct marketing can play in establishing and building a brand through the in‐depth analysis of a single case study within the business‐to‐business arena. By using the case study approach the authors will combine relevant theory and practice to illustrate the potential of direct marketing in brand building.