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Within the expert group Sustainable Branding at Stichting Marketing we mentioned the changing influence of all stakeholders in the way your brand (and company) will survive in the future. This is of course a dayful discussion by itself, but what about the ownership of a brand!? Like we always say ‘perception is everything’, does that mean that you don’t own your own brand anymore? Before it was a fact that your audience liked or desliked your brand, due to several reasons which were created by the product, the quality, the marketing and that’s about it. So it was quiet straight forward to control that position. Today a lot more arguments have to be considered, related to a communication which goes to much more stakeholders. If Nike creates the most wonderful running shoes, supported by an appealing ad campaign, but offends the local community around the distribution center, then today ther symbol would become a real boomerang that slams in their own face. But this was just a small example. Just think about it and it will open a complete new mindset, not driven by smart marketing boys and girls, but by your audience which is not just your clients. They own your brand…