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In October 2018, the president of a business school student (BSS) society must decide on the viability of marketing a line of business school apparel. The school had been selling its brand of products with moderate success and the president had to determine the best option going forward. She faced a number of decisions: How to increase sales? What should be included in the clothing line? Should the product line be branded under the school's or the student society's logo? What strategy would be the most successful?

The co-manager and partner at Escape Outdoors (EO), North Sydney, Nova Scotia had to decide if the adoption of Herschel Supply Co. (Herschel) products—as part of her outdoor store’s product mix—was a good decision for her company. Herschel had never been included in the traditional outdoor mix of brands, and EO’s market was an older clientele than Herschel’s. Marketing factors affecting her decision to adopt a new brand included buyer behaviour, marketing informatics, segmentation, differentiation, and positioning. However, Herschel was a post-millennial-focused brand, and the company’s representative believed the younger demographic was becoming more interested in outdoor recreation. EO’s co-manager and partner had concerns. Did Herschel fit EO’s values, current brand mix, and customer base? Should EO adopt the brand? Which specific lines or products would be the best fit? How much inventory should EO begin with?

The case discusses the opportunities and challenges faced by Lladró SA (Lladró), a Spanish luxury porcelain brand, when marketing itself in India in 2019. Lladró was known for its high quality, artistic, and handcrafted porcelain pieces created in its workshop in Valencia, Spain. In India, Lladró had gained popularity among high net-worth individuals and corporate executives through its “Spirit of India” series of sculptures featuring Hindu gods and goddesses in porcelain. However, with the changes in the luxury paradigm the company was striving to reorient the brand as a lifestyle luxury brand with a focus on functionality in its product offerings. The case raises questions about the future direction the brand should take in India without risking its prestige status. What strategies should Lladró adopt to target specific buyers in India? Would the company benefit from its expanding product portfolio or run the risk of diluting its exclusive luxury image with this growing product portfolio?

Arredondar was a nongovernmental organization (NGO) whose objective was encouraging the culture of donation in Brazil through acts of micro-donations. Any shopper could donate at the retail stores that partnered with Arredondar. The process was simple: customers could round up the total value of their purchase to the next whole value, and the difference in cents would be donated to carefully selected NGOs. Arredondar offered a simple, accessible, and transparent way to donate, which seemed compatible with the characteristics of a country in which the donation culture was not yet strong, and where there was distrust of NGOs. However, there were indications that despite awards and success, the project might not be able to achieve financial sustainability. The case focuses on a common dilemma of social enterprises: how to be financially sustainable while creating a strong social impact. Although Arredondar had already partnered with large retailers, it needed to rethink its operation in order to break even. Arredondar's leadership considered the following strategies: (1) focus on the core through existing retail partners; (2) expand toward new retailers; (3) implement new ways for consumers to donate the money other than through cashiers at partnering retailers; or (4) increase the administrative fee. Would one of these four options help Arredondar be financially sustainable?

On March 25, 2019, the head of business growth for SmartMoney, owned by the Indian conglomerate Smart Industries Limited, was expected by his company's management team to propose a strategy for capturing 10 per cent of India's digital payments market in financial year 2019-20. He knew that the market was vast and fragmented and that he was working with a platform business, where fast mobilization was a key factor. SmartMoney already had market presence, resources, and the required expertise to be competitive on the merchant side of the industry over the long term. Therefore, the immediate and considerable challenge was how to mobilize the consumer side, where the company faced various well-established and aggressive incumbents. To thoroughly asses the market, the head of business growth had to integrate a great deal of available information. He would need to select the right entry strategy and target a consumer segment, offering appropriate incentive schemes to attract business. His challenge was to devise a strategy and build a stable, substantial customer base that would deliver the desired results to sustain long-term growth for both SmartMoney and its parent company.

On March 25, 2019, the head of business growth for SmartMoney, owned by the Indian conglomerate Smart Industries Limited, was expected by his company’s management team to propose a strategy for capturing 10 per cent of India’s digital payments market in financial year 2019–20. He knew that the market was vast and fragmented and that he was working with a platform business, where fast mobilization was a key factor. SmartMoney already had market presence, resources, and the required expertise to be competitive on the merchant side of the industry over the long term. Therefore, the immediate and considerable challenge was how to mobilize the consumer side, where the company faced various well-established and aggressive incumbents. To thoroughly asses the market, the head of business growth had to integrate a great deal of available information. He would need to select the right entry strategy and target a consumer segment, offering appropriate incentive schemes to attract business. His challenge was to devise a strategy and build a stable, substantial customer base that would deliver the desired results to sustain long-term growth for both SmartMoney and its parent company.

In mid-2019, Carlos Hank, was deliberating over the results for Banorte Móvil - the mobile application for Banorte, Mexico's most profitable and second-largest financial institution. Hank, who had been appointed as Banorte´s Chairman of the Board in January 2015, had overseen Banorte's transformation (and multi-million-dollar investment) from a product and client volume-focused bank into a customer-centric, technology and data-driven organization with a radically new focus. Beyond investing in a new technology platform and deploying new digital channels, Banorte also invested in the development of internal capacities to convert data intelligence into profits. Spearheaded by José Antonio Murillo, an economist with a Ph.D. from Rice University, Banorte's Analytics Business Unit (ABU) kicked off early on 2015, reporting directly to upper management and focused on increasing customer lifetime value. Over the course of its four-year trajectory, through data analytics and experimentation, which involved both experimenting with client incentives and tailored communication strategies through multiple channels, the ABU had successfully achieved higher product placement rates, particularly under Banorte Móvil's platform. Yet, with 2.25 million active users, Banorte Móvil was still far from reaching its 4-million-user target by 2020. Adoption picked up, but Banorte Móvil was still losing many potential adopters along the mobile customer journey, particularly in its activation phase. Furthermore, 81% of app activity was for account balance or transaction views, with financial operations, such as card or service payments or acquisition of new bank products, accounting for a minority of the activity. If Banorte wanted to remain a top player in Mexico's financial sector, it was clear to upper management that growth in mobile banking needed to be a priority.

Based in Mwanza, Tanzania, family-owned and operated Exotic Expeditions Tanzania Ltd. was a leading tour operator in East Africa. The company was purchased in December 2014 and experienced considerable success the following year. The owners felt that there was an opportunity for growth within the company and believed that the best way to realize this growth was to improve their marketing efforts and service offerings. The family wanted to remain profitable and reach the company’s goal of offering the best service in the industry while increasing revenue by 25 per cent within the next three years. To do this, the owners had to reach a consensus on the best marketing plan to help them differentiate against numerous competitors and continue to deliver optimal service offerings.

Based in Mwanza, Tanzania, family-owned and operated Exotic Expeditions Tanzania Ltd. was a leading tour operator in East Africa. The company was purchased in December 2014 and experienced considerable success the following year. The owners felt that there was an opportunity for growth within the company and believed that the best way to realize this growth was to improve their marketing efforts and service offerings. The family wanted to remain profitable and reach the company's goal of offering the best service in the industry while increasing revenue by 25 per cent within the next three years. To do this, the owners had to reach a consensus on the best marketing plan to help them differentiate against numerous competitors and continue to deliver optimal service offerings.

In early January 2019, Gillette, one of the world's leading razor brands, ignited controversy with a specific advertisement-the "We Believe" video. This short film tackled toxic masculinity and encouraged men to be #TheBestMenCanBe. While Gillette historically focused on portraying men as athletes or as career-oriented individuals, the brand's promotions since the late 2010s had turned to a more diverse conceptualization of manhood. When launched on YouTube, the "We Believe" video proved to be extremely polarizing: both consumers and the general public were strongly divided on it. How could Gillette support social change while remaining competitive in light of the changing industry and broader social awareness? Though sales did not change following the release of the ad, questions still remained about Gillette's new direction and whether this approach ultimately helped or hindered its brand. What should Gillette do next?

In early January 2019, Gillette, one of the world’s leading razor brands, ignited controversy with a specific advertisement—the “We Believe” video. This short film tackled toxic masculinity and encouraged men to be #TheBestMenCanBe. While Gillette historically focused on portraying men as athletes or as career-oriented individuals, the brand's promotions since the late 2010s had turned to a more diverse conceptualization of manhood. When launched on YouTube, the "We Believe" video proved to be extremely polarizing: both consumers and the general public were strongly divided on it. How could Gillette support social change while remaining competitive in light of the changing industry and broader social awareness? Though sales did not change following the release of the ad, questions still remained about Gillette’s new direction and whether this approach ultimately helped or hindered its brand. What should Gillette do next?

In January 2019, the sole proprietor and the general manager of Farm Electronics met to discuss critical options for the possible growth path of their company. Farm Electronics was a 42-year-old, small-scale electrical and electronic industrial equipment manufacturer based in Indore, India. The company’s product portfolio consisted of various transformers, relay coils, power supplies, and direct-current motors, which were designed according to its customers’ specifications. Farm Electronics’ customers consisted of small-, medium-, and large-scale businesses from both the organized and unorganized sectors. Significant aspects of the company’s value proposition included quality, timely delivery, and after-sales service. However, most of Farm Electronics’ revenue came from only a few big accounts. The proprietor and the general manager wanted to expand their company’s reach and were thus contemplating targeting a new set of customers.

M.M.LaFleur, a clothing company founded in New York in 2013, specialized in office wear for professional women. Specifically, M.M.LaFleur targeted a difficult-to-serve group—working women who did not like shopping. Despite the challenging customer base, the company grew steadily since its inception. Customers could shop online through the company's website or attend showrooms, pop-up stores, or trunk shows, where sales associates provided attentive personal service. However, the most successful venue for the company's sales was a feature called the M.M.LaFleur "bento box," which was responsible for 80 per cent of the company's revenue. By June 2019, M.M.LaFleur had grown from a small start-up company into a thriving business with a loyal customer base. The founder was pleased with her company's results, but wondered what her next steps should be. What could M.M.LaFleur do to continue its strong growth and momentum?

Tetra Bio-Pharma (Tetra) was a new firm operating in a murky but promising industry—cannabinoid-derived pharmaceutical products. But, the firm had been so involved in navigating drug development and approval processes that it had lost track of its identity. The firm did not define itself initially, and with its rapid growth, shifting strategies, evolving competencies, and plethora of alliances, Tetra needed a stronger focus. Adding to the turmoil, the firm was operating within the rapidly changing global marijuana industry—essentially, uncharted waters. Given that the firm’s new drugs were about to receive government approval, the firm had to determine how to build its brand.

In April 2019, Carl’s Jr. Restaurants LLC (Carl’s Jr.), an American fast-food restaurant chain, faced an important decision. The company was up against strong competition from both traditional players in the fast-food market and newer competitors in the fast-casual dining market. In 2017, Carl’s Jr. had stopped using the provocative ads it had become known for, and in 2018, the company ended a long co-branding relationship with Hardee’s Restaurants LLC. Due in part to these changes, the company was struggling to form its own identity. Carl’s Jr.’s chief executive officer needed to develop a sustainable competitive advantage in order to make the company relevant again in the minds of consumers.

Tetra Bio-Pharma (Tetra) was a new firm operating in a murky but promising industry-cannabinoid-derived pharmaceutical products. But, the firm had been so involved in navigating drug development and approval processes that it had lost track of its identity. The firm did not define itself initially, and with its rapid growth, shifting strategies, evolving competencies, and plethora of alliances, Tetra needed a stronger focus. Adding to the turmoil, the firm was operating within the rapidly changing global marijuana industry-essentially, uncharted waters. Given that the firm's new drugs were about to receive government approval, the firm had to determine how to build its brand.

M.M.LaFleur, a clothing company founded in New York in 2013, specialized in office wear for professional women. Specifically, M.M.LaFleur targeted a difficult-to-serve group-working women who did not like shopping. Despite the challenging customer base, the company grew steadily since its inception. Customers could shop online through the company's website or attend showrooms, pop-up stores, or trunk shows, where sales associates provided attentive personal service. However, the most successful venue for the company's sales was a feature called the M.M.LaFleur "bento box," which was responsible for 80 per cent of the company's revenue. By June 2019, M.M.LaFleur had grown from a small start-up company into a thriving business with a loyal customer base. The founder was pleased with her company's results, but wondered what her next steps should be. What could M.M.LaFleur do to continue its strong growth and momentum?

In January 2019, the sole proprietor and the general manager of Farm Electronics met to discuss critical options for the possible growth path of their company. Farm Electronics was a 42-year-old, small-scale electrical and electronic industrial equipment manufacturer based in Indore, India. The company's product portfolio consisted of various transformers, relay coils, power supplies, and direct-current motors, which were designed according to its customers' specifications. Farm Electronics' customers consisted of small-, medium-, and large-scale businesses from both the organized and unorganized sectors. Significant aspects of the company's value proposition included quality, timely delivery, and after-sales service. However, most of Farm Electronics' revenue came from only a few big accounts. The proprietor and the general manager wanted to expand their company's reach and were thus contemplating targeting a new set of customers.

In April 2019, Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC (Carl's Jr.), an American fast-food restaurant chain, faced an important decision. The company was up against strong competition from both traditional players in the fast-food market and newer competitors in the fast-casual dining market. In 2017, Carl's Jr. had stopped using the provocative ads it had become known for, and in 2018, the company ended a long co-branding relationship with Hardee's Restaurants LLC. Due in part to these changes, the company was struggling to form its own identity. Carl's Jr.'s chief executive officer needed to develop a sustainable competitive advantage in order to make the company relevant again in the minds of consumers.

This article explores how an organization can use its history to define and deliver its corporate brand strategy. We specifically look at Adidas, which, having rejected its history at one stage, rediscovered and used the philosophy and ideas of its founder to provide direction for the future, legitimate strategic choices, and enrich the corporate brand. Through analysis of material evidence and interviews with senior and long-serving employees, we conceptualize the way Adidas developed a systematic approach to the use of history in its corporate brand strategy by creating the means to uncover, remember, curate, and then embed it. Combining the lessons of the Adidas case with evidence from other cases in which history was used to refocus and revitalize corporate brands, we deliver key recommendations for managers.