Creating a clearly differentiated SME brand profile: The case of Montana A/S

Abstract

Business and academic literature frequently focuses on large companies and well-known brands. However, most businesses are actually small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that do not have the marketing budgets available to global giants such as Coca-Cola, NIKE or McDonald's. There is a need for owners and managers of SMEs to build strong brands that compete locally and globally, in both the short and long term. SME owners and managers could benefit enormously from a clear set of guidelines to help them develop a competitive brand and market position within their budgetary constraints. This paper demonstrates that, if correctly implemented, corporate branding really does work, and can be achieved within a limited marketing budget. This approach requires managers and owners to start thinking of branding as a long-term process that needs consistent, continuous communication to succeed. In this paper, we cite the example of a Danish furniture manufacturer, Montana A/S, but we strongly believe this case is applicable to many businesses worldwide.