When I was a young product manager back in the ’70s, the only people I could talk to about brands were my colleagues in the marketing department and the advertising agency. Now my accountant, my lawyer, my portfolio manager and even my neighbour talk to me about brands. It’s a subject that I’ve never tired of, but I must admit to some frustration in seeing how brands have been managed over the years. Ostensibly, consumer brands are resurrecting their past luster, but in my view their health remains tenuous.