Brands have become increasingly fragile and difficult to sustain. Failure to invest in the right mix of activities at the right time risks eroding the brand. On the other hand, those companies that anticipate and avoid the common investment traps can reap superior growth in brand value over a long period of time.

Many firms have shifted their brand-related spending to more easily measured areas such as direct marketing. As a result, the reservoir of brand equity gets low and important customer touchpoints are neglected. Here's how rigorous customer science techniques can maximize returns in those soft areas.