All articles by Clive Woodger

The brand challenge for Russia

Clive Woodger, the founder and managing director of branding consultancy SCG London, says that the increasingly competitive and crowded Russian retail banking market has led to a growing awareness of the importance of branding in helping domestic banks distinguish themselves. Although many observers in the international business community believe that Russia remains a particularly challenging place to do business, a feeling strengthened due to its governments increasingly assertive political profile on the world stage, as witnessed by its energy policy, our experience of working there since 1998 is altogether more positive.An ongoing economic boom, low inflation, reduced levels of personal taxation and annual pay rises of 20 percent (regarded by many as the norm), have all helped fuel a rapid evolution of consumer attitudes.In such an environment, what does this mean for the countrys retail banks