With so many channels to manage, with so many fragmented messages and with so little resources, clients are forced into a tunnel. It is harder to see the big picture than it ever has been. The current economic pressure to have constant gains in a stagnant consumer climate is causing many marketers (and agencies) to focus strictly on driving sales.

Clients looking to drive traffic and sales believe that a good offer is all they need. And a good offer sure helps. 50% off. Sounds great. 50% Off Prada Footwear would be quite a draw. 50% Off Famous Footwear, less so. Branding adds implicit value to the offer. 50% of nothing is nothing.

That doesn’t mean that every ad should be a :60 shot by David Fincher (although I would complain slightly less). It just means that the brand should be advanced in communications whenever possible.

Here’s a secret: strategy, branding and sales needn’t compete. Admittedly, it is a balancing act, but all communication (even limited to 140 characters) can be tailored to promote branding AND sales objectives. The challenge is prioritizing each, based on an overall strategy.