companies usually assume if their sales are good, then their brand and reputation must be strong. but all too often, they don ` t have a clear understanding of the values that drive brand and reputation and actually sustain long-term profitability and growth. this leaves companies vulnerable to dangerous backlash between corporate values, and those of their stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders, media, government, and community. even well-known and seemingly successful brands and reputations have suffered from this backlash (e.g. nike and overseas sweatshops, wal-mart and unfair employment practices, mcdonald ` s and obesity issues.) every stakeholder applies their personal and professional values to judge the performance of a company. branding expert john foley has developed the balancedbrand system, which helps companies assess corporate values, identify potential flashpoints, and align values to build a stronger brand and reputation. balancedbrand identifies and helps manage the forces that will change the way business does business. foley and co-author julie kendrick have created new tools that build and protect brands and reputations.