Includes bibliographical references (p. 263-285) and index.

Preface -- List of abbreviations -- Brands and the growth of multinationals -- Leading firms : the historical legacy -- Growth and survival -- Family ownership and managerial control -- Channel management -- Diversification strategies -- Acquiring brands -- The life of brands -- Conclusion -- Appendix 1. Value added chain in alcoholic beverages -- Appendix 2. Brands owned by the leading multinationals in 2005 -- Appendix 3. Annual sales for each firm in alcoholic beverages -- Appendix 4. Selection of the sample -- Appendix 5. Biographies of the world's largest multinationals in alcoholic beverages -- Appendix 6. Types of governance structures in distribution, 1900--2005 -- Appendix 7. Schematic representation: alliances as dynamic processes for acquiring marketing knowledge -- Appendix 8. Diversification strategies -- Appendix 9. Patterns of diversification within alcoholic beverages -- Appendix 10. Schematic representation: brands and marketing knowledge in mergers and acquisitions -- Appendix 11. Evolution of sales of the world's leading brands by beverage type -- Bibliography.