We always think the next generation is better. Often that is true -- but too often, it's worse. On the heels of success, too many companies take their eye off the ball. Every year, new and improved versions are introduced to keep us brand-loyal. That works until something goes wrong. Then years of valuable brand building simply collapse. This up-and-down movement is the Brand Wave. We see this implosion too often with just about every brand. I'll illustrate this trend with several examples and suggest some remedies.