Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking, has continued to refocus its brand on the B2B market after pulling the reins in on a much-scrutinized extension into consumer audiences. Cisco’s brand has always been able to remain relevant in the switching and router market, but that may not be enough to maintain Cisco’s performance in the future. The recent acquisition of NDS, a leading provider of video software and content security solutions, indicates that Cisco could be looking to gain a more solid foothold in softwarebased applications. As the market continues to trend towards mobility and cloud computing, strong and nimble international competitors, like the Chinese powerhouse Huawei, will bring new challenges to Cisco’s reputation as an innovator — especially outside the US. Cisco’s campaign, “The Human Network,” has been a consistent presence, but the brand strategy will need to adapt to the return of focus on the B2B market. Cisco has continued to streamline operations to reduce costs and help protect current margins, but multiple rounds of recent layoffs mean that morale must be maintained to develop the brand internally.