Insights on Brand Strategy:

RISQUÉ BUSINESS: Sex Sells. Or Does it? [PDF]
By Kevin O'Donnell

Your customers—current and intended—have certain expectations of both your brand and your category. There’s a fine line between outrageous and offensive messaging, and the risk of crossing it and alienating more customers than you entice must be evaluated. (Marketing News, April 2008)

Relevance of branding and user experience in hotels and shopping centres [Podcast]
By Joseph Gelman

Joseph Gelman, Partner, talks to Intereconomía Radio about the relevance of branding and user experience in hotels and shopping centres. *Please note this interview is in Spanish. (Intereconomía Radio, April 2008)

Bank branches faced with the cash crisis [PDF]
By Joseph Gelman

In this opinion article published by the financial daily Cinco Días, Joseph Gelman argues that the concept of bank branches is still alive, despite claims to the contrary. Banks should therefore take advantage of this situation to transmit the essence of their brand to clients at all points of interaction, particularly in light of the current cash crisis. *Please note this article is in Spanish. (Cinco Dias, March 20, 2008)

A Shot to the Heart [PDF]
By Kevin O'Donnell

Brand extensions are often seen as a silver bullet to all that ails maturing brands and business categories. Succeed and you may be on the path to substantial organic growth. Fail, and you join the ranks of some 90% of all new market entrants that prove irrelevant to customers. (Marketing News, February 1, 2008)

Innovation: Brand It or Lose It
By David Aaker

In this article, David Aaker argues that brand strategy is crucially important to an innovation. Without it, the strength of an innovation will be short-lived. 
*Please note, there is a fee to obtain the full text of this article. (California Management Review, Fall 2007)

How to Invest in Branding: The Harrah's Story [Webcast]
By Kevin O'Donnell

In this 90-minute web seminar, Kevin O'Donnell from Prophet and Lisa Marchese from Harrah's will discuss how the largest casino operator in the world uses brand to compete and win in a fiercely competitive and ever-changing market. (MarketingProfs, February, 2008)

Build a Brand Consumers Will Actually Want to Control [PDF]
By Scott Davis

In this article, Scott Davis answers questions about customer control: Does the customer really want to be your co-pilot? Does the customer want to do the marketer’s work in building the brand? Make your ads? Design your products? Distribute your message? Maybe not, he argues. (AdAge, 11/27/2007)

Learn to Use Communication's Negative Space [PDF]
By Kevin O'Donnell

In the environment where you can reach your customers 24/7, success at building a brand—at solidifying and growing your relationship with customers—is really all about being selective. You need to pick the right time and place or, better yet, let the customer pick for you. (Marketing News, November 1, 2007)

The Infinite Asset: Managing Brands to Build New Value
By Chris Lederer

This book introduces a breakthrough mapping tool – the brand portfolio molecule – that lets managers visualize all elements of a brand portfolio and how they interact to create new value. It is a must-have guide to leveraging brands to create a lasting, almost infinite, competitive advantage.

Brands That Transgress [PDF]
By Joseph Gelman

See Your Brands Through Your Customers Eyes [PDF]
By Chris Lederer

A new three-dimensional approach to mapping brand portfolios reveals the complex relationships between your brands and those of other companies. It may turn your marketing assumptions upside down.  (Harvard Business Review, June 2001)

Turning Green Into Gold [PDF]
By Andrew Pierce

In this article, Andrew argues that the question for most companies is not if they will take action to make their brands environmentally friendly, but when and the extent to which they will do so. He then discusses what it takes to successfully make green work as a business and brand builder. (Marketing News, October 1, 2007)

Brand Portfolio and Brand Architecture in Single Brand Companies [PDF]
By Sarah Essex and Teresa Schrezenmaier

In this article, we discuss how single-brand companies can utilize brand portfolio and architecture to maximize business results.

The CMO Challenge: Exiting the Comfort Zone [PDF]
By Michael Dunn

In this article, Michael Dunn argues that in order to be effective, marketers need to up their game, take on the new media, and be prepared to be adventurous, extending their influence over many of the critical business growth drivers. (Argent, September 2007)

Peeling Back the Layers on Innovation [PDF]
By David Aaker

Innovation is now a priority in most firms around the world just as quality was two decades ago. The challenge then was how to transform a quality program and results into a quality image. Today the need is to gain image credit for developing an innovative organization and a flow of innovative products. (BrandWeek, May 1, 2006)

Don't Be Afraid to Plunge Into Emerging Media [PDF]
By Scott Davis

Color today’s marketers dazed and confused. It’s an understandable reaction to an environment that has become almost impossibly complex, making it difficult for them to figure out where to start (or much less how to go about) meeting management’s escalating demands for demonstrable returns. (AdAge, July 23, 2007)

Building a Successful Relationship with China [PDF]
By Michael Dunn

In this article, Michael Dunn advises business-to-business brands to do their homework before entering the Chinese market. Are strategic partnerships the way to drive customer loyalty? (Brand Strategy, May 2007)

Prophet's State of Marketing Study: "The Effectiveness Imperative" [PDF]
By Prophet

Marketers continue to face an uphill battle when it comes to creating an effective marketing organization that demonstrably drives the business. Increasingly, senior management looks to marketing to enable, if not drive, short- and long-term business growth. Yet marketers typically don’t see themselves at the wheel for this particular journey. This gap is one of the highlights of our 2006/2007 State of Marketing Survey.

The future of Iberia as a brand [PDF]
By Joseph Gelman

In this article in one of the leading Spanish financial dailies, Joseph Gelman and Pablo Barrientos reflect on the planned sale of the leading Spanish airline Iberia and the consequences it could have on the brand. *Please note this article is in Spanish. (Cinco Días, May 2007)

There's Nothing New in Desperate Marketing [PDF]
By Eloy Trevino and Scott Davis

Two Choices: Burger King and Ford followed different paths in their quests to grow-and stand as case studies of why the best marketing comes from innovation, not desperation. (Advertising Age, April 23, 2007)

Brands Losing Their Shine [PDF]
By Joseph Gelman

In light of the recent bid for Altadis, the Franco-Spanish tobacco company, Joseph Gelman and Pablo Barrientos express their thoughts on the branding challenges facing the tobacco industry, in an opinion article published in the leading Spanish financial daily Expansión. *Please note this article is in Spanish. (Expansión, marzo 2007)

The Brand Challenge
By Prophet

In this opinion article published in the Spanish advertising and marketing portal Marketing Directo, Luis-Eduardo Rodríguez Baptista expresses his views on the current challenges facing the food service industry. *Please note this article is in Spanish. (Marketing Directo, 16 de abril de 2007)

How to Get an Ethical Advantage [PDF]
By Prophet

In this article, we discuss three strategies to help companies integrate corporate social responsibility with brand-building efforts. (Brand Strategy, December 2006/January 2007)

At Kohl's, Very Vera Should be Very Wary [PDF]
By Prophet

In this article, Steve Chang discusses the potential impact on Vera Wang's brand by launching a new line of clothing for Kohl's. (BrandWeek.com, October 16, 2006)

Power Switch [PDF]
By Michael Dunn

In many of today's leading organizations, marketing is front and center in driving solid business performance - based on a heightened understanding of and responsiveness to the customer.  Leading the charge are empowered chief marketing officers, who have developed a more expansive influence, range of responsibilities, and view of marketing's capabilities in the broader business scheme. (Marketing Management, September/October 2006)

The Role of Marketing and Brand in Driving Growth [PDF]
By Scott Davis

Citing results from our State of Marketing survey, this webcast given by Scott Davis looks at the definition of growth within organizations and highlights inconsistencies in the way it is defined by chief executive officers, chief marketing officers, and other executives. Learn techniques you can use to identify opportunities for brand-driven and marketing-driven growth, and find out how to align your organization by creating synergies between business, brand, and marketing strategies. Finally, we provide a summary of findings and best practices that can help your organization close the growth gap. (Microsoft Executive Circle, April 2006)

A View From the Top: Career Insight From Prophet Senior Partner Scott Davis [Podcast]
By Scott Davis

In this podcast, Scott discusses his career thus far, what has helped make him successful, and what he values most in the people that work with him. (MarketingProfs, March 2006)

The View From the Top [PDF]
By Morag Cuddeford Jones

David Aaker and several other business gurus discuss key consumer trends and new strategic thinking for companies seeking world-beating brand behavior. (Brand Strategy, March 2006)

AT&T's Baggage Weighs Down SBC
By Scott Davis

What's in a name? Plenty. It's the most obvious representation of a brand and comes with all sorts of positive and negative associations, externally and internally. (BrandWeek, January 2006) 

From Fargo to the World of Brands
By David Aaker

David Aaker's autobiography details the intellectual journey that led to a focus on brands and chronicles his attempts to influence management practices.

Brand Extension: Determining When and Where to Extend Your Brand Into New Markets [PDF]
By Prophet

In this final webcast of a three-part series ("Using Brands to Drive Growth") originally presented to members of the American Marketing Association, we discuss how to achieve growth by extending your brand into new markets — either by geography, by category, or by industry. We explore critical questions including: What are the challenges of managing your brand as you expand its reach to new customers with potentially new product offerings? Are there pitfalls that might damage your valuable brand? Can brands move up or down markets? To listen to the audio version, play the on-demand webcast. (American Marketing Association, November 2005)

Brand Portfolio Strategy: Managing and Investing in the Right Brands to Drive Business Results [PDF]
By Scott Davis

In this first webcast of a three-part series ("Using Brands to Drive Growth") originally presented to members of the American Marketing Association, Scott Davis reveals how to manage a portfolio of brands to optimize business growth and profoundly affect your firm's profitability. Using the latest thinking from Brand Portfolio Strategy, written by David Aaker, Prophet's Vice-Chairman, and leveraging Scott's extensive brand portfolio work with leading companies, he introduces strategic ways to stay relevant with customers, capitalize on under-leveraged brands, and generate energy among your brands. To listen to the audio version, play the on-demand webcast.
(American Marketing Association, September 2005)

The United Nations in Crisis: Negative Perceptions Call for Savvy Marketing to Rebuild its Brand [PDF]
By Prophet

The UN is in a brand crisis. The damage to its reputation is significant, but if the organization is committed to making some significant changes, it's not too late to change course and correct it's tainted image. (Brandchannel.com, August 2005)

Fixing Brand Bloat: Focus on Customer-Centric Portfolio Strategy, Management [PDF]
By Scott Davis

Businesses today are staggering from the weight of their brand portfolios, and there's no one easy way to lessen the burden. It takes a commitment from the corporation's upper reaches to take a fresh look at the family of brands to ensure they're all working in tandem to drive enterprise-wide business value. (Point, July/August 2005)

Marketing: The new critical capability in M&A [PDF]
By Kevin O'Donnell

Today's red-hot market for mergers and acquisitions spells huge opportunities - and challenges for marketing leaders and their teams. Three principles are discussed to ensure a successful transaction. (CMOMagazine.com, May 2005)

Five Lessons for a Happy Honeymoon [PDF]
By Prophet

Applying a brand lens on post-merger integration can significantly increase chances of success. This article outlines five key lessons, and includes several examples from the pharmaceutical industry. (Pharma Times, February 2005)

Incorporating Brand - and Marketers - in Mix Can Enhance M&A Outcomes [PDF]
By Kevin O'Donnell

This article provides insight into the importance of incorporating brand into a merger or acquisition opportunity for a more successful outcome. (Marketing Magnified, a publ. of the CMO Council, December 2004)

The Acquired Corporate Brand [PDF]
By David Aaker

With the resurgence of mergers in the pharmaceutical industry, companies need to consider the perceived value, role and importance of the acquired brands when determining whether and how to integrate the two organizations. (Pharma Times, December 2004)

How Dupont Used Insights From Needs-Based Research to Redefine Brand, Business [PDF]
By Michael Petromilli and Keith Sena

Insights into how DuPont Performance Coatings, a leading supplier of paint systems to the global automotive industry, used customer insights to reposition its brand. (2005 Handbook of Business Strategy, October 2004)

In Selling Solutions, Success Hinges on Brand's Credibility and Stretch with Customers [PDF]
By Prophet

Technology companies must consider their customers' needs in designing "solutions strategies." This article outlines four key questions that must be addressed to ensure that the brand meets customers' needs. (Influency, a publication of the CMO Council, Fall 2004)

Expand Your Brand's Sweet Spot [PDF]
By Scott Davis

The article addresses the importance of continuing to understand and manage your brand's sweet spot in order to increase likelihood of success of new products, exert more channel power and drive your companies growth. (Brandweek, September 2004)

Brand Master [PDF]
By David Aaker

An in-depth interview with David Aaker on issues in branding and how they are affecting financial services. (Argent, August 2004)

How To Remodel Your House of Brands [PDF]
By David Aaker

A discussion of ten questions to help determine what brand portfolio problems your company may be facing and potential next steps to solving them. (MWorld, August 2004)

David Aaker asks, "Are you Getting the Most From Your Brand Portfolio?" [PDF]
By David Aaker

There's more to brand strategy than creating and managing a strong brand, especially since virtually all businesses have multiple brands in their portfolios. Too many businesses, however, have neither the underlying strategy nor management processes in place to allow their brand portfolios to reach their full potential as an important driver of business performance. (MWorld, Summer 2004)

UBS: Brand Building in a Global Market [PDF]
By Jestyn Thirkell-White

A case study on the change in brand strategy and brand management apporach at UBS (Admap, July 2004)

The Innovator's Prescription: The Relevance of Brand Relevance
By David Aaker

A perspective on the importance of maintaining relevance with customers and strategies to help companies achieve that goal. (Strategy+Business, June 2004)

Autopsy on Olds: Death By Neglect, Stagnation [PDF]
By Prophet

A perspective on what it takes to save a dying brand. (Automotive News, June 2004)

Lessons in Successfully Using a Master Brand [PDF]
By David Aaker

David Aaker highlights some thoughts from his new book, Brand Portfolio Strategy. (Marketing Week, May 2004)

Rise to the Brand Challenge [PDF]
By David Aaker

Insights into five brand hurdles and how marketers can deal with them. (Marketer, May 2004)

Why It Pays to Jump on the Brandwagon [PDF]
By David Aaker

David Aaker, in an interview about his new book, provides examples of brand portfolio issues that companies are facing. (Financial Times, April 2004)

Defining "Brand Chicago" is Key to Luring New Business*
By Scott Davis

A perspective on how the city of Chicago can put its brand identity into action and reap the strategic and economic benefits. (Crain's Chicago Business, April 2004)

Brand Portfolio Strategy
By David Aaker

In this long-awaited book from the world's premier brand expert, David Aaker shows how to construct a brand portfolio strategy that supports your business strategy and profoundly affects your profitability.

Leveraging the Corporate Brand [PDF]
By David Aaker

A perspective on how a company can dial up the importance and role of the corporate (company) brand. (California Management Review, March 2004)

Even Brands Need Spring Cleaning [PDF]
By David Aaker

An overview of his latest book, Brand Portfolio Strategy. (Brandweek, March 2004)

Mergers and Acquisitions: Making Brand Equity a Key Factor in M&A Decision-making [PDF]
By Prophet

A framework for incorporating brand evaluation and brand strategy into the transaction process. (Strategy and Leadership, March 2004)

Decline of the Master Brand [PDF]
By Prophet

a commentary on the decline of corporate master brands as more flexible models are becoming necessary to accommodate complex business and product liens. (President & CEO, December 2003)

Why Banks Have to Learn Brand Management [PDF]
By Prophet

A perspective on the importance and challenge of building brands in the financial services sector. (Retail Banker International, November 2003)

Branding For Banks [PDF]
By Prophet

An introduction to the importance of brand building in the financial sector, typical challenges that financial institutions face, and a five-step brand management checklist. (Edition IV, News for Banks, November 2003)

Testing Your Brand Limits [PDF]
By Mitch Duckler

A four-step road map to ensure that future new products or services complement, and ideally enhance, the current equities of the brand. (Marketing Management, November 2003)

The Power of Brand Differentiator (Abstract)
By David Aaker

An introduction to a new tool that can help companies maintain a competitive age. (MIT Sloan Management Review, September 2003)

Creating the Brand-Driven Business: It's the CEO who Must Lead the Way [PDF]
By Michael Dunn and Scott Davis

A point of view on the role CEO's play in creating brand-driven businesses and a toolkit to guide their efforts. (Handbook of Business Strategy, September 2003)

Green Ketchup Works, But Not on Blue Fries [PDF]
By Kevin O'Donnell

A perspective on leveraging brand equities to execute successful brand extensions. (Brandweek, September 2003)

Pulling the Hidden Lever - How Hotel Brands Help Tackle Business Issues [PDF]
By Prophet

A point of view on the importance of investing in hotel brands even during tough economic times. (National Hotel Executive, August 2003)

Viewpoint - Debunking the Myth of Global Branding [PDF]
By Michael Petromilli

Insight into four degrees of global branding supported by examples of companies that follow each style of global brand management. (IndustryWeek.com, June 2003)

Your Brand is Much More than a Name [PDF]
By Prophet

A perspective on the importance of brand building in the insurance industry. (Risk & Insurance, June 2003)

Executive Brand Councils Perform Strategic Role [PDF]
By Scott Davis

Insights into the rise in Executive Brand Councils and the strategic role they play in decision-making. (Marketing News, April 2003)

Rebranding and Brand Delivery are Highly Visible Among B2B Companies*
By Michael Dunn and Scott Davis

A look into traditional companies who are rushing to reorganize and integrate brands. (Corporate Brand Management (in Japanese), October 2002)

Brand Schizophrenia: Today's Epidemic*
By Prophet

A point of view on some recent brand extensions. (Brandweek, October 2002)

Brand Asset Management
By Scott Davis

In this book, learn how to turn your brand from the logo on your letterhead into the driving force behind your company's growth, operational success, and long-term profitability.

Building the Brand-Driven Business
By Michael Dunn and Scott Davis

In this book, learn how to map out a strategy that can help an entire organization manage and live (not just think about) its brand.

Brand Asset Management: How Business Can Profit from the Power of Brand*
By Scott Davis

A look into how several successful companies manage their brands as strategic assets. (Journal of Consumer Marketing, September 2002)

Do Corporate Brands Matter? [PDF]
By Prophet

An overview of the role corporate brands play in the hotel industry. (National Hotel Executive, September 2002)

Effective Branding: More Than Just a Name [PDF]
By Scott Davis

A view on branding today and what a top executive needs to do to protect his/her brand's equity. (MWorld, August 2002)

Creating Brand Harmony: The Strongest Brand Families Are The Ones That Stay Connected [PDF]
By Michael Petromilli

This article addresses how to use brand architecture to drive top and bottom-line growth. (Marketing Management, July 2002)

Your Brand is Your Most Valuable Strategic Asset [PDF]
By Scott Davis

An in-depth interview with Davis, Scott on how to manage your brand as an asset. (B2Buzz, June 2002)

The Insurance Company Branding Challenge [PDF]
By Prophet

This article reviews the challenges facing many insurance company executives as they attempt to extend their brand(s) into a broader financial services market. (Insurance Marketing Magazine, February 2002)

Operationalizing the Brand: 2002 Best Practices Study [PDF]
By Prophet

Prophet conducted a study among 90 global corporations to explore best practices in branding today. The study found that only a small majority (53%) has a long-term brand strategy in place, and of that number only 40% are "very" satisfied with it. (January 2002)

Operationalizing the Brand: 2002 Best Practices Study [PDF]
By Prophet

Prophet conducted a study among 90 global corporations to explore best practices in branding today. The study found that only a small majority (53%) has a long-term brand strategy in place, and of that number only 40% are "very" satisfied with it. (January 2002)

Fueling Growth Through Ingredient Branding [PDF]
By Prophet

This article explores the concept of ingredient branding and why it is an important strategy for companies to consider to help protect or grow market share. (SAM Magazine, January 2002)

Brand It!*
By Scott Davis

Article on corporate branding and why organizations need to make brand a strategic driver for the entire organization. (US Business Review, August 2001)

B2B Branding: Avoiding the Pitfalls [PDF]
By Prophet

This in depth article highlights the challenges of building a B2B brand and provides guidance on steps that mangers can take to effectively build their brands. (Business2Business Marketers, July 2001)

Brand Leadership
By David Aaker and Erich Joachimsthaler

This book examines how brand leadership can be achieved in the face of increasing competitive and economic pressures, including over-capacity, vicious price competition, product sameness, product proliferation, and powerful retailers.

The Brand Relationship Spectrum: The Key to the Brand Architecture Challenge
By David Aaker and Erich Joachimsthaler

This white paper introduces a powerful brand architecture tool, the "brand relationship spectrum" and addresses how companies can manage a portfolio of brand assets. (California Management Review, January 2000)

The Brand Relationship Spectrum: The Key to the Brand Architecture Challenge
By David Aaker and Erich Joachimsthaler

This white paper introduces a powerful brand architecture tool, the "brand relationship spectrum" and addresses how companies can manage a portfolio of brand assets. (California Management Review, January 2000)

Building Strong Brands
By David Aaker

David Aaker's widely acclaimed book introduces the brand identity model and presents relevant case examples to bring it to life.

Managing Brand Equity
By David Aaker

This book provides a clear and well-defined structure of the relationship between a brand and its symbol and slogan, as well as each of the five underlying assets.