Our thinking is appearing in publications around the world

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.

This op-ed article highlights how certain brands have been able to ignore the current trend in advertising towards politically correct messages. Prophet's Joseph Gelman and Bernhard Schaar use examples such as Burger King and Direct Line insurance to illustrate their argument.

In this article, Vanessa discusses Pizza Hut’s rebranding of some of its outlets as ‘Pasta Hut’ and whether or not it will produce long-term growth for the brand. (Also available at http://www.brandstrategy.co.uk/)

Roger Sinclair stresses how measurement of brand performance is becoming a long-term necessity. Marketers use a multitude of measurements to gauge the effectiveness of their activities and the progress they are making toward their goals.

Retailers have always been driven by the seasons. The holidays, of course, and particularly Christmas. Fall and back to school. The ushering-in of spring and summer, with promotions around fun and leisurely pursuits. Since the recession officially reared its head in January of 2008, retailing has added a new season to its lineup: The “season of discontent.”

Successful companies get it: they report to the customer. But how do you effect a shift away from an out-dated operational focus to one that truly puts the customer front and center? Scott Davis explains that it doesn’t require a re-organization so much as a mind-set shift (plus visionary leadership).

In this article, Joseph explains why it is important for companies to pay attention to trends and understand if they are relevant for their category and brand.

Technology has made it possible, through advanced research and information gathering techniques, to forge a deeper understanding of what matters most to customers.

Michael Krauss, a writer for Marketing News, calls David Aaker’s book a “must-read for every chief marketing officer and any marketer that aspires to that lofty C-level role.”

Please note, this article is not available online. Please contact Prophet for a copy. 

David Aaker sits down with Brilliant Results to discuss concepts from his book, Spanning Silos: The New CMO Imperative. 

David Aaker’s latest book discusses the prominence of silos within organizations and the disruption it causes to marketing efforts and overall company survival. He argues it’s up to Chief Marketing Officers to break down silo walls to foster cooperation and synergy.

A strategic approach to profiling and managing brand equity over time, using both qualitative and quantitative modeling approaches.

Strategic Market Management is designed to give you the strategic management tools you need to meet the challenges created by the dynamic nature of markets. Using a variety of concepts and methods such as strategic questions, portfolio models, and scenario analysis, the book outlines the five competencies that spark successful, ongoing strategizing.

A discussion of the key observations form a survey of Financial Services Forum members on value and its role in marketing strategy.

A perspective on the importance of developing a solid understanding of customers' needs and goals.

The healthcare interaction model was traditionally defined by the patient-doctor relationship, with the physician “brand” the source of decision-making, short- and long-term care planning, and also the foundation for patient loyalty. Patients went to the hospital that their physician recommended, whereas healthcare systems relied on hard facts to help physicians and patients make decisions. They weren’t actively managing their brands.

Customers may not know it, but senior executives are counting on them to help reinvent, reposition, re-ignite, and regain brand relevancy. In this article we use Hyundai, Microsoft, and Domino’s as examples of how to regain relevancy.

One of the most powerful tools to help accelerate business growth is an annual inventory of all the spending that’s undertaken throughout the enterprise to increase revenue.

This article discusses the test-and-learn approach to marketing investment and how it helps build marketing credibility while providing a platform for continuous optimization of the overall marketing mix.

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