Synopses & Reviews
In a fascinating and insightful examination of the phenomenon of brand equity, Aaker 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, which will clarify for managers exactly how brand equity does contribute value.
The most important assets of any business are intangible: its company name, brands, symbols, and slogans, and their underlying associations, perceived quality, name awareness, customer base, and proprietary resources such as patents, trademarks, and channel relationships. These assets, which comprise brand equity, are a primary source of competitive advantage and future earnings, contends David Aaker, a national authority on branding. Yet, research shows that managers cannot identify with confidence their brand associations, levels of consumer awareness, or degree of customer loyalty. Moreover in the last decade, managers desperate for short-term financial results have often unwittingly damaged their brands through price promotions and unwise brand extensions, causing irreversible deterioration of the value of the brand name. Although several companies, such as Canada Dry and Colgate-Palmolive, have recently created an equity management position to be guardian of the value of brand names, far too few managers, Aaker concludes, really understand the concept of brand equity and how it must be implemented.
The author opens each chapter with a historical analysis of either the success or failure of a particular company's attempt at building brand equity: the fascinating Ivory soap story; the transformation of Datsun to Nissan; the decline of Schlitz beer; the making of the Ford Taurus; and others. Finally, citing examples from many other companies, Aaker shows how to avoid the temptation to place short-term performance before the health of the brand and, instead, to manage brands strategically by creating, developing, and exploiting each of the five assets in turn
Review
John O'ToolePresident, American Association of Advertising AgenciesAaker presents the critical importance of brands, and intelligent counsel on how to create, nurture, and evaluate them. This could be the book that finally directs the attention of American business away from quarterly earnings statements and onto permanent growth.
Review
Tom PetersThe Tom Peters GroupA must for all managers' bookshelves. In an increasingly crowded marketplace, fools will compete on price. Winners will find a way to create lasting value in the customer's mind. This book is for those who would be winners -- it mixes snappy case studies with sound academic research.
Review
Peter S. SealeySenior Vice-President and Director, Global Marketing, The Coca-Cola CompanyHighly readable and packed with useful information...Aaker captures the very essence of brand equity in this first class work. Every marketing professional in America should read this book and take its message to heart.
Review
David E. R. Dangoor,Senior Vice-President, Marketing, Philip MorrisProperly managed, no equity can yield a better return over time than a trademark -- David Aaker's book is an excellent tool to assist both students and the experienced to understand more about the complexities, sensitivities, and opportunities in the area.
Review
Vijay MahajanThe University of Texas at AustinA fascinating, practical, and insightful book that brilliantly examines the "assets" that define brand equity to create, develop, market, and manage brands strategically in the l990s.
Review
Nicholas StaveleyEditor, ADMAPGreat brands have become multinational properties, with a worth in the same order of magnitude as the corporations who own them. Aaker has created a comprehensive taxonomy of branding: its roots, benefits, and variety, and the complex skills and techniques it demands.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 277-287) and index.
About the Author
David A. Aaker is the Vice-Chairman of Prophet, Professor Emeritus of Marketing Strategy at the Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley, Advisor to Dentsu, Inc., and a recognized authority on brands and brand management. The winner of the Paul D. Converse Award for outstanding contributions to the development of the science of marketing and the Vijay Mahajan Award for Career Contributions to Marketing Strategy, he has published more than ninety articles and eleven books, including Strategic Market Management, Managing Brand Equity, Building Strong Brands, and Brand Leadership (co-authored with Eric Joachimsthaler).
Table of Contents
ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments
1. What Is Brand Equity?
The Ivory Story
The Role of Brands
Brand-Building Neglect
The Role of Assets and Skills
What Is Brand Equity?
What Is the Value of a Brand?
Brand Value Based upon Future Earnings
Issues in Managing Brand Equity
The Plan of the Book
2. Brand Loyalty
The MicroPro Story
Brand Loyalty
Measuring Brand Loyalty
The Strategic Value of Brand Loyalty
Maintaining and Enhancing Loyalty
Selling Old Customers Instead of New Ones
3. Brand Awareness
The Datsun-Becomes-Nissan Story
The GE-Becomes-Black & Decker Story
What Is Brand Awareness?
How Awareness Works to Help the Brand
The Power of Old Brand Names
How to Achieve Awareness
4. Perceived Quality
The Schlitz Story
What Is Perceived Quality?
How Perceived Quality Generates Value
What Influences Perceived Quality?
5. Brand Associations: The Positioning Decision
The Weight Watchers Story
Associations, Image, and Positioning
How Brand Associations Create Value
Types of Associations
6. The Measurement of Brand Associations
The Ford Taurus Story
What Does This Brand Mean to You?
Scaling Brand Perceptions
7. Selecting, Creating, and Maintaining Associations
The Dove Story
The Honeywell Story
Which Associations
Creating Associations
Maintaining Associations
Managing Disasters
8. The Name, Symbol, and Slogan
The Volkswagen Story
Names
Symbols
Slogans
9. Brand Extensions: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Levi Tailored Classics Story
The Good: What the Brand Name Brings to the Extension
More Good: Extensions Can Enhance the Core Brand
The Bad: The Name Fails to Help the Extension
The Ugly: The Brand Name Is Damaged
More Ugly: A New Brand Name Is Foregone
How to Go About It
Strategy Considerations
10. Revitalizing the Brand
The Yamaha Story
Increasing Usage
Finding New Uses
Entering New Markets
Repositioning the Brand
Augmenting the Product/Service
Obsoleting Existing Products with New-Generation Technologies
Alternatives to Revitalization: The End Game
11. Global Branding and a Recap
The Kal Kan Story
The Parker Pen Story
A Global Brand?
Targeting a Country
Analyzing the Context
A Recap
Notes
Index