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.
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 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
Industry Reviews
Peter S. Sealey Senior Vice-President and Director, Global Marketing, The Coca-Cola Company Highly 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. William WellsExecutive Vice-President, DDB Needham WorldwideBrand equity is among the hottest topics in advertising and marketing today. This book is the most comprehensive and most insightful source available. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. John O'ToolePresident, American Association of Advertising Agencies
Aaker 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. David E. R. Dangoor, Senior Vice-President, Marketing, Philip Morris
Properly 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. Tom PetersThe Tom Peters Group
A 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. Peter S. SealeySenior Vice-President and Director, Global Marketing, The Coca-Cola Company
Highly 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. Nicholas StaveleyEditor, ADMAP
Great 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. Vijay MahajanThe University of Texas at Austin
A 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. William WellsExecutive Vice-President, DDB Needham Worldwide
Brand equity is among the hottest topics in advertising and marketing today. This book is the most comprehensive and most insightful source available.
