A dozen management fads have come and gone in the past decade, but brand equity, first explored by David Aaker in the late 1980s, has exploded in importance. Recognized by Brandweek as "the dean of the brand-equity movement," Aaker now prepares managers for the next level of the brand revolution -- brand leadership.For the first time, Aaker and coauthor Erich Joachimsthaler describe how the emerging paradigm of strategic brand leadership is replacing the classic, tactically oriented brand management system pioneered by Procter & Gamble. This fundamental shift involves nothing less than a revolution in organizational structure, systems, and culture -- as the authors demonstrate with hundreds of case studies from companies such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Virgin Airlines, Adidas, GE, Marriott, IBM, McDonald's, Maggi, and Swatch. This immensely readable book provides the brand management team with the capability to:* Create and elaborate brand identities (what should the brand stand for)* Use the brand relationship spectrum, a powerful tool to harness subbrands and endorsed brands to form brand architectures that create clarity, synergy and leveraged assets* Identify the customer "sweet spot" and the driving idea that will move brand-building efforts beyond advertising to break out of the clutter* Use the Internet and sponsorship to make brands resources work more effectively* Address the four imperatives of global brand managementLike David Aaker's two previous bestselling books, Brand Leadership will be essential reading for line executives and brand managers in market-driven firms worldwide.

ContentsPrefacePart I: Introduction1. Brand Leadership -- The New ImperativeBrand Management -- The Classic ModelBrand Leadership -- The New ImperativeBrand Building Pays OffBrand Leadership TasksThe Plan of This BookPart II: Brand Identity2. Brand Identity -- The Cornerstone of Brand StrategyThe Story of Virgin Atlantic AirwaysThe Brand Identity Planning ModelOn Developing a Brand Identity System -- Avoiding Common Mistakes3. Clarifying and Elaborating the Brand IdentityDefining LeadershipDefining Brand Personality -- The L.L. Bean StoryIdentity Elaboration ExercisesIdentity-Supporting Program AuditIdentity Role Model IdentificationVisual Metaphor DevelopmentBrand Identity PrioritizationPresenting the Elaborated IdentityThe Brand Identity RevisitedPart III: Brand Architecture: Achieving Clarity, Synergy, and Leverage4. The Brand Relationship SpectrumThe GE Appliance StoryThe Marriott StoryDesigning the Architecture -- Endorsers and SubbrandsLinking Brands -- The Brand Relationship SpectrumA House of BrandsEndorsed BrandsSubbrandsA Branded HouseSelecting the Right Position in the Brand Relationship Spectrum5. Brand ArchitectureThe Polo Ralph Lauren StoryMarket Complexity, Brand Confusion, and Brand ArchitectureWhat Is Brand Architecture?Extending the Range of a BrandThe Brand Architecture AuditPart IV: Building Brands: Beyond Advertising6. Adidas and Nike -- Lessons in Building BrandsAdidas -- The Growth PeriodThe Nike StoryGood Morning, AdidasCreating a Brand-Building Focus Around the Adidas Brand IdentityThe Lessons7. Building Brands -- The Role of SponsorshipThe MasterCard World Cup Sponsorship StoryHow Sponsorship Builds BrandsWhat Can Go WrongThe Seven Keys of Effective Sponsorships8. Building Brands -- The Role of the WebUnique Characteristics of the WebBrand Building on the WebBrand-Building Web SitesAdvertising and Sponsored Content9. Building Brands -- Beyond Media AdvertisingThe Brand-Building TaskBuilding Brands -- Some Role Models from EuropeBrand Building Without Advertising -- Some GuidelinesPART V: Organizing for Brand Leadership10. Global Brand Leadership -- Not Global BrandsMcDonald's in EuropeGlobal BrandsGlobal Brand Leadership, Not Global BrandsSharing Insights and Best PracticesA Common Global Brand Planning ProcessAssigning Responsibility to Create Cross-Country SynergyA System to Deliver Brand-Building BrillianceToward a Global BrandEndnotesIndexAbout the Authors