Brand Relevance Making Competitors Irrelevant

Substantial market trends and transformational innovations are creating markets and making others irrelevant. The result is a major threat for nearly every business and a significant opportunity for a few. This book will be the first marketing strategy book to develop and leverage the concept of brand relevance. To remain relevant, a firm can create a new category or subcategory-- such as iPod, Cirque du Soleil, and eBay did-- where competitors are eliminated. Or a firm can redefine an existing category or subcategory by creating or elevating an offering feature or characteristic--as Prius created a subcategory defined by gas mileage and technology, or Westin did with its Heavenly Bed. In either case, a firm can create or own a new business arena or submarket in which some or all competitors are not relevant. Instead of being the best, the goal is to be the only-making competitors irrelevant.

David A. Aaker is vice chairmanof Prophet Brand Strategy, an executiveadvisor to Dentsu Inc., and Professor Emeritus of Marketing Strategy at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.