Creating Passionbrands: Getting to the Heart of Branding

"Intelligently written and elegantly argued, it gives vivid examples of a whole new way of looking at brands, with a passion." -Leslie Butterfield, Managing Partner, The Ingram Partnership "A book of tremendous practical application that also includes high-level, intellectual debate." -Professor Mark Ritson, London Business School At the core of this book is an inspiring ideal: that for both commercial and social reasons, brands need to regain their sense of belief. They need the courage to stand for something, rather than responding to the latest consumer whim. It is a timely argument. Faced with crowded markets, flat growth and growing consumer cynicism, brand marketers are looking for ways to deepen the emotional connection between brands and consumers. Through interviews and case studies, the authors show how belief-led brands like Google, Innocent, Zara and Camper have outstripped the growth of their peers by igniting passion among employees and consumers alike. They are Passionbrands, and they point the way forward for marketing in the 21st century. The book is practical as well as inspiring. Drawing on the very latest academic research and Millward Brown's unique global research into brand value, the authors reveal a systematic approach to the business of creating Passionbrands from existing brands, no matter how humdrum or mainstream the category. Always vivid, often contentious, Creating Passionbrands shows what really counts today at the heart of branding.

Table of Contents:
The five symptoms of malaise in consumer-led brands. Why brands need belief. But why belief alone is not enough. Just another brand - or a Passion Brand? How to create a Passion brand. Understanding the competitive environment. Where it all comes together: The Passionpoint. Ten great characteristics of Passion Brands. Passion Brands survive a crisis. Passion Brands achieve strong innovation. Passion Brands communicate better. Passion Brands understand their role in personal identity. What is the future for brands?

About the Author :
Helen Edwards is a London Business School MBA with 16 years' experience working with brands, including Johnson & Johnson, Unilever and BT. She will shortly complete a PhD in brand ecology. Derek Day has 25 years' experience working with brands, most recently as JWT's Worldwide Creative Director for Unilever. He has won creative and effectiveness awards for his work on Mercedes-Benz, BT, The Co-operative Bank and the Health Education Authority.

Review :
"the perfect text for today's planner." malcolm white, account planning group "this is a very rewarding read. the first half points out where so many brands have lost their differentiation thanks to the separation of marketing from the rest of the organisation and marketing's subsequent overhyping of its power base - the consumer perspective...the second half sets out how to identify and maximise the soul of a brand. this will be a slow burn hit that eventually becomes a key text. get yours now." chris forrest, the nursery "creating passion brands builds on existing branding notions and reiterates the commercial value of good old fashioned principles as well as introducing some fresh, practical ideas that can be applied to any company, irrespective of size." inside retailing "this powerfully argued book is a call to arms, not just to marketing departments but to anyone in business." accounting and business "edwards and day offer a structured and thoughtful approach to passionbrand building to anyone looking for a new approach to a very old problem." mba magazine "a useful and enjoyable book to read: the information is disseminated seamlessly, and the references are current." quality world "this book is a perfect example of thinking outside the box - edwards and day have provided one of the most innovative, intriguing business books of the season." kirkus reviews "you can make a lot of money with a brand by ignoring everything in this book, but your products will be dull and your employees bored...creating passionbrands accurately describes processes by which we can all have more fun." brand strategy "the authors are well-placed to illustrate the way in which a venerable but moribund brand can transform itself with passion...they distil this experience and insight into six guiding principles, which all modern corporations could follow with advantage." argent "a step-by-step process for emulating successful brands and for building strong emotional connections with consumers." reference and research book news "one of the more rewarding contributions to the subject in recent years." marketing magazine "the identification of consumer-led brands as a negative phenomenon, the idea that some brands can become passion brands and the articulation of an insightful list of truly stimulating creative questions that can be used to inspire marketing imagination are valuable contributions." journal of product and brand management "explains the importance of "passion brands" - brands which ignite passion both inside and outside t