The latest Wharton newsletter has a good article on branding. The article summarizes many of the key points raised in the book "The Origin of Brands: Discover the Natural Laws of Product Innovation and Business Survival", by Al and Laura Ries.
"The Rieses contend that Darwin’s concept of divergence can be applied to the process of introducing new brands and to maintaining the continued profitability of existing companies. McDonald’s and Starbucks are classic examples of new brand divergence. Diners and coffee shops were a fixture of the American scene, but McDonald’s, with its limited menu based on the hamburger, and Starbucks, with its emphasis on European-style gourmet coffees, separated their brands from the competition and created a category for themselves which they could dominate."
Divergence, Convergence, and Other Marketing Strategies - Knowledge@Wharton
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