Brandscendence: Three Essential Elements of Enduring Brands

World-class commercial brands such as BMW, Coke, Disney, General Electric, and IBM, and even not-for-profit institutions such as the Red Cross, are on the journey to "brandscendence." They have enduring reasons for being yet adapt to changing circumstances and evolve over time.

In Brandscendence, author Kevin Clark uses success stories and case studies to illustrate his theory on the 3 essential elements enduring brands must manage:

1. Relevance. The organization’s or product’s enduring relevance to the customer
2. Context. The context in which the brand must adapt to cultural shifts or changing economic needs of customers over time
3. Mutual benefit. The turbocharged customer relationships that result from stakeholders’ perceived mutual benefit, which create goodwill to nurture future interactions-crucial in times of crisis

Compare and contrast BMW and the Red Cross. BMW has a recognizable phrase that captures the essence of its brand-"The Ultimate Driving Machine"-an expression about innovative personal mobility and technology leadership. The Red Cross is known around the world for providing help in emergencies and disasters to people in need without regard to borders-you might say it’s "The Ultimate Disaster Relief Experience." Both brands endure because they manage the 3 essential elements so well.

Brandscendence studies the broader role of branding and, through what Clark dubs BrandNext™, its strategic applications for the future. Chapters include industry sector analysis with exciting collaborative input from some the country’s foremost experts in business and academia who study marketing and branding.