If you're ready to dig deep into branding, this book is for you.
Brandscendence provides a comprehensive approach to creating enduring brands by focusing on relevance, context, and mutual benefits. These terms aren't new in brand parlance. What is unique is how Clark ties them together and articulates the evolution of successful brands within each. For example, the three stages of brand relevance are 1. personality; 2. character; 3. purposes. A brand that can move from 1 to 2 to 3 creates a winning position for itself with target customers. Clark has clearly done his homework. Not only does he quote nearly every worthy marketing, branding, and consumer-insights book out there, his approach borrows heavily from the social sciences, including early childhood development theory, Jung, Gestalt, and Piaget. If that seems a little intimidating, relax. Clark relates them on a very digestible level. That said, this book may not be for beginners looking for a primer to get their toes wet in branding theory. Title Brandscendence Author Kevin Clark Publisher Dearborn Trade (September 2004), 272 pages Reviewed by Steve Dahllof, MD of strategy and planning, Ogilvy
