This is a summary review of What Great Brands Do containing key details about the book.

What is What Great Brands Do About?

“What Great Brands Do” by Denise Lee Yohn provides a framework for building and sustaining great brands, with examples from successful companies like Apple, Nike, and Starbucks. (Full Summary…)

What Great Brands Do Summary Review

“What Great Brands Do: The Seven Brand-Building Principles that Separate the Best from the Rest” by Denise Lee Yohn is a highly insightful and practical guide for anyone interested in building and sustaining powerful brands. Yohn’s extensive experience and deep understanding of branding principles shine through in this comprehensive exploration of what sets exceptional brands apart.

The author challenges the notion that iconic brands like Apple, Nike, and Zappos achieved their status through serendipity or elusive magic. Instead, Yohn delves into the specific strategies and principles that these companies adopted to transform their brands into industry leaders. Drawing from her 25 years of consulting work with renowned brands such as Frito-Lay, Sony, Nautica, and Burger King, Yohn introduces her brand-as-business strategy.

One of the key strengths of the book is its emphasis on operationalizing marketing, making it an integral part of a company’s culture rather than confining it to the marketing department. Yohn outlines seven principles that successful brands consistently implement, providing a solid framework for readers to understand and apply these strategies. The book is not just theoretical; it offers practical tools and strategies that organizations can immediately incorporate into their operations.

The case studies presented in the book, ranging from IBM and Lululemon to Chipotle Mexican Grill, offer valuable insights into both the successes and failures of brand building. Yohn’s exploration of Kodak’s downfall is particularly illuminating, illustrating how a failure to embrace a digital mindset ultimately led to the demise of a once-pioneering company.

One of the book’s distinctive features is its counterintuitive approach, challenging conventional wisdom and offering fresh perspectives on brand building. Yohn emphasizes that a brand is not just a logo or marketing strategy; it represents the core identity, culture, and values of a company. Brands need to be lived and breathed throughout every aspect of the organization, from logistics and quality to customer service and operations.

The narrative skillfully weaves through examples, making complex concepts accessible to a broad audience. Yohn’s emphasis on the emotional connection between a brand and its audience resonates throughout the book, reinforcing the idea that a brand is not merely what is said but, more importantly, what is consistently done.

Essentially, “What Great Brands Do” is a must-read for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in the intricacies of building and sustaining successful brands. Denise Lee Yohn’s expertise shines through in this book, offering a comprehensive and practical guide that challenges conventional thinking and provides a roadmap for creating enduring and impactful brands.

Who is the author of What Great Brands Do?

Blending a fresh perspective, over twenty-five years of experience, and a talent for inspiring audiences, San Francisco-based Denise Lee Yohn is the author of What Great Brands Do and is a leading authority on building and positioning exceptional brands.

How long is What Great Brands Do?

• Print length: 272 pages

What genre is What Great Brands Do?

Business, Nonfiction, Management

What are good quotes from What Great Brands Do?

“The contents of a Brand Toolbox depend on the specific needs of the company but usually a Brand Toolbox contains An explanation of your brand strategy along with background and rationale so that everyone can understand why you’re doing what you’re doing, and definitions of key terms so everyone grasps the meaning behind the words Principles and guidelines for delivering brand values and attributes at key touchpoints between your brand and the outside world Sample applications for how the brand should be expressed and delivered Guides that walk people through important decisions, along with outlines that map processes so that people learn how to do things on brand like select a co-marketing partner and screen a new product”

“Creating a Brand Toolbox is an important first step in fostering a strong brand culture, but the managers of great brands know that simply producing brand content and tools is not enough. They stage Brand Engagement Sessions featuring hands-on exercises and immersive experiences to ensure that brand understanding is followed with appropriate actions and decision making by their staff.”

“To make an emotional connection with any customer, it follows that you should segment the market in a way that is needs-based, and connect with prospects at the moments when those needs are greatest. The best way to address fast food customers would be on the basis of needs-based usage occasions: “the don’t-have-to-think-about-it quick bite when on the go,” “socializing with friends and family” or “craving a particular menu item.” Those were the segments that helped shape our strategies, not the usual demographic segments broken down by age and income. Age and income cannot help you fully anticipate and satisfy emotional needs. Needs-states can. (See Chapter Four to learn how to identify customer needs-states.)”

“With great brands, however, the culture and the values don’t play supporting roles in business operations—culture and values are the brand, and they’re used to inform business decisions and employee actions.”