The Infinite Asset: Managing Brands to Create New Value

Remember when brand management was as straightforward as promoting a single product or service? Today, brands mingle so much-McDonald's and Disney partner on promotional giveaways, Subaru markets an L.L. Bean edition of the Outback, Toys R Us and Amazon.com jointly launch an online toy store-a whole system of brands can make or break a product and a career. Once content to "mind their own brands," marketers need a radically different game plan to succeed in this complex marketplace.

In The Infinite Asset, Sam Hill and Chris Lederer unveil an ingenious strategy-the Brand Portfolio Approach-that exponentially increases the value of brands by exploding them beyond the boundaries of their division or even their parent company. The authors argue that a company's brand portfolio must reflect how the target customer actually views the brand; it must encompass every brand-whether the company owns it or not-that affects the buying decision.

Based on thirty years of consulting experience and extensive research across industries, the authors introduce a breakthrough 3-D mapping tool-the brand portfolio molecule-that lets managers visualize all elements of a brand and how they interact to create new value. Compelling case studies apply the model to the brand strategies of companies including 3M, Cadillac, Miller Beer, and Yahoo!. In addition, a comprehensive set of implementation tools guide marketers in using the model to:

* identify the "lead brand" in the eyes of the customer
* find and fill product holes
* decide whether to extend, prune, or reposition a brand
* arrive at the right number of brands
* determine how and when to use a corporate brand as an umbrella
* allocate marketing funds most effectively
* trace brand value using informative metrics
* convert brand equity into shareholder value and more

The first to provide a holistic model for brand value creation and management, this book is the must-have guide to leveraging every company's infinite asset for lasting competitive advantage.

"Clearly, in the near future, the only way to do business profitably will be with strong brands. Hill and Lederer take the reader on a fascinating journey through the elaborate world of brand management[JC1], focusing on the intricacies of managing brand portfolios. By offering practical solutions[EBK2][JC3], they make a complicated subject simple to understand. That's a great achievement."

-Peter Georgescu, Chairman Emeritus, Young & Rubicam Inc.

"The Infinite Asset is a fabulous resource for marketers who are ready to take brand value to the next level. Hill and Lederer use their expertise to help even the most senior marketing executive think through the Brand Portfolio Approach to unlock substantial strategic value."

-Steven J. Heyer, President and Chief Executive Officer, Coca-Cola Ventures

"Managing the brand portfolio just got a whole lot easier with Hill and Lederer's strategic set of models and tools. More important, the authors expand the scope of the brand portfolio to include brand alliances, resulting in a more comprehensive and realistic portrayal of the brand management challenges facing brand management executives today. With numerous in-depth case studies any brand manager will benefit from this easy-to-read book."

-David Aaker, Vice Chairman, Prophet Brand Strategy and author of Building Strong Brands and Brand Leadership

"The Infinite Asset offers a great argument for managing brand assets with the same energy and discipline with which we manage other corporate assets. Whether you have a drawer full of product brands or an annual report full of company brands, you will benefit from the Brand Portfolio Approach. No other book comes close to providing such a practical, updated, and relevant perspective on dealing with today's branding challenges."

-Katherine Button Bell, Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, Emerson