Insights on Brand Leverage/Extension:

A Shot to the Heart [PDF]
By Kevin O'Donnell

Brand extensions are often seen as a silver bullet to all that ails maturing brands and business categories. Succeed and you may be on the path to substantial organic growth. Fail, and you join the ranks of some 90% of all new market entrants that prove irrelevant to customers. (Marketing News, February 1, 2008)

Countering the Innovation Backlash [PDF]
By Kevin O'Donnell

Kevin O’Donnell believes innovation’s role as a driver of organic growth and a differentiator that adds substantially to a brand’s value remains as critical as ever.  In his inaugural column in the newly relaunched Marketing News, a publication of the American Marketing Association, O’Donnell spells out one solution:  Creation of innovation “systems” that foster actionable creativity. (Marketing News, September 1, 2007)

Think Big [PDF]
By David Aaker

In this article that appeared originally in the Wall Street Journal, Dave Aaker argues that to win market share, don’t try to influence what brand of product people buy. Change how they use the product in the first place. (MIT Sloan Management Review, September 14, 2007)

The Elasticity of the BBVA Brand [PDF]
By Joseph Gelman

Joseph Gelman analyzes how BBVA's offering of new products and services might affect the financial entity's brand. *Please note, this article is in Spanish. (Cinco Días, July 2007)

At Kohl's, Very Vera Should be Very Wary [PDF]
By Prophet

In this article, Steve Chang discusses the potential impact on Vera Wang's brand by launching a new line of clothing for Kohl's. (BrandWeek.com, October 16, 2006)

Brand Extension: Determining When and Where to Extend Your Brand Into New Markets [PDF]
By Prophet

In this final webcast of a three-part series ("Using Brands to Drive Growth") originally presented to members of the American Marketing Association, we discuss how to achieve growth by extending your brand into new markets — either by geography, by category, or by industry. We explore critical questions including: What are the challenges of managing your brand as you expand its reach to new customers with potentially new product offerings? Are there pitfalls that might damage your valuable brand? Can brands move up or down markets? To listen to the audio version, play the on-demand webcast. (American Marketing Association, November 2005)

In Selling Solutions, Success Hinges on Brand's Credibility and Stretch with Customers [PDF]
By Prophet

Technology companies must consider their customers' needs in designing "solutions strategies." This article outlines four key questions that must be addressed to ensure that the brand meets customers' needs. (Influency, a publication of the CMO Council, Fall 2004)

Expand Your Brand's Sweet Spot [PDF]
By Scott Davis

The article addresses the importance of continuing to understand and manage your brand's sweet spot in order to increase likelihood of success of new products, exert more channel power and drive your companies growth. (Brandweek, September 2004)

Testing Your Brand Limits [PDF]
By Mitch Duckler

A four-step road map to ensure that future new products or services complement, and ideally enhance, the current equities of the brand. (Marketing Management, November 2003)

Green Ketchup Works, But Not on Blue Fries [PDF]
By Kevin O'Donnell

A perspective on leveraging brand equities to execute successful brand extensions. (Brandweek, September 2003)

Brand Schizophrenia: Today's Epidemic*
By Prophet

A point of view on some recent brand extensions. (Brandweek, October 2002)