How can a brand become one of those peerless 'Ueber-Brands' we all admire and are willing to pay a premium for? Is there a proven process? Where should we start?
Brand Elevation explains the main drivers behind brands becoming peerless and priceless and how to harness these principles to develop a winning brand strategy. Written for marketers and brand managers of all levels of experience, and for both those working in start-ups and established players, it proposes a six-step, easy-to-follow program to elevate your brand.
Brand Elevation explores challenges such as creating a distinct and brand-guiding mission, mediating between exclusivity and inclusion and mastering the art of seduction. Featuring case studies and expert accounts from organizations including Airbnb, Acqua di Parma, Burt's Bees, Lakrids, Starbucks, TerraCycle, and YouTube, Wolfgang Schaefer and JP Kuehlwein skilfully explain how any brand - regardless of sector and industry - can become a modern prestige brand.
About the Authors
Wolfgang Schaefer is CEO and Founder of zwoelf consulting, specialized in narrative brand strategies. Based in Berlin and NYC, he lectures at XU Exponential University Potsdam and other schools in Europe and the US. For the past 25 years as chief strategist he has worked with many of the world's top marketers at LVMH, P&G, Miele, Swarovski, Coty and Unilever et al.
JP Kuehlwein is the Founder of marketing consultancy Ueber-Brands. He's also Adjunct Professor of Marketing at NYU Stern and Columbia Business School and leader of the Marketing Institute at The Conference Board think tank. Previously, he was Executive Vice President at Frederic Fekkai & Co as well as Brand Director and Director of Corporate Strategy at Procter & Gamble.
Industry Reviews
"A must-read for both the managers of mass brands that used to dominate and teams at start-ups that set out to disrupt the market." * Russ Klein, CEO, The American Marketing Association *
"I always believed that a brand is what makes a product worth more than the product itself. And what makes it worth a whole lot more is creating an Ueber-Brand. It takes creativity, courage and cash to make that happen - and the principles outlined in this excellent book." * Ivan Pollard, Global CMO, General Mills *
"In this second book on 'Ueber-Branding', The authors provide a step-by-step approach on how to build brands that instil strong desires in customers." * Bernd Schmitt, Professor at Columbia Business School and author of "Experiential Marketing" *
"A well-curated practical guide for brand builders who understand the value of values. The thought-provoking 'Dream-Do-Dare' framework will help you define and operationalize your brand purpose in a way that elevates profit as well." * Virginie Helias, Chief Sustainability Officer, Procter & Gamble *
"Provides insightful guidance and inspiration not only on how to create a 'love brand', but how to maintain one." * Leonardo Chavez, Global Brand President, Kiehl's Since 1851 *
"Standing out in a burgeoning panoply of branding literature is no mean feat. Schaefer and Kuehlwein have done it again with Brand Elevation - a practitioner's road-map to curating brand desire and equity." * Deryck J van Rensburg, Dean, Pepperdine Graziadio Business School *
"An astute, practical and ethical guide to branding and marketing for companies willing to self-examine the best purpose of their enterprise, and cultivate long-term relationships with their customers on the basis of shared values and identity." * Vincent Stanley, Director of Philosophy, Patagonia, co-author of "The Responsible Company: What We've Learned From Patagonia's First 40 Years" and poet *
"Makes an incredibly complex marketing innovation clear to anyone: it provides the fundamentals to break down what gives a brand meaning and how to give inanimate objects animate characteristics." * Scott Galloway - Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, author of "The Four" and founder of L2Inc. and Section 4 *
"Explains perfectly how much the classical approach to marketing has changed and how small new brands - Ueber brands with a real story to tell - become so relevant. A must-read for everyone who wants to understand this recent development!" * Felix Ahlers, CEO, FRoSTA AG *
"A highly relevant book for every business executive and marketing student, offering in-depth analyses, a hands-on how-to program, and rich case studies all in one. A unique and outstanding reference to deliver superior brand performance." * Glyn Atwal, Associate Professor, Burgundy School of Business and co-author of "Luxury Brands in China and India" *
"A must-read for any marketer wanting to elevate a brand - and that is almost everyone of us." * Erich Joachimsthaler, Founder and CEO, Vivaldi Group and author of "Brand Leadership" with David Aaker and of "Hidden in Plain Sight" *
"This book follows-up on JP and Wolf's first book with step-by-step instructions on how brand builders can go about elevating their brands and taking them 'ueber' - above and beyond the crowd of competitors." * Frederic Fekkai, Executive Chairman and Founder, Frederic Fekkai & Co and Bastide *
