What can we learn from brand leaders?

This article, by Peter Field, reviews what lessons can be learned from studying brand leaders. Its main arguments are that brand leaders can learn from their challengers in order to reinforce their pre-eminent position, as evidenced by major players including Ariel (in Germany and Austria), Telstra BigPond, Hahn Premium Light, Manitoba Telecom Services, Omo/Via and Powerade.

What can we learn from brand leaders?

Peter Field

I hesitated to write about brand leaders because, despite the plethora of books and articles analysing their actions in minute detail, it is not clear what useful lessons can be learnt from studying leaders. This is for two reasons. First, because many of the strengths of brand leaders derive from their scale: they cannot easily be emulated by other brands. And, second, because as Adam Morgan pointed out in his book Eating the Big Fish,for challengers to emulate the brand leader is to play into its hands – one...

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