Review
"...an informative and insightful read." (
Express)
"...wide research and photographs shed an illuminating light on the success of the three-pointed star." (Sunday Times, 16th October 2005)
"...highly readable..." (Mercedes Magazine, October 2005).
"...the books easy-going prose captivates the reader with its head-on approach..." (Classic Car Weekly, October 2005)
"...an informative and insightful read." (Daily Express, 19th November 2005)
"...This one should sell well in London where cool, classic Mercedes seem to have found a particularly keen following.... If you love the three-pointed star or automobile history, there may...be room...on your shelf or coffee table." (Evening Standard, 25th November 2005)
"...a fascinating look at how the brand developed...Handsomely produced in a large format and richly illustrated" (African Business, 1st December 2005)
"...thought provoking..." (The Telegraph, 10th December 2005)
"...entertaining, constructively critical, and holds a relevancy to any company struggling with an identity crisis." (Blueprint, Feb 06)
"...Lavishly presented...excellent photos well reproduced..." (Gazette, March 2006)
From the Inside Flap
Three-pointed star. Magic. Mystique. Mercedes-Benz.
Enduring Passion is the story of a brand. A brand that has survived mergers, crises and war to become the choice of today’s presidents and kings, with a symbol more widely recognised than the Christian cross. This book is informed by the very latest brand thinking. It is thorough, honest and sometimes critical. This is the story of Mercedes-Benz.
Beginning with Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler’s parallel invention of the car in 1886, Enduring Passion charts how the rival marques grew separately for 40 years before merging in 1926. Brand expert Leslie Butterfield then traces the development of Mercedes-Benz through the Nazi years to its near-destruction in 1945, its post-war rebirth, and its fall from grace in the early 1990s. How its managers reacted to the crisis at that time shapes what Mercedes-Benz is today.
Pivotal moments like the A-Class ‘Elk test’, the merger with Chrysler and the management changes at the top of the company are all part of the brand’s recent history. Butterfield poses a number of key challenges for the brand today and explores what the solutions might be going forward. Running through his analysis is a solid strand of theory on how brands are formed, how they derive their strength, how they evolve and how they can be defined.
Richly illustrated with some previously unpublished photographs and references, this is an enthralling read for anyone moved by the history of the motor industry and the legend and legacy of Mercedes-Benz. For marketing professionals, it offers a wealth of precious insights into the enduring passion that can be inspired by a badge and a brand.
