Brands That Rock: What Business Leaders Can Learn from the World of Rock and Roll (Hardcover)

~ Roger Blackwell (Author), Tina Stephan (Author) "Your first kiss..." (more)
Key Phrases: brand reinvention, extrasensory connection, band loyalty, Rolling Stones, Elton John, Victoria's Secret (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Praise for BRANDS THAT ROCK

"Brands That Rock: A sexy fusion of rock ’n roll, hip hop, and fashion. This is what I call ‘fashion-tainment.’"
–Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Chairman of Sean John

"Roger has captured the essence of marketing by highlighting the know-how of some of the most exciting music industry entertainers. This is both a must-read for any marketing professional and one of the most interesting books on the art of marketing to consumers. Bravo!"
–Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman & CEO, Gibson Guitar Corporation

"Out of the scores of recent books on brand building, this is the most unique and inspired one that I have read. By showing the ways that successful rock ’n roll bands build and preserve their fans, Blackwell and Stephan draw masterful lessons for even the most staid of packaged goods brands."
–Philip Kotler, author of Marketing Management and Marketing Insights from A to Z

"Brands That Rock takes you through the loyalty-building process and carefully explains brand importance. Thinking back, even Wal-Mart used a basic musical lyric to get the customer’s attention. Our first TV jingle (in the 1970s) sang out ‘Come to Wal-Mart, for savings you can see, everywhere you look.’"
–Jack Shewmaker, Wal-Mart Director

"Getting new ideas across to people is what Tina Stephan is talking about in this book. The connections that she makes are great."
–Calvin Klein

"Once again, Blackwell hits the nail on the head. Brands That Rock is another thoughtprovoking read from one of our nation’s leading marketing minds. The connections between brand marketing and the music industry are cleverly explored in this must-read for today’s generation of brand managers."
–Christopher M. Connor, Chairman and CEO, The Sherwin-Williams Company

"This book couldn’t be more timely. The best brands know and behave as if they are a part of popular culture. As current as the next hot single or stadium concert, Roger and Tina have it exactly right. Plus, they rock!"
–Ed Razek, President and Chief Marketing Officer, Limited Brand and Creative Services

"The secrets to brand leadership rest in the emotional connections to one’s core base. Brands That Rock brings this tough-to-really-learn lesson to life for today’s marketers who have been rocking to this very backbeat all their lives in a fresh and exhilarating way."
–Todd Cunningham, Senior Vice President, MTV Brand Strategy and Planning

From the Inside Flap

"Reading Brands That Rock is like attending business school, where classes on customer loyalty, consumer behavior, and branding are taught by Mick Jagger, Elton John, Steven Tyler, and Madonna."
--Tommy Hilfiger, Designer

Cadillac and The Rolling Stones. Victoria’s Secret and Madonna. Wal-Mart and KISS. What could these corporate brands and legendary rock bands have in common? Fans--devoted customers who not only display long-term buying loyalty and an insatiable appetite for spending, but evangelize to others the reasons for their adoration.

Today’s competitive times demand that retailers and manufacturers alike identify new ways to attract and retain customers. But few venture far from what their competitors have attempted. Brands That Rock takes you on a bold leap into the world of rock and roll and reveals how great companies can turn customers into fans with the same marketing strategies used by some of the biggest rock stars in history.

Like the one-hit wonders of the music world, most brands come and go, failing to survive pricing and advertising onslaughts from competitors. Why? Most successful rock stars will tell you that achieving cultural icon status depends on creating emotional connections with fans--be it a music group, a retailer, or a brand of coffee.

Brands That Rock highlights strategies for developing deep connections between brands and people that are used by many of today’s biggest and longest-lived rock groups, including:

• Building brand loyalty one fan group at a time
• Staying fresh in the marketplace while staying true to your core strength
• Evolving at a rate that doesn’t alienate current customers
• Focusing on the entire brand experience
• Exuding energy and passion to command respect and grab attention

Even the most popular customer service programs can’t transform customers into fans--it’s the personality of a brand that resonates in the marketplace. If you want to increase market share, enhance brand longevity, or get your brand on stage and keep it rocking for years to come, this book shows you how.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 9, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471455172
• ISBN-13: 978-0471455172
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #738,868 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging, entertaining, approach to marketing strategy, May 18, 2004

By	Dave (Indiana) - See all my reviews

Another reviewer had several harsh things to say about this book, which probably stems from the book's front cover positioning this as a text for "business leaders". While business leaders might indeed gain some useful insights from the authors, this book isn't explicitly for them. It's for every marketer with an FM radio.

The authors make liberal use of pop culture references throughout the book, providing touchpoints that readers will instantly relate to. For example, I've read a number of books that analyze the strategies that built Wal Mart into the giant it is today, but none have been as interesting as this book's treatment of the topic. Here's a bit from Chapter 4 of the book:

"Like KISS, which had decided that starting out as a whale in a pond was better than starting out as a minnow in an ocean, Wal-Mart chose to build its brand and fan base in rural America, segment by segment, foregoing mass markets where it had relatively few differential advantages. By staying away from cities and suburbs, Wal-Mart avoided head-to-head competition with giants Sears and Montgomery Ward.... winning fans town by town for several decades, gradually amassing scale."

The authors have packed the book with this sort of imagery, making the marketing concepts covered a snap to grasp. To put it simply, this book rocks!

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't bother reading if you are under 30, October 20, 2008

By	Evan (DC, USA) - See all my reviews

This book is for old folks who don't really know what's going on and will believe almost anything in a desperate last grasp for marketing relevance. If you are a young, vibrant marketer, leave this book on the shelf - you will be better off harnessing your own originality.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing idea and enjoyable read!, August 26, 2004

By	burton104 "burton104" (New York) - See all my reviews

A colleague of mine recommended this book to me and I found it to be an enjoyable and exciting read. The authors should be applauded for using new material (i.e. Rock Bands) to explain fundamental marketing and branding strategies. The book flows extremely well and I found myself finishing the entire book in two sittings. This book will appeal to a variety of audiences from the rock n roll loving CEO to college marketing majors.