com: Books: Managing Brand Equity by David A. Vijay Mahajan The University of Texas at Austin A fascinating, practical, and insightful book that brilliantly examines the "assets" that define brand equity to create, develop, market, and manage brands strategically in the l990s. These assets, which comprise brand equity, are a primary source of competitive advantage and future earnings, contends David Aaker, a national authority on branding. Moreover in the last decade, managers desperate for short-term financial results have often unwittingly damaged their brands through price promotions and unwise brand extensions, causing irreversible deterioration of the value of the brand name.

In a fascinating and insightful examination of the phenomenon of brand equity, Aaker provides a clear and well-defined structure of the relationship between a brand and its symbol and slogan, as well as each of the five underlying assets, which will clarify for managers exactly how brand equity does contribute value. Finally, citing examples from many other companies, Aaker shows how to avoid the temptation to place short-term performance before the health of the brand and, instead, to manage brands strategically by creating, developing, and exploiting each of the five assets in turn. Track brand awareness, image, and loyalty with our research program. Think Coca-Cola and what comes to mind? That's brand power.

Aaker sets three goals and just about achieves them: 1) Show managers how brand equity provides value, 2) Showcase examples of good and bad marketing and 3) Discuss how to manage brand equity. Brand Equity caught up with Miguel Angel Furones, sometime novelist, occasional copywriter and the chief creative officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide. To figure out what makes SMS hot as a marketing tool and how it could move ahead, Brand Equity spoke to Rishad Tobaccowala, president, SMG IP Worldwide. Prophet: Managing Brand Equity by David A.