Publications

2011
Chapter

Consumers' Relationships with Brands

By: Susan Fournier and Jill Avery

This chapter presents a brand management paradigm based on the foundational principles of relationships. (1) Brand relationships are a means to an end: brand relationship managers must consider the whole person and understand how the brand adds meaning into people's... View Details

Keywords: Marketing; Brands; Brand Building; Brand Equity; Brand Management; Customer Relationship Management; CRM; Customer Focus and Relationships; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Consumer Products Industry

17 Oct 2019
Blog Post

Being a Mom at Business School

Alice Liu (MBA 2021) is originally from Beijing, China and moved to Canada when she was 11. She went to WashU in St.Louis, and worked in investment banking at J.P. Morgan where she covered technology... View Details

24 May 2013
News

P&G Looks for Steve Jobs-Like Sequel by Recalling ex-CEO

12 PM – 4:30 PM EST, 26 Feb 2022
Virtual Programming

Adelante 2022 Authentically "YO"!

Adelante is a Latinx professional conference that brings together the Latinx community across Harvard, Boston, and the United States. This year, the conference kicks off a year-long celebration of the 22nd anniversary of the Latino Student Organization (LASO) at... View Details

23 Sep 2019
News

Measuring the Effects of Loan Forgiveness

12 PM – 1 PM EDT, 02 Nov 2017
Webinars: Trending@HBS

Tools for Life's Major Transitions

To take charge of a major life transition, we must look beyond the numbers in a financial plan, we must look at our relationships and how they will change, assess our physical health and lifestyle and develop an understanding of how work and play will keep us mentally... View Details

15 Jun 2021
Blog Post

Aisha Fatima Dozie is Igniting Confidence as the Founder of Bossy Cosmetics

that have ignited her confidence over the years. Now she is sharing that confidence boost with others by using 20 years of experience, a lot of grit, and a heart full of passion to build a company and life that she loves. Embracing a... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship

January 2019 (Revised October 2020)
Technical Note

Brand Storytelling

By: Jill Avery

Marketers have long appreciated the value and power of storytelling. Stories fill brands with resonant and relevant meaning and empower brands to serve as critical elements in the lives of consumers. Mastering the art of brand storytelling is an increasingly important... View Details

Keywords: Brand Communication; Brand Management; Brand Storytelling; Marketing; Marketing Communications; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Advertising; Consumer Behavior; Consumer Products Industry

September 1975
Background Note

Market Analysis

Describes the nature and purposes of market analysis. Among topics briefly discussed are primary and selective demand, determinants of demand, market segmentation, the product life cycle, and temporal or cyclical demand variations. Intended as background reading in an... View Details

Keywords: Analysis; Markets; Marketing

October 2023 (Revised May 2025)
Case

Nelson Mandela: Changing the World

By: Robert Simons and Shirley Sun

This case traces the rise of Nelson Mandela from his tribal home in South Africa to president of the country. Rejecting expectations that he would be a tribal leader, Mandela instead dedicates his life to fighting Apartheid. After peaceful approaches fail, he joins... View Details

Keywords: Mission and Purpose; Values and Beliefs; Power and Influence; Personal Characteristics; Leadership Style; Success; South Africa

2017
Book

HBR Guide to Buying a Small Business: Think Big, Buy Small, Own Your Own Company

By: Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff

Find, acquire, and run your own business. Are you looking for an alternative to a career path at a big firm? Does founding your own start-up seem too risky? There is a radical third path open to you: you can buy a small business and run it as CEO. Purchasing a small... View Details

Find at Harvard

06 Aug 2016
News

Workers' exits risk loss of know-how

2014
Other Teaching and Training Material

Marketing Reading: Brand Positioning

By: Jill Avery and Sunil Gupta

This Reading addresses the principles of brand positioning and demonstrates how companies can strategically craft powerful, resonant, and unique brand positions to help products stand out amidst the cacophony of the marketplace. Strategic brand positioning provides... View Details

Keywords: Brand Positioning; Branding; Consumer Research; Defensive Strategies; Market Positioning; Marketing; Product Differentiation; Product Positioning; Strategic Positioning; Value Proposition; Customer Relationship Management; Organizational Structure; Customer Satisfaction; Brands and Branding

Max H. Bazerman is Jesse Isidor Straus Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. His recent books... View Details

Keywords: accounting industry; management consulting; pharmaceuticals

17 Mar 2015
News

Future Management

25 May 2016
Video

HBS Immersive Field Courses (IFCs): A Deeper Look

10 Mar 2021
Blog Post

COVID Killed the Traditional Workplace

when back in offices, but also to create time blocks, either online or in person, for the random connections that are critical for developing team culture. Online, this could View Details

Keywords: All Industries

November 1975 (Revised September 1992)
Background Note

Communications Policy

Introductory note on communications policy for use in first year marketing. Focuses on: Target selection; message delineation; communications intensity; alternative communications; means and media; economics of communications decisions; and need for consistency in... View Details

Keywords: Communication Strategy