Publications

June 2020
Teaching Note

Brand Storytelling at Shinola

By: Jill Avery, Giana M. Eckhardt and Michael Beverland

Detroit, Michigan, aka “The Motor City,” is known as the birthplace of most of the American classic automotive brands. It is a city filled with the rich history of the industrial age, the pride of American manufacturing, and of the soulful sounds of Motown music. It is... View Details

Keywords: Brand Storytelling; Brand Management; Brand Management Of Places; Luxury Brand; Marketing; Brands and Branding; Marketing Communications; Advertising; Luxury; Marketing Strategy; Consumer Products Industry; United States

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

October 2023 (Revised April 2024)
Case

FARM Rio: Bringing a Brazilian Fashion Brand to the World

By: Isamar Troncoso and Jill Avery

FARM Rio, a twenty-six year old Brazilian fashion brand, had recently put down roots in the U.S. The brand, known for its bold, colorful, nature-inspired tropical prints, was testing the waters in Europe to assess if and how the brand should further expand globally.... View Details

Keywords: Global Marketing; Go-to-market Strategy; Global Branding; Brand Positioning; Marketing; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Growth and Development Strategy; Product Positioning; Market Entry and Exit; Distribution Channels; Expansion; Fashion Industry; Brazil; United States; Europe

May 2020 (Revised July 2022)
Case

Brand Storytelling at Shinola

By: Jill Avery, Giana M. Eckhardt and Michael B. Beverland

Detroit, Michigan, aka “The Motor City,” is most known as the birthplace of most of the American classic automotive brands. It is a city filled with the rich history of the industrial age, the pride of American manufacturing, and of the soulful sounds of Motown music.... View Details

Keywords: Marketing; Brands and Branding; Marketing Communications; Advertising; Luxury; Consumer Products Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Retail Industry; Detroit; United States; North America

Program

Creating Brand Value

Summary Consumer brands are one of the most valuable sources of sustainable competitive advantage, but managing brands and achieving their full potential has never been more difficult. Today's consumers are... View Details

10 Oct 2007
Research & Ideas

“Blank” Inside: Branding Ingredients

aftermarket. Think cars with Michelin tires, Dolby stereo systems and Champion spark plugs. Today, the most impressive—and unlikely—ingredient brand promises to be the Boeing 787. On July 8, 2007, Boeing unveiled the 787 to the public.... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch; Aerospace; Consumer Products

13 Sep 2010
Research & Ideas

The Consumer Appeal of Underdog Branding

attractive. Why? The reason might be an increasing willingness on the part of consumers to identify with the underdog. In today's economically difficult times, it appears, underdog brands are gaining psychological, and real, power in the... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

27 Nov 2019
Sharpening Your Skills

Secrets for Creating a Long-Lasting Brand

built from the ground up and rebuilt again when the competitive landscape shifts. A Good Place to Start Super Bowl Ads Sell Products, but Do They Sell Brands?Super Bowl advertising is increasingly about using storytelling to sell... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Retail

November 2018 (Revised February 2019)
Case

Israel at 70: Is it Possible to (re)Brand a Country?

By: Elie Ofek and Sarah Gulick

In the spring of 2018, Israel was set to celebrate its 70th anniversary. While there was much to rejoice in reaching this milestone, the country’s brand image internationally was far from ideal. Past efforts to impact perceptions of Israel, spearheaded by the Ministry... View Details

Keywords: Branding; Brand Management Of Places; Nation Branding; Brand Positioning; Public Diplomacy; Marketing Communication; Brands and Branding; Marketing Communications; Perception; Change; Israel

07 Jun 2010
Research & Ideas

Improving Brand Recognition in TV Ads

diminishing audiences. Theories abound as to the most effective strategy for crafting a TV commercial—where and how often to place a brand in the ad frame. Some suggest using small, nonintrusive instances,... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna; Media & Broadcasting; Entertainment & Recreation

09 Jul 2024
Cold Call Podcast

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and Brand Building

Keywords: Re: Scott Duke Kominers; Technology

01 Apr 2000
News

A Place in the Sun

domestic product. The lure of faraway places recently led the Bulletin to consider two different sorts of vacation enterprises in which HBS alumni play prominent roles. The first, Turtle Island (at left), is an intimate, one-of-a-kind... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna and Garry Emmons

August 2000 (Revised November 2000)
Case

Building Brand Community on the Harley-Davidson Posse Ride

The second Harley-Davidson Posse Ride, a grueling 2,300 mile, 10-day trek from South Padre Island, Tex., to the Canadian Border is billed "for serious riders only." Harley Owner's Group (H.O.G.) Director Mike Keefe must decide whether this rolling rally deserves a... View Details

Keywords: Relationships; Customer Focus and Relationships; Brands and Branding; Motorcycle Industry; United States

10 Jan 2014
News

Red Lobster and the Brand Envy Dilemma

19 Mar 2014
Research & Ideas

A Brand Manager’s Guide to Losing Control

Thanks (or no thanks) to social media, brand managers have lost the power to control the perception of their products through carefully orchestrated advertising campaigns. These days, consumers are in command. With an angry tweet, a happy... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Advertising

04 May 2009
Research & Ideas

What’s Next for the Big Financial Brands

credibility you place in the bank's valuation of its assets). Why then has there not been a run on the bank? Being too big to fail is hardly a solid basis on which to build brand equity. The true answer to... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch; Banking; Financial Services

22 Oct 2018
Blog Post

HBS Marketing Club Presents: The Brand Summit

discuss during interviews. The Brand Summit will take place on November 4, 2018. It will feature a day of inspiring talks from our keynote speakers from Peloton, Carnival Corporation, and Google’s Nest and... View Details

Keywords: All Industries

November 2000
Case

Building Brand Community on the Harley-Davidson Posse Ride (Multimedia Case)

Concerns the second Harley-Davidson Posse Ride, a grueling 2,300 mile, 10-day trek from South Padre Island, TX to the Canadian border that is billed "for serious riders only." Harley Owner's Group (H.O.G.) Director Mike Keefe must decide whether this rolling rally... View Details

Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships; Brands and Branding; Motorcycle Industry