At the heart of the How Brands Grow philosophy lies a simple but revolutionary idea: brand growth is not achieved by micro-targeting hyper-loyal customers or trying to differentiate products through tiny, often imperceptible features. Instead, brands grow by acquiring a broad base of light buyers.
: The cues and thoughts consumers have when starting a purchase journey (e.g., "I need a quick lunch").
Secure shelf space in retail stores and listings on major e-commerce platforms. how brands grow part 2 pdf free
: Link your brand to "Category Entry Points" (CEPs)—the specific scenarios or triggers that make someone want to buy in your category. Physical Availability
For decades, marketers have relied on intuition, creative intuition, and outdated models to drive brand growth. However, in 2010, Byron Sharp, a professor at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, disrupted the marketing world with How Brands Grow . In 2016, along with Jenni Romaniuk, he followed up with , providing further empirical evidence and practical applications for marketers seeking sustainable, evidence-based growth. At the heart of the How Brands Grow
Traditional marketing textbooks often teach a sequential, highly structured approach to building a brand: Define a narrow, hyper-targeted demographic.
If you are a marketer, a brand strategist, or a business student, you have likely encountered the seismic shift caused by Byron Sharp’s first book, How Brands Grow: What Marketers Don’t Know . Published in 2010, it shattered decades of marketing dogma with evidence-based laws, such as the "Double Jeopardy" law and the importance of physical and mental availability. Secure shelf space in retail stores and listings
Ultimately, How Brands Grow is not a book of opinions; it's a compendium of scientific laws for growing your brand. Understanding them is not just an advantage—it's a necessity.
To be thought of, brands must be associated with the specific situations, needs, or feelings that lead to a purchase. The book suggests that measuring and managing these associations is more critical than traditional brand awareness metrics. 4. The Truth About Word of Mouth (WOM)
To anchor your brand in consumer memory, you must develop and consistently use Distinctive Brand Assets. These are non-brand-name elements that immediately trigger recognition. The iconic Tiffany & Co. blue. Logos: The Nike Swoosh. Slogans: McDonald's "I'm lovin' it." Shapes: The classic glass Coca-Cola bottle.