A Good Book Review: The Brand Bubble by John Gerzema and Ed Lebar

The Brand Bubble by John Gerzema and Ed Lebar

The looming crisis in brand value and how to stop it

Gerzema describes the decline in brand value, saying trust in brands had declined by almost 50%, product quality in brands had declined by almost 24%. John says consumers are walking away from many of the brands and focusing their utility on products that are truly creative, emotional, and fit their immediate needs. John describes the "new consumerism" and how power has shifted, in a positive direction, from the institution and the brand to the consumer. New cultural values and mindsets have sprung up as a result of the recession, and consumers are now more focused on product quality, value, and values. Gerzema goes on to give a few examples of brands that are doing well in recessionary times.

” The authors are Young & Rubicam consultants. It is their contention here that the coming bubble is in “the fundamental drivers of competitive advantage for most organizations: their brands." Are they overvalued? The authors say yes."

- The Business Week Best Seller List

“With consumers taking quality for granted and treating more products as commodities, companies are having a tougher time making their brands stand out. But has branding gotten fundamentally less rewarding, or do marketers just need a new approach? Ad executives Gerzema and Lebar offer lots of evidence of brand weakness, but they also point to Virgin and other “buzz” marks to show that consumers still reward “energetic” brands. To get that energy, they say, managers can ramp up product innovation (P&G’s Swiffer), instill a point of view (Vanguard’s investor-centrism), and produce videos and games that consumers can share (Smirnoff’s viral hip-hop party). The authors don’t rigorously distinguish their approach from traditional advice, but the book is a wake-up call for marketers who think more branding per se will save them."
– John T. Landry of The Harvard Business Review

John Gerzema and Ed Lebar of Young & Rubicam [a well known marketing consulting firm] write about how your company's future success depends on the value of your brand.