The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes

Book excerpt: A brand’s meaning—how it resonates in the public heart and mind—is a company’s most valuable competitive advantage. Yet, few companies really know how brand meaning works, how to manage it, and how to use brand meaning strategically. Written by best-selling author Carol S. Pearson (The Hero Within) and branding guru Margaret Mark, this groundbreaking book provides the illusive and compelling answer. Using studies drawn from the experiences of Nike, Marlboro, Ivory and other powerhouse brands, the authors show that the most successful brands are those that most effectively correspond to fundamental patterns in the unconscious mind known as archetypes. The book provides tools and strategies to: • Implement a proven system for identifying the most appropriate and leverageable archetypes for any company and/or brand • Harness the power of the archetype to align corporate strategy to sustain competitive advantage