Not many brands become cultural icons. Those that do are rewarded with higher margins, few competitors, and real permanence. That's because killer brands do something other brands don't: they add meaning and enrichment to people's lives.
Most companies strive to serve the needs of their customers. We call that striving to fail. In an internet-enabled, global economy, gaps in customer needs are too subtle and short-lived to build a business on. Brands can — and should — fill more important gaps: the cultural voids opened by these same internet-enabled, globalizing forces.
Killer brands don't just happen; they happen intentionally. You just need to know how.
