ABSTRACT
Just 25 years have passed since the publication of seminal works on the strategic power of the brand, yet, in this short time, branding has attained noted disciplinary status. Although only a handful of branding books were available a mere 15 years ago, and branding textbooks had yet been written, those interested in branding today can consult hundreds of books and articles, attend numerous conferences dedicated to building and leveraging brand assets, and hire a range of consultancies dedicated to specialized branding concerns. In the marketing academy, branding issues dominate the list of research priorities (Marketing Science Institute 2002, 2004), with particular attention to managerially directed topics including brand equity measurement, brand accountability, brand leverage and architecture, and internal branding. As recognition of the strategic value of branding has increased, the scope of application of branding insights has expanded in kind. Branding has extended beyond consumer goods and services to include business-to-business domains (Webster Jr. & Keller, 2004), countries (van Ham, 2001), and people (Schroeder, 2005a). Inside the rm, Chief Branding O cers have emerged, granting marketing a coveted boardroom voice (Davis & Dunn, 2002). With intangible assets now accounting, on average, for 75% of the value that investors place in rms (Knowles, 2003), we have entered what may be called the Golden Age of Brands.
