Wally Olins. Brand New.: The Shape of Brands to Come

What is the future for brands and branding? Does globalization mean that individuality will be crushed by massive multinationals? Or will there still be room for brands and places that trade on being different? With the rise of new markets in India, China, Brazil and elsewhere, will new global brands emerge based around local strengths and heritage? If so, what will this mean for the traditional dominance of brands based on Western cultural norms? Incisive, invigorating and visionary, this analysis of our fast-evolving global marketplace comes from the guru described by The Financial Times as 'the world's leading practitioner of branding and identity'. No one interested in branding, marketing, business or contemporary culture will want to be without it. What about the impact of digital technology and increasing customer feedback through social media? Today's businesses, in addition to thinking about price and provenance, have to deal with corporate social responsibility. How does this affect the products and services we consume? Are corporations here to maximize profits and grow, or to help society, or both? What, in fact, do customers want? Wally Olins's fascinating book looks at every aspect of the world of branding. With his customary flair and no-nonsense prose, he analyzes the problems facing today's organizations, criticizes corporate misbehaviour where he finds it, praises those companies who seem to be building and sustaining brands successfully in our brave new world, and predicts the future of branding. 'Wally Olins always asks the right questions and often gives the best and most thoughtful answers. - a must read for those of us who want to know where we're heading' John Diefenbach - Chairman of MBLM and former Chief Executive of Landor Associates