Tumbling Ideas

“If you as a company tell me that you have a brand name, I’m going to ask you a question: ‘Do you have the power to charge a higher price for the same product?’”

“If your answer is no, I don’t think you have a brand. You may think you do, but I don’t think your brand has any value.”

Prof Aswath Damodaran

I recall on my MBA days, we were discussing about strengths and weaknesses of a company that was a cookies outsourcer ("real", tasty sweet cookies). When speaking about weaknesses, a colleague mentioned "They lack a brand". And I still recall that as sort of lighthouse principle. A brand is what the whole game is all about

At the L2 Innovation Forum, Finance Prof. Damodaran, delivered a very insightfull presentation about the real value of a brand, and what it takes to build one.

Some highlights:

A Brand Is the Most Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Luck and Serendipity Are Just as Important as Advertising

Brand Value is an Illusion

Even Valuable Brand Names Lose Value

You can view his presentation here:

The Value of a Brand Name by Aswath Damodaran

Presentation from Erica Swallow.

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But the combination of peace and energy you get after a good session of swimming is unmatchable to any other sport.