The Brutal Truth About Asian Branding

Why are so few great brands coming out of Asia (Japan aside)? The brutal truth is that branding is little understood by decision makers throughout much of the region. There exists widespread misconceptions and, in many cases, outright ignorance over the value and role of brands and the process required to build them. Surveys repeatedly confirm that Asians from across the region overwhelmingly prefer great Western brands to home-grown ones: given the choice, they will drink Coke, wear Nike shoes, and drive a BMW every time. Rare is the intense emotional relationship with an Asian brand found in, say, the Apple zealot. Yet, tens of thousands of new brands emerge every week in the region, reflecting the unstoppable energy and vitality that is fueling the increasingly universal belief that this century will belong to Asia. The continued absence of genuinely great Asian brands (as opposed to merely good ones) will, at best, slow that prospect, or at worst, put it in jeopardy. Something visible and disruptive needs to happen if Asian brands are to live up to their potential during this period of unprecedented change and opportunity.

This book provides a clear and compelling blueprint for Asian decision makers who are intent on creating great brands that will define the lives not only of Asian consumers, but consumers the world over.

The Brutal Truth About Asian Branding aims to do three things: provide a reality check by showing the present state of branding in Asia for what it is; educate key decision makers about the role and importance of strong brands; and provide the means for brand owners to implement sound practices and strategies.

• Reality check: This book exposes the practices, circumstances, policies, and management attitudes that effectively conspire to hold back Asian brands from becoming great brands. These factors range from the clearly visible to the insidiously undetectable.
• Education: The vast majority of Asian managers-particularly CEOs-are confused or misinformed about the role of branding and the importance of brand-building processes in creating great brands. This book takes a deliberately provocative, disruptive approach in an attempt to educate and enlighten brand owners, and encourage action.
• Implementation: Knowledge is of little value if it is not complemented by execution. In addition to fundamentally rethinking the role that the brand needs to play within the organization, Asian brand owners will also need to implement change management practices in order to create brand-centric companies.

The Brutal Truth About Asian Branding is a long-awaited, no-holds-barred account of a present reality that is inconsistent with the journey Asian brands will need to make if they are to deliver to their potential. It is a timely and valuable contribution to the evolution of arguably the region's most potent and dynamic driver: the Asian brand.