"In a world where business continuity is now an integral part of everyday life, the Journal provides a holistic look across all industries at how others manage risk. The insights provided are thought provoking and very practical. During its years of publication, the Journal has grown from strength to strength in both its readership and quality and depth of the challenging articles."
Winning against a dominant brand
Journal:
Click the button below to download the full text of the article.
Abstract: The successful e-commerce-first brands competing against Amazon provide a road map for any firm going against a dominant player in any category. These brands engage in strategic jujitsu by exploiting Amazon’s vulnerabilities — an impersonal/functional image, being the everything store without in-depth credibility in anything, and often having the personality of a-powerful giant lacking humour or warmth. Strategies that work include developing credibility for their subcategory, a simpler choice set, a brand community, a higher purpose, a personal touch, being the feisty underdog, positioning to highlight advantages and expanding the distribution footprint by adding storefront synergies.
Keywords: underdog brands, e-commerce strategies, dominant brands
David Aaker is Vice Chair of Prophet and Professor Emeritus, Berkeley-Haas School of Business. He is the author of 18 books including Owning Game-Changing Subcategories, Creating Signature Stories and Aaker on Branding and is a member of the American Marketing Association and the New York Marketing Hall of Fame.