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Building Bulletproof Brands
In medieval times, a moat was a body of water around the castle that kept away enemies. In business, a moat serves a similar purpose, acting as a competitive advantage that one company has over the rest.
The physical goods business, specifically in the apparel, fashion, footwear, beauty, cosmetics, accessories and furniture space, has changed more in the last two decades that it has in the previous centuries combined. As as result, the formulas for building lasting brands are radically different than they used to be.
This leads to an important set of existential questions for brands and investors operating in the space: What makes certain brands last? Do moats exist for these brands? And how has the internet changed what is defensible and what no longer is?
Building Bulletproof Brands is a three part series that begins to answer some these questions. Part I explores how the internet fundamentally changed the playbook for building durable physical goods brands. Part II presents a new formula for building bulletproof consumer goods brands that's rooted in the power of networks, and showcases how Supreme, Glossier and Peloton are putting this new approach into action. Part III (to be released on 7/4/17) looks at how brands can used use network-based incentives to grow, how these mechanisms will reshape how brands acquire new customers, and what these changes mean for companies and investors.
This is the deepest and most complex series I've ever written. I hope you enjoy it!
— Richie