$1.6 trillion and growing There are more definitions of the word ‘brand’ than I care to consider, let alone list. Some are simple, but most are complex. Some are intuitive, and some are counterintuitive. Some are helpful, but most are not. The definition I favour is one promoted by Jeff Bezos of Amazon fame. Among […]

$1.6 trillion and growing There are more definitions of the word ‘brand’ than I care to consider, let alone list. Some are simple, but most are complex. Some are intuitive, and some are counterintuitive. Some are helpful, but most are not.The definition I favour is one promoted by Jeff Bezos of Amazon fame. Among his qualifications to offer a definition is the following. The market capitalisation of Amazon.com is approximately US$1.6 trillion. The value of the Amazon brand is estimated at US$220 billion. The wealth of founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, exceeds US$176 billion.Bezos defines a brand as: ‘What people say about you when you are not in the room’. This definition, in my view, cuts to the essence of branding. It overcomes pointless discussions of the difference between brand and reputation while drawing attention to the importance of the audience. To ensure it is adequately focused on the people who…