The Certainty Principle

"Consumer engagement" may be the most used phrase of this new marketing century, yet brands still struggle with how to define it, let alone actually achieve it.

But any definition needs a starting point, and the Ideal for any product or service, the consumers' core of the world of brands, is where certain understanding of loyalty and engagement begins. Properly measured, the Ideal and how brands measure up against it is predictive of consumer behavior - 9 to 18 months before it shows up in the marketplace.

In this book you will find validated case studies demonstrating how measuring the consumer's Ideal can be the most valuable benchmark you can have -- far exceeding any average of past performance, no matter how specific. And once you know the Ideal, you will know for certain what consumers think - as opposed to what they say they think - how they view the category in which you compete and how they will behave toward your brand. You will be able to predictively measure any marketing or communication effort: your brand, your brand in combination with various media platforms, programs or touch points, sponsorships, events, co-branding opportunities, and any brand advertising or marketing communication.

Any brand, no matter the size, can profit from understanding the central principle behind the case studies in this book: that only a deep, consumer-generated understanding of what creates customer loyalty and engagement will take brands profitably into the future. Knowing what the consumer really expects, and what they are willing to believe will always get the greatest ROI.

Real-world examples like Starbucks, Dove, Apple, Target - even Barack Obama - bring the dynamics of engagement into sharp relief, and offer a validated road map of how to guarantee profits in today's ever-more-challenging consumer engagement marketplace.

ROBERT PASSIKOFF, Ph.D., Brand Key's founder/president, is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, and the most-quoted brand consultant in the US. He created the Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, Brandweek's Loyalty Leaders List, the Sports Fan Loyalty Index®, and the Women's Wear Daily Fashion Brand Index®. In 2007 the Advertising Research Foundation presented him their Research Innovator award for his work in engagement metrics.

AMY SHEA, Brand Key's EVP, Director of Brand Development has led copy editors, artists, and designers in aligning internal and external communications with a brand's identity. A deep background in research combines with her creative talents bringing a unique analysis of data within the context of brand-story structure. Her work has been recognized with a David Ogilvy Excellence Award and an ARF Great Minds Award for Innovation.