In One Word: The Power of Razor-sharp Brand Positioning to Lower Costs and Improve Results

"In One Word" analyzes and discusses the underlying dynamics, as well as the unique technique and methodology of defining a brand’s value proposition in just one word. This book offers deep insights to marketers and communication professionals, helping them to better understand what it takes to build successful brands. Many of today’s power brands are succeeding in defining what they stand for in a single word. When executed properly, a one-word brand positioning is unleashing powerful synergies in the brand-building and management process by aligning everyone involved in the same strategic direction.

Through this approach, a company's resourcefulness, energy, and creativity are being bundled and directed towards the same objective. In this surprising approach to branding, a single word is ultimately driving the entire brand-related marketing and sales operation. For instance, “Glamour” drives the L’Oréal Paris brand, while Nivea stands for “Care.” Michael Behnke provides practical guidance on building power brands, offering tangible advice and real-life illustrations to empower branding professionals in their quest to build unique brands that deliver rewarding results.

Michael Behnke has been active in international branding since the early eighties, holding positions in New York, Sao Paulo, Frankfurt, and Paris. With over 20 years in the international advertising industry, he has worked with global agencies such as Ogilvy, Young & Rubicam, TBWA, BBDO, and Publicis, specializing in pan-regional and global key account management. His core responsibilities included strategic brand and project management for major brands like Mercedes Benz, Volvo, Danone, Colgate-Palmolive, Nivea, L'Oréal, and American Express.

In 2005, Mr. Behnke founded Belly Button Paris, a consultancy focusing on branding and operational marketing, servicing clients from global corporations to medium-sized family businesses. The success of Belly Button Paris is driven by its "One-word" brand positioning methodology. Since 2014, Mr. Behnke has also been a part-time professor at the American University of Paris, teaching courses at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels in strategic brand management.