The only way to achieve real growth is to develop proposals so innovative that they create new categories or subcategories making competitors irrelevant, because they do not have a "must have" feature or benefit. As an alternative to participating in the "my brand is better than your brand" brand preference competition, almost never works because market inertia. This article is based in part on hundreds of case studies, shows how to define the "must haves" and discusses the barriers to competition, such as going beyond the functional benefits, find common interests with customers, continuous innovation, superior performance, expanding the concept, it is an instance, branding and innovation. "Hide
by David A. Aaker Source: California Management Review 15 pages. Publication Date: February 1, 2012. Prod. #: CMR501-PDF-ENG