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Category First –Brand Second

Branding expert Al Ries explains that brands stand for categories.

What's a Chevrolet? It's a large, small, cheap, expensive, car or truck. The brand stands for absolutely nothing.

Here are some categories and the brands that dominate them.

  • Safe car: Volvo
  • Car that's fun to drive: BMW
  • Sports car: Porsche
  • Cheap car: Hyundai
  • Reliable car: Toyota
  • Luxury car: Lexus
  • Prestige car: Mercedes Benz