The book written by Jacek Kall is oriented at a very specific area of brand effectiveness in the context of brand management. Although the brand management issues are presented by a wide range of publications, there is no similar book that is primarily focusing on this narrow topic in a comprehensive way as this book has offered. It clearly explains the brand efficacy metrics in an understandable way using lots of interesting examples that are based on particular cases and – of course – not omitting metrics definitions, explanations, interpretations and recommendations for brand managers as well. The book has a strong significance for current marketing theory and application practice as the author is focusing on a real and accurate explanations of the key brand analysis tools of measuring the brand efficacy along the customer journey. These are the reasons why the topic of the reviewed book can be considered as innovative and up-to-date. In this way, it might be regarded as original and important especially in present days, when brand and marketing performance are demanded.
I appreciate the original approach of Jacek Kall to measuring brand efficacy. It is a serious work, not a ‘fancy’ book full of fancy ‘love brands’ examples. As it is mentioned in the introduction: “When discussing brands, metrics certainly sound less sexy than storytelling, content and influencer marketing and many more. And unlike the above-mentioned and many other important tools in the brand-building process, metrics alone do not create a brand.”. Fairly I have to agree with this statement. Serious brand building and brand management cannot be done without effectivity and its measurement, and it has to have a liaison to a company’s strategy.
Brand values and measurements are clearly explained within the context of a real practise; 58 formulas and 35 metrics are offered to be used within the customer journey context. The metrics are divided into two groups: metrics documenting behaviour and metrics analysing the knowledge, perception, attitudes, and intentions referred to a customer mindset. The consistent, logical and relevant approach to setting the structure of the book is evident. The specific stages of a customer’s journey are corresponding with customer reactions that are visible also through the particular chapters’ titles: 1. Measuring brand awareness (I’m aware of the brand), 2. Measuring brand consideration (I’m taking the brand into account), 3. Measuring brand purchases (I’m buying the brand), 4. Measuring post-purchase evaluation (the brand delivers what is has promised), 5. Measuring customer retention and loyalty (the brand is important to me) and 6. Measuring brand advocacy (I recommend the brand to others). The last chapter no. 7. focuses on holistic metrics of a brand’s health. These chapters have a consistently given structure starting with the objectives, followed by metrics definitions and explanations, presenting the calculations and metric interpretations supported by selected examples, short case studies or examples. Each chapter is finished by metrics limitations and recommendations for managers. Questions given at the end are helpful not only for the recapitulation but also for stimulating the discussion.
In regard to the methodological approach, the author is well-oriented within the current brand management theoretical basis and paradigms relying on a huge number of the resources cited within the core text of the publication and in the list of literature at the end of each particular chapter. I appreciate the accent on the brand equity impacts, on the brand managers decision making process and on particular metrics limitations as well. The strong author’s personal approach and wide range of knowledge is obvious, it is evident, he is much more than well-oriented in the selected topic. Jacek Kall as an author and lecturer in marketing at WSB University in Poznań proved his theoretical knowledge, skills, and abilities to incorporate his own experience into this reviewed book.
Despite the overall highly positive evaluation of the reviewed publication I have got a small number of remarks. The specifics of the online environment and the enlarging influence and evolving role of digital marketing and digital branding might be considered within the scope of the solved topic and wider context of the work. Additionally, some theoretical and practical consequences on brand efficacy measurement would be welcomed in this way. This book is not understandable for conventional readers. The potential of this book and its content can be fully understood only with the knowledge of some marketing and brand management theories. It is not oriented at beginners, but at advanced readers – students and teachers of marketing management, strategic marketing and strategic brand management, marketers, and brand managers as well – with some theoretical and/or practical backgrounds, it might be used as a relevant source of knowledge for marketing practitioners and brand builders. It is obvious, as Jacek Kall said, that “understanding the link between marketing activities and brand metrics should help managers in adjusting marketing resources and activities in future branding campaigns. Metrics should be used for learning, and not just justification of previous decisions.” Conclusively, this book should be used for learning too; a brand-new book on brand metrics has to be welcomed as a relevant source of brand management knowledge with a strong practical impact on a particular brand health.
