The Small Brand's Rules of Victory, Expanded Edition

The book "This is a book for small brands," which captivated countless readers and sparked the "small brand syndrome" since its publication in December 2021, has returned in an expanded edition.
Since its publication, this book has achieved the number one bestseller in the brand marketing field and has been consistently loved for four years, going through 24 printings. It has become a must-read for brand marketers and a useful guide for small business owners across the country.
Author Lee Geun-sang, Korea's top advertising expert who has met with numerous readers through online and offline lectures since the publication of his book, has introduced a newly expanded version reflecting the reality that "the way brands share their essence with consumers is changing every day."


"This is an expanded edition of the book for small brands," with 24 new brand case studies tailored to each chapter's theme, introducing the success principles of the hottest brands currently attracting attention in the industry.
Additionally, two articles containing the author's insights have been added: "Make Your Brand Speak" and "It's Not What, It's How."
The book also includes a booklet titled '21 Small Brands to Watch Now' and an invitation to the 'Small Brand Master Class.'
Author Lee Geun-sang, as well as current marketers working at three brands that are attracting attention in the industry - Helinox, Original Beer Company, and Aero K - will share the secrets to their brand success.

The old ways that have grown big brands are gradually losing their momentum.
Conversely, smaller brands now have the opportunity to grow in a different way and establish their own niche.
Small brands shouldn't fight big brands the way big brands fight big brands.
You have to find your own way, different from the big brands.

--- p.19, from "Prologue"

It is each person's choice to pursue what kind of success they want.
But the adjectives that small brands can use to describe their success are endless.
It is an anachronistic idea to use 'size', which is advantageous to large brands, as the standard for success.
Let's create a new standard of success that suits you.

--- p.33, from “Let’s Change the Concept of Success”

A product or service that achieves its sales target with a high market share at one time does not necessarily make it a good brand.
However, products or services that have a strong connection with consumers are more likely to maintain long-term relationships with consumers and steadily increase the power and value of their brand.
This is why we need to change the concept of size.

--- p.41, from “Let’s Change the Concept of Size”

For those running a business, the desire for growth is like destiny.
It is impossible to stop a bicycle once it has started running.
You have to keep pedaling so you don't fall.
The problem is directionality.
The brand must not lose sight of the direction it was initially aiming for.
It is important to remember that growth does not mean indiscriminate expansion.
If you want to leave a mark on the universe, you have to dig deep.
The moment you expand, the trace disappears 'without a trace'.

--- p.66, from “Let’s Leave a Trace in the Universe”

When I work with small brands, I always suggest taking a different path, a new path.
The idea that you have to follow the path of the big brands is a devilish temptation that always follows small brands.
He whispers and urges, "What if you go to a place with no path and fall off a cliff?"
Following a big brand might give you peace of mind.
But nothing new happens other than watching the backs of those ahead of us gradually fading away.
Not having the courage to do so is proof that you don't have your own philosophy.
--- p.83, from “Make a Way Where There Is No Way”

In a market that is segmenting and specializing, “nevertheless” is a very important topic.
Despite being environmentally friendly, detergents must have excellent cleaning power, and despite having a distinctive design, they must be easy to use and have excellent essential functions.
It is best to abandon the hope that satisfying fragmented needs will turn a blind eye to a weakened essence.

--- p.112, from "Catch Two Rabbits"

There is no denying that the fundamental characteristic of business is growth.
But you have to think carefully about what you want to grow.
The growth myth of the conglomerates we are familiar with no longer exists.
This is not an era where you can achieve the impossible with just a challenging spirit.
Small brands have no way of beating big brands in terms of size or scale.
But in terms of influence, it is possible to beat any big brand.
We need to create a growth paradigm unique to small brands by increasing our influence.

--- p.143, from “What You Need to Cultivate Is Influence”

If you love something, you have to make it your own special thing.
One thing to note here is the definition of special.
Most brand owners believe their products or services are special.
Perhaps its specialness is natural, as it was created through a difficult process.
But the specialness we are talking about here is not narcissism based on such subjective standards.
It must be objectively special.
It must be judged from the consumer or customer's perspective.
You should be able to write in one sentence why your product or service is special.
And you have to be able to pinpoint what the core DNA is that makes it special.

--- p.175, from “Do something special that you like”

Converted to the distance concept we are familiar with, it is 30 meters.
When running long distances, they tell you to look at the waist of the person 30 meters ahead of you.
This is how the eye level is explained to allow you to run in the most comfortable posture.
I think that's also the position that brands should take ahead of consumers.
Consumers should be able to view and follow the brand with ease.
If it's too far, I don't have the courage to follow.

--- p.198, from “Go 30 meters ahead”

There are times when a characteristic you have can be both a weakness and a strength.
In such cases, consumers who cannot accept the weakness must boldly give up.
Marmite, a spread primarily consumed in British culture, did just that.
Made from a concentrated byproduct of brewer's yeast, this spread has a very salty and unique flavor that those who dislike it won't even try it.
Their slogan is a masterpiece that will remain in the history of advertising for a long time.
'Love it or hate it.'
--- p.215, from “Accept Your Weaknesses”

Small brands are bound to be at a disadvantage compared to large brands in terms of organization and manpower.
But the amount of imagination a decision maker can muster has nothing to do with the size of the brand.
Rather, within a large organization, the scope of imagination is bound to be limited.
Brand decision-making is a battle of imagination.
Let's not just look at the numbers in the survey results, let's use our imagination.
The meaning of the numbers will be revealed.

--- p.249, from “Draw the End Picture”

A person with sincerity does not care about what others think or is obsessed with immediate interests.
Even brands that have grown enough to have a voice as a member of society must do the same.
This is also the case for brands that want to grow into influential brands.
It's natural to be concerned about immediate disadvantages or uncomfortable relationships.
But if you think, 'I have something to do now, something to say,' then Just Do It! --- p.269, from "Speak Up for the Voice the Times Wants"

The competition for views is driving content into a competition of 'different, different'.
As a result, the differentiation and attention of the content itself may increase, but its connection to the brand's intended message is likely to decrease.
This kind of content is volatile.
It may increase views and give the brand some brief buzz, but that's usually the end of it.
And then it's forgotten.
The part that serves as nutrients for the brand is bound to be limited.
Additionally, digital content focused on differentiation often struggles to effectively connect with other parts of the campaign (advertising, promotions, events, etc.).

--- p.296, from “Do Interesting Advertisements Really Work?”

If the goal of a product is to sell, the goal of a brand is to build a relationship with the consumer.
This is by no means a tautology.
Being a good brand doesn't mean selling a lot, but rather building a strong and sustainable relationship with consumers.
It is a completely different concept from maximizing sales over a certain period of time and maximizing profits through it.
Understanding what this means is the first step to branding.

--- p.307, from “Let Your Brand Speak”

There's no doubt that creating new products or services that resonate with consumers and customers is the best way to build a strong brand.
But in a world already filled with countless 'new things', creating 'something newer' is not an easy task.
It is an era where we need to think about 'how' to sell a brand with great essence.

--- p.319, from “It’s not ‘what’ but ‘how’ that matters”