E.T. Grether Professor Emeritus of Marketing and Public Policy
Marketing

Hailed as the "father of modern branding"

About

Marketing Professor Emeritus David Aaker is widely considered the father of modern branding. His pioneering work focused on defining brand equity and detailed ways to build and manage brands and portfolios. He has published more than 100 articles and 18 books on the theory and practice of marketing—including eight on branding—that have sold more 1 million copies and were translated into 18 languages.

Aaker’s first brand book, Managing Brand Equity (1991), gained attention because it defined brand equity at a time when there was no accepted definition. His second book, the bestselling Building Strong Brands (1995), developed his brand identity model, The Aaker Model, which is used by hundreds of firms to build and strategically manage brands. Other influential books followed on brand leadership, portfolio strategy, and relevance. His latest book, “Creating Signature Stories,” was published in 2017.

Aaker serves as Vice Chair at Prophet, a global marketing and branding consultancy. In 2015, he was inducted into the American Marketing Association Hall of Fame for his lifetime achievements in marketing.

Expertise and Research Interests

  • Storytelling
  • Branding
  • Brand and Brand Building
  • Brand Portfolio Strategy
  • Global Brand Management