Susannah Hart and John Murphy are the editors of this 1998 book about brands and the branding process:

Highlights:
- 95% of new products launched are brand extensions.
- 17 out of 20 new brands fail.
- The naming spectrum: a spectrum from 'freestanding' brand names such as Kodak and Exxon, through to associative names such as Visa and Silkience, to descriptive names such as Yoghurt Juice, with the idea that descriptive names may be problematic in that they may not be protectable in the longer term
- The last thirty years have seen an explosion in product (brand) counterfeiting; it has become a very well-organized and well funded big business
- It is estimated that 9% of all products sold are counterfeit 
- Companies are often their own worst enemies as they fail to take the proper precautions, domestically and internationally, to protect their products
- An approach to brand revitalization and extension:
o The vision of the brand: the brand's unique view of itself or the world
o The mission of the brand ­ the action obligation implied by the vision
o - central values of the brand ­ what the brand and the consumer share at a fundamental level
o Expressive values of the brand ­ what it says about the consumer
o Functional values (benefits) of the brand ­ what it does for the consumer
o Area of competence ­ the intended scope of the brand
o Attributes ­ functional product and/or service features of the brand
o Products ­ types of products/services offered
o Brand signals ­ name, colour, shape, etc.

[From the Great Books Series. Also see The Success Manual - Encyclopedia of Advice, which contains summaries of 100+ Most useful books.]