Upheavals
The importance of being Smith
It doesn’t matter whether you know about Paul Reed Smith - if you’re not a guitarist. If you are a guitarist, and you’re not aware of PRS guitars, then that may say something about you too - to other guitarists who count themselves in the know.
Reading this article on why the Smith company is flourishing at a time when others are floundering is a reminder that while a cult brand may take longer to build, part of its power is in its resilience. And that resilience stems directly from the extraordinary loyalty and exclusivity that a successful non-mainstream brand can build.
One of the most interesting myths about companies that choose to cultivate brands like this (I christened them “cultrepreneurs” some years back) is that they are small.
Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Guitars is hardly that - the third largest U.S. electric guitar maker, with an amazing 40 percent of the high-end guitar market. But in almost every case, the brands that have built the fierciest loyalty have made the scary decision to chase respect rather than popularity.
POSTED: Tuesday, 29 September 2009
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