New Book Argues Brand Is the Business Advantage Leaders Keep Underestimating
Jonathan Bell’s “The Sixth Power” challenges business leaders to rethink brand as a source of pricing power, growth and
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Jonathan Bell’s “The Sixth Power” challenges business leaders to rethink brand as a source of pricing power, growth and enterprise value.
MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, October 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Business success has traditionally rested on five classic powers:
1. Technical skills
2. Leadership
3. Financial acumen
4. Customer intimacy
5. People and culture
In “The Sixth Power,” Jonathan Bell argues that brand is an overlooked sixth power—one that amplifies the other five and helps turn business capabilities into competitive advantage.
“The Sixth Power: Why Brand Is the Business Advantage Leaders Keep Underestimating” draws on Bell’s more than 30 years working with companies and leadership teams as founder and CEO of WANT Branding.
Bell makes the case that brand deserves a place on the business agenda alongside the capabilities leaders already recognize as essential to success. A strong brand helps turn those capabilities into something customers understand, trust and choose.
“Leaders invest in better products, stronger teams and smarter operations. But they often underestimate the brand that gets people to choose them in the first place,” said Bell. “That choice has real economic value—in the prices customers will pay, the talent you can attract and the growth you can achieve.”
The argument is particularly relevant to B2B companies, where leaders have traditionally relied on product performance, technical capabilities and sales relationships to win business. Those advantages remain essential. But when several suppliers can credibly claim similar capabilities, buyers also weigh the reputation of the company behind the offering and their confidence in its ability to deliver.
“In B2B, choosing a supplier can put someone’s reputation and career on the line,” Bell said. “Buyers want to know that the company will deliver, stand behind its promises and still be there in five years. A strong brand gives them reasons to feel confident in that decision.”
Brand also builds future demand. Most potential customers are not actively looking for a supplier at any given moment. Bell argues that companies need to build familiarity and trust before that need arises, increasing the likelihood they will be remembered and considered when buyers are ready to act.
Bell argues that artificial intelligence makes this question more urgent. As AI reduces the time and cost required to produce software, content and marketing materials, companies increasingly have access to similar tools. What becomes harder to replicate is the reputation a business has earned, the relationships it has built and the meaning people attach to its name.
“The Sixth Power” identifies six engines that help turn brand into business advantage: Creativity, Courage, Clarity, Captivation, Consistency and Control. Together, they provide a practical framework for CEOs, founders, boards, investors and marketing leaders seeking to build differentiation and long-term enterprise value.
The book also examines how brand can help businesses navigate moments of change, including mergers and acquisitions, rapid growth, new leadership, repositioning and expansion into new markets. At these moments, brand can clarify where the business is going, unite employees around a shared direction and give customers confidence in what comes next.
Bell’s central message is that brand is shaped by the entire business: its products, leadership, culture, customer experience and decisions. Its value depends on how consistently those elements deliver on what the company promises.
About Jonathan Bell
Jonathan Bell is the founder and CEO of WANT Branding and has more than 30 years of experience in brand strategy, naming and corporate identity. His career includes eight years at Interbrand and work with 41 of the Fortune 100 and more than 30 of the world’s top 100 brands. His client experience includes work with major brands such as Apple, Google, ServiceNow, Cisco,, Intel, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Verizon, Unilever, P&G and Merck. His TED talk, “How to Create a Great Brand Name,” has been viewed more than 3 million times.
Availability
“The Sixth Power: Why Brand Is the Business Advantage Leaders Keep Underestimating” is available now on Amazon. Additional information is available through WANT Branding.
About WANT Branding
WANT Branding builds high-performance brands for B2B companies through brand strategy, naming and identity. The firm helps leaders navigate moments of business change, creating brands that power business performance.
Jonathan Bell
WANT
+1 917-733-4669
email us here
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