Rock legends, however, offer tips on how companies can adapt their brands and become accepted by consumers: S Evolve but remain true to your core sound or strength. Bands that stray too far from their core sound often alienate the fans they took so long to acquire. Aerosmith’s remake of “Walk This Way” spurred a brand reinvention with the perfect balance of familiarity and newness. Evolution is required if a brand is to stay relevant in the culture, but radical changes in look, feel, brand promise or personality may make the brand so different from what fans expect that it breaks the emotional ties between fan and brand.

S Evolve the brand within the parameters of the brand promise. At first blush, Madonna’s brand promise seems to focus primarily on sex; however, further examination reveals it is really about challenging conventional thinking, setting trends, and zigging when everyone expects her to zag. With this definition, it is clear that her evolution from material girl to sex diva to modern mom to spiritual girl fits what her fans expect from her. Similarly, Porsche promises high performance driving and high design, but its perceived promise among fans is to help make the person driving it more attractive to members of the opposite sex.

S Alter offerings to accommodate different customer segments. During its Forty Licks tour, the Rolling Stones offered three different concert experiences to fans willing and able to pay varying amounts of cash. Ticket prices ranged from $75 to $350 depending on the degree of intimacy fans wanted to experience with the band. Performing to sold out arenas added to the iconic positioning of the band, while performing to exclusive crowds in small venues added to the aura of rarity and specialness. What people bought for upwards of $350 were special memories and an experience few will ever have.