Jonathan Bell argues brand is the sixth business power

Jonathan Bell’s new book says brand is an underused driver of pricing power, growth and enterprise value, especially as AI makes products and marketing easier to copy. The book positions brand as a practical advantage for B2B leaders, investors and boards trying to differentiate in crowded markets.

Why it matters: - Brand is often treated as a marketing layer, but Jonathan Bell argues it shapes pricing power, trust, hiring and long-term enterprise value. - The book’s core claim lands hardest in B2B, where buyers often compare similar products and capabilities before choosing a supplier. - Bell says AI makes the issue more urgent because software, content and marketing assets are becoming easier to produce and harder to differentiate.

What happened: - Jonathan Bell released “The Sixth Power: Why Brand Is the Business Advantage Leaders Keep Underestimating.” - The book argues that brand is a sixth business power, alongside technical skills, leadership, financial acumen, customer intimacy, and people and culture. - Bell wrote the book from more than 30 years of work with companies and leadership teams as founder and CEO of WANT Branding. - The book is available now on Amazon, and more information is available through WANT Branding.

The details: - Bell says brand amplifies the other five powers by helping customers understand, trust and choose a company. - A strong brand can influence the prices customers will pay, the talent a company can attract and the growth it can achieve. - In B2B buying, Bell says the decision can put a buyer’s reputation and career on the line. - Bell says buyers want confidence that a supplier will deliver, stand behind its promises and still be operating years from now. - The book says brand also helps create future demand by building familiarity and trust before a buyer is actively searching. - “The Sixth Power” identifies six brand engines: Creativity, Courage, Clarity, Captivation, Consistency and Control. - Bell presents those six engines as a framework for CEOs, founders, boards, investors and marketing leaders. - The book examines how brand can help during mergers and acquisitions, rapid growth, leadership change, repositioning and expansion into new markets. - Bell says brand is shaped by the entire business, including products, leadership, culture, customer experience and decisions. - The value of brand, Bell argues, depends on how consistently those elements deliver on the company’s promise.

Between the lines: - Bell is pushing a broader definition of brand than logos, messaging or demand generation. - The argument frames brand as an operating asset that affects how the market values a company. - That view matters most when competitors can match features and performance, leaving trust and perception as key differentiators. - Bell’s AI point suggests the moat is shifting from what a business can make to what the market believes about the business.

What’s next: - Bell is positioning the book as a guide for leaders trying to strengthen differentiation and long-term value. - WANT Branding is using the book’s framework to reinforce its work with B2B companies during periods of business change. - The book’s reception will likely hinge on whether leaders treat brand as a strategic investment rather than a communications function.

The bottom line: - Bell’s thesis is simple: in a market where products can be copied faster, brand may be one of the few advantages that compounds over time.