Planet PR.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"We have determined that there are seven brand 'planets'. Some will evolve, some will thrive, some will survive and some will disappear into a black hole. Modern Classics, Dominators, New Heroes, Wallpaper, Icons, Nadir and Reinvention are our brand planets.

The first is the home of contemporary cool, where brands succeed by staying true to their roots. It is populated by Modern Classics such as Time Out, Levi's and Penguin Books.

"The next planet is populated by Dominators. It's a cold, ruthless environment--not for the faint-hearted. Here we'll find the likes of Ikea, Starbucks and Tesco.

"New Heroes live on the next planet. Wannabe brands wannabe here. A lot of them struggle to find a foothold. The ones that are thriving are the likes of Innocent Drinks, Green & Black's and the Co-op.

"Planet Wallpaper's population are brands that have dozed off for a moment and woken to find themselves adrift in the brand equivalent of one of those shopping malls that you walk past thinking: 'That doesn't look very interesting down there.' At best, everyone needs at least a paint job; at worst, a complete makeover. They include names like Haagen-Dazs, KFC and Woolworths.

"There is, however, one brand planet where true legends live. They are Icons. They believe they are the best and every move is to sustain position, strengthen following and stay in front. Stella Artois and Walkers Crisps are two of the inhabitants.

"The next planet is Nadir. There is no way back for its inhabitants. They're too big to buy and too big to collapse, so they'll drift through a recession and perhaps even simply disappear. Brand names such as Disney, Dixons and FCUK live here.

"What they need is a spell on the planet known as Reinvention. Brimming with hope, regeneration and ambition, these guys-the likes of Puma, Nestle and McDonald's-are the envy of many. They make reinvention seem effortless. Self-aware enough to recognise a tired formula, they shed ghosts and find new pastures easily.

Brandsmiths.